King of Queens Coney Island returns as Gyro Palace in the Colonnade Shopping Center
Restaurant owner Naser Derneika had to downsize his dream.
Faced with juggling too much at one time along with the competition of a regional chain that moved in next door, Derneika abandoned his dream of owning six Ann Arbor Coney Island restaurants and has returned to his roots with Gyro Palace, his newly relaunched restaurant located in the Colonnade Shopping Center in Ann Arbor.
Naser Derneika, owner of Gyro Palace.
photo by Janet Miller
Derneika replaced King of Queens Restaurant, with its Coney Island-focused menu, with Gyro Palace, featuring a new menu with Mediterranean food and food from his Lebanese homeland. While the menu still offers burgers, hot dogs and fries, it focuses on Greek salads, gyros, grape leaves, falafel and more. It’s heavy with vegetarian items, and Derneika is developing a vegan menu. He also will offer a lunch buffet with specials such as corned beef and cabbage and fish and chips beginning next month.
Daily receipts have increased 40 percent since the change, he said. “I want to build it to a 200 percent increase in a month. The mistakes I did before, I won’t do again.” That includes not expanding, at least for now.
Derneika said he’s back on the right track. He opened his first King
of Queens restaurants in 2003 on South University near the heart of
campus, offering a four-page menu and trying to please all tastes. Two
other King of Queens followed, the one in the Colonnade and one on
Carpenter Road. His goal was to open six restaurants while running a
screen printing business at the same time.
That didn’t work, Derneika said. “I spread myself too thin.”
He downsized to just the restaurant at the Colonnade, but sales
began to fall soon after Bagger Dave’s moved in next door in 2008,
Derneika said.
“I could sit and compete with fries and burgers, or I
could change. I’m ready to compete with my new menu.”
Bagger Dave’s specializes in burgers, fries and milkshakes, and there’s fierce competition for restaurant traffic at the shopping center. There are at least six restaurants, including one offering Chinese, Mexican and Italian fare.
King of Queens survives, according to Derneika. It’s still the corporate name, doing business as Gyro Palace, he said.
Janet Miller is a freelance writer and a frequent contributor to AnnArbor.com.
Comments
thirdplace
Fri, Dec 24, 2010 : 2:28 p.m.
We just had a horrible experience at the Gyro Palace. The owner participates with restaurant.com but wouldn't take the coupon after we already ate. He then proceeded to insult us and refused to work with us at all. Very disappointing and we won't be returning.
rygutz
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 11:20 a.m.
I walked into the Gyro Palace because they had a sign that promised authentic Gyros. I expected it to be busy inside because it was almost noon, and this strip mall is usually crowded. There was only one table seated in the place. I ordered a Classic Gyro to go and paid over $6.00. I was not happy with what was delivered. It was a small quanity of meat and did not taste like it was cut off the skewer. Anyway, the floor in this place was sticky and it needed to be mopped. I won't ever go back. Ahmo's is a way better deal and it is clean.
GoblueBeatOSU
Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 1:16 p.m.
walked into King of Queens one day to check it out..the smell was soooo bad we turned around and left. Never went back. We go to Panera, Moe's, Bagger Dave's all the time. Never saw anyone in King of Queens. Can only assume the smell had something to do with it. I hope the new place is cleaner.
JimB
Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 10:31 a.m.
Turning around a failing restaurant is a tough job. I hope they don't make the same mistakes as with the coney concept such as serving the chaepest, lowest quality ingredients. It showed. Service was sub par as well.
Lou Perry
Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 10:03 a.m.
I wish the owner all success can be. But the Coney product and the service were less than acceptable.
Steve Pepple
Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 6:57 a.m.
A misspelling has been corrected. Thanks to donderop for pointing it out.
donderop
Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 6:53 a.m.
Best of luck to Mr. Derneika! (And note to editor...it's cornED beef.)