Curley’s ‘Que opens in Spring City
Spring City restaurant opened in October
SPRING CITY >> Mark Van Horn is no stranger to the restaurant business.
Van Horn started working in restaurants when he was in high school. He owned and operated the French Quarter Bistro in Royersford for 17 years before closing the business three years ago.
He couldn’t stay away from the industry however. In October Van Horn, who lives in East Coventry, opened Curley’s ‘Que, 825 New St. in Spring City.
Van Horn describes the new business as a “family-style barbecue restaurant, but we also specialize in red top pizzas and cheese steaks.”
Opening any new business — let alone a restaurant — during a pandemic presents challenges, but Van Horn said it took him about an hour to make the decision to do it.
Van Horn said he wasn’t worried
about opening during the pandemic amid the restrictions restaurants had been operating under.
“I knew what was going on — most of my friends are in the restaurant business, so I saw what was happening,” he said. “I didn’t have concerns — it was the right time.”
When he closed French Quarter Bistro in 2018 — the Delaware County native didn’t step away from food. He was quickly hired by Corropolese Italian Bakery to manage the Limerick location.
When the pandemic struck, Van Horn, a self-taught cook, started selling prepared meals that people could just reheat at home — selling about 100 meals a week.
Then Van Horn got a phone call from the owner of the Spring City building — a former restaurant — which had been sitting vacant.
“I realized how I missed working for myself. I love to cook for other people,” he said, adding that after working out the details for the lease, “I bought a smoker.”
“I have a passion for cooking,” he said. “I was missing the creative part of my life.”
That was in September. “Everything came together very quickly,” he said, adding that the location was ready to go, since it had previously been a restaurant.
While Curley’s ‘Que has space for limited seating, Van Horn said he originally opened as a strictly takeout location. The business is currently about 99% takeout and also offers delivery, which he said launched about a month ago.
Van Horn has kept his French Quarter Bistro Facebook page active, with its more than 6,000 followers, and cross posts from his Curley’s ‘Que Facebook page as he builds followers for the new restaurant. He already has more than 1,600 followers on the new Facebook page.
“Thank God for the internet. Usually when you start, you start slow and grow. I had such a big following and I am so active — that as soon as I opened people were waiting for it. Things are going great so far,” he said, adding he hasn’t had any second thoughts.
Van Horn said he is grateful for the loyalty of the customers from French Quarter Bistro and those that have purchased the prepared meals.
“I appreciate them for being here for me,” he added.
THE FOOD
When Van Horn says “barbeque,” he is not kidding.
He has a smoker outside in back of the restaurant and uses hickory, oak, cherry and Applewood to create his barbeque items. Barbeque has always been a staple menu item for him.
Van Horn builds a fire every morning, and cooks his meats for hours — ribs for 3-4 hours, chickens for 3-4 hours and brisket — which he will soon be adding — will cook for about 14 hours.
“The biggest challenge is tending the smoke and running a restaurant at the same time,” he said. “Another challenge is getting it hot when it’s snowing.”
Van Horn describes his pizza as a Buffalo-style pizza, with thick cut pepperoni, whole milk mozzarella cheese and a “sweeter” sauce on top.
“The pizza is a little bit thicker, but it’s not Sicilian,” he said.
Curley’s ‘Que also sells sandwiches and cheesesteaks.
“We stand out because we’re different; we slice our meat every day.”
Van Horn is also still doing the Sunday meal plans, saying some families have come to depend on it. The weekly meal options are posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page every Monday.
Orders must be placed by Thursday evening and are delivered on Sunday in a microwaveable container. Van Horn offers two entrees every week and sometimes a dessert.
He says the prepared meals are a trend that will continue to grow.
Curley’s ‘Que accepts cash and Venmo — no credit cards at this time. The restaurant is open Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday 12 to 5 p.m.
For more information visit www.curleysque.com/index.php or www.facebook.com/curleysque
“I realized how I missed working for myself. I love to cook for other people.”
— Mark Van Horn, owner, Curley’s ‘Que