Author: Lance Griffin THE DOTHAN EAGLE 9/10/2016

Danny Tindell/ Dothan Eagle / Kyla Grantham with Goldfingersdelivers Mandy Eubanks her order at the restaurant in Dothan on Wednesdday.

Goldfingers, a Dothan staple since 2009, announced recently it is expanding outside the Wiregrass.

The restaurant, specializing in chicken fingers, will open a restaurant next month in Saraland, just north of Mobile. Another Mobile location on Dauphin Street is set to open next spring. A Troy location is also planned to open near the end of the year.

Goldfingers opened its first Dothan location in 2009 and currently has three Dothan locations. The restaurant is planning a location at the Westway Shopping Center currently under construction.

Goldfingers founder and owner Bill Dorminy spoke with the Dothan Eagle recently about the expansion plans.

Q: What have you learned to make you decide the timing is right for expansion?

A: One of the biggest reasons has just come from the amount of traffic we have seen coming into our restaurants. People coming in believe we are already a chain and have other locations. People will come in and say “Yeah, I think I’ve eaten at your Atlanta location before” or something like that. So, it is just that feel that people have been asking for it. People who come in will ask us when we are going to open a place where they live. It’s funny because we had a big conference call just recently and it was about a year ago that we started working with a consultant to help us with franchising.

Q: A lot of places specialize in chicken fingers. What makes Goldfingers stand out?

A: I think that’s a good question. I think, when people first get to the door, people are just kind of ‘wow.’ It’s spacious. We don’t try to pack people in. I think kids see a motorcycle on the wall or a car and think that’s pretty cool. We have people all the time coming through Dothan from Atlanta and telling us that this is their stop. I think it’s the people, too. We’re friendly. And, obviously, there is the food. Our products are never frozen. We’ve come up with the recipes for our spices, our sauce.

Q: Why Mobile?

A: To be perfectly honest, I have a son who is a worship pastor at a church there. He was the president of the Student Government Association at the University of Mobile. I have a daughter there now. And, just recently, I have a grandchild there. So, we want to spend as much time there as we can. We already have a billboard up on I-65, and people are already contacting us about opening.

Q: What else is important about the expansion?

A: I think for us … I was just reading the Bible this morning … and work, done for the Lord, is ministry. And we love what we do. I love raising up leaders. I love communicating to people that you can be who you are, you can exercise your faith, your values and your skills and impact the community. That is why I am excited about franchising because of the opportunities for others be to become involved and then I get to see what is going to happen in their lives.

Q: Why Mobile?
A: To be perfectly honest, I have a son who is a worship pastor at a church there. He was the president of the Student Government Association at the University of Mobile. I have a daughter there now. And, just recently, I have a grandchild there. So, we want to spend as much time there as we can. We already have a billboard up on I-65, and people are already contacting us about opening.
Q: What else is important about the expansion?
A: I think for us … I was just reading the Bible this morning … and work, done for the Lord, is ministry. And we love what we do. I love raising up leaders. I love communicating to people that you can be who you are, you can exercise your faith, your values and your skills and impact the community. That is why I am excited about franchising because of the opportunities for others be to become involved and then I get to see what is going to happen in their lives.

Increased traffic leads Goldfingers to expand