After a few delays, the owners of Dick Mondell’s Burgers & Fries hope to open in mid-April at 1177 Third St. S. in Jacksonville Beach.
The casual, limited-menu restaurant has locations in Gainesville and Tallahassee.
Founding managers and partners Connor Castelli and Chris Leckerling opened the Gainesville store in December 2018 and the Tallahassee location in March 2023.
They planned to open in Jacksonville Beach in May 2022, but they said supply issues and extensive site preparation work slowed initial progress. The former self-serve car wash on the site had to be demolished. Power to operate the kitchen equipment had to be installed and an underground water retention system constructed.
Castelli estimated site work costs at $500,000 and construction of the 1,000-square-foot restaurant at $1 million.
Toney Construction is the contractor.
“I can’t wait until this restaurant starts making money instead of just sitting there and us spending money,” Castelli said March 26.
The Dick Mondell business model is reminiscent of the start of fast-food burgers. There is no inside seating and the covered, outside picnic table area will seat about 30. It also has a drive-thru.
The Original Big Dick burger is two four-ounce beef patties with lettuce, pickles, onion and Dick’s Sauce. The Dick Junior is one patty.
The restaurant also has a chicken burger, veggie burger and Impossible burger. Sides include fries, sweet potato tots and kettle chips.
It offers salads, milkshakes and ice cream.
Castelli is from Jacksonville and said he had always wanted a location at the Beaches.
“We thought that Jacksonville Beach would be ideal,” he said.
“People who live in Murray Hill may come to the beach, but people who live at the beach probably will not be going to Murray Hill.”
Castelli does have an admission: There is no Dick Mondell.
“We just came up with the name. It sounded like it was established,” Castelli told the Daily Record in 2022.
“Somebody told me once to never name a business after yourself. I thought that was really good advice. We don’t want this to be a real personal brand.”