By Mackenzie Shields
Tully’s Tenders, a new quick-service food location near SUNY Oswego, aims to open its doors in early March, said David Giamartino, one of its owners.
Tully’s Tenders will differ from other Tully’s locations in that it is not a full-service restaurant. Upon opening, the restaurant will offer drive-thru and takeout services.
On opening day, “we’re going to try to, I’ll call it, assist the customers in understanding what Tully’s quick service is,” Giamartino said. He added that some customers may be unsure of what the concept entails, or expect a full-service restaurant.
He said that to help with this, Tully’s will have employees outside wearing apparel to direct traffic, hand out menus, and answer questions for customers before they order.
Tully’s Tenders is located in the former Friendly’s building, which Giamartino said was a good location, as it is situated behind the high school and in a college town.
“It is very convenient for college students as it is really close to campus, making it not a horrible walk if you can’t drive,” said Katherine Speed, a sophomore at SUNY Oswego.
The restaurant’s namesake will be one of the main menu items, but it will also include crispy chicken sandwiches, salad, fries and some desserts. Giamartino said that the restaurant may expand its menu later, but is currently focusing on its tenders and sandwiches.
Later on, Giamartino also hopes to expand into online ordering options and delivery. The restaurant will also eventually have tables so customers can eat at the location. He said that this has not been possible yet due to delays in receiving furniture and equipment.
Giamartino said that initially the company had been focused on the full-service brand, but that the “quick-service concept is something we’ve been discussing for some time.”
He said that Tully’s was waiting for the right opportunity for this. This opportunity presented itself in the former Friendly’s location.
“[Good locations are] hard to find, and when you find them you have to kind of jump on them,” he said.
In the past, Tully’s has brought a food truck to Oswego. Initially, this truck was parked at Six Scoops Ice Cream, but Giamartino said this space was not large enough for the truck and may have impeded parking.
The truck then moved to the parking lot of the old Friendly’s location, where the restaurant will now be opening.
Giamartino said that they chose Oswego because it is far enough from full-service restaurants and they wanted the quick-service concept to stand alone. He added that the nearest Tully’s is approximately 20 minutes away from Oswego.
There is still work to be done prior to the day that the doors open.
Giamartino said that training must happen for both new employees and existing ones, since Tully’s Tenders is a new concept with new technology and a drive-thru. There are administrative jobs to finish as well.
Another task is hiring. Giamartino said that so far, the hiring process has “had a good reception,” but that hiring is a constant process for the restaurant.
“You don’t want to miss good candidates who might be with you for a long time and help you build your brand,” he said.
Many of the workers there will be high school or college students, and will likely have part-time availability. Giamartino said that Tully’s Tenders will be hiring from both of these groups constantly.
In terms of who Tully’s Tenders seeks to serve, Giamartino said ““I think most people in all demographics enjoy chicken tenders, whether you’re a 10-year-old child or a 50-year-old adult, so we want to be able to serve everybody, and offer menu items that not just a young kid might want, but that an adult may want.”
“I definitely see myself going there in the future because I love chicken tenders and I am really intrigued to see what options they will have in their menu for different food,” Speed said.
“We’ve been welcomed, the town, the mayor, everyone that we’ve worked with has been really great and supportive of the business, and we’re looking forward to serving the community and employing people in the community and adding some value where we can to this part of town,” Giamartino said. He added that Tully’s is excited to be in Oswego.
Kailee Montross | The Oswegonian
