The team behind Boongs Cafe in East Village is planning a new spot at 77 Third Ave. about a block away from Boongs Cafe. Owner Mario Hong told What Now New York that they are looking to open Boongs Grab & Go in an 1,100-square-foot space this fall, targeting an October opening.
Hong said they snapped up the space because they wanted to provide a 24-hour spot for NYU students with the new location. It will be an extension of the Boongs brand, which currently has Boongs Cafe on 12th Street and Boongs Chicken on the Upper East Side. Boongs’ name is a nod to the sound of a heartbeat when someone is excited.
Boongs Cafe offers items like waffles, dumplings and triangle kimbab. Boongs Chicken serves Korean fried chicken as well as chicken sandwiches and bowls. Both operate in a fast-casual setting.
“What I’m trying to do is put those businesses into one,” Hong said.
Customers at Boongs Grab & Go can expect elements of both menus and will feature Korean and Asian snacks, ice cream and other desserts.
The space will feature the same branding as other Boongs locations. Hong’s wife, who does graphic design, does the branding for Boongs.
“All the logos are the same characters holding different things,” Hong said. “It’s going to be very bubbly, cute and bright.”
The new location will likely combine Boongs Cafe’s red-and-black color scheme with Boongs Chicken’s white-and-yellow one.
This is part of a broader expansion for the Boongs brand as Hong aspires to expand throughout the city. They also are rolling out Boongs Sushi as another extension of the brand.
“We opened three locations in seven months, so this is our fourth location,” Hong said. “We are trying to build this Boongs brand — Boongs Cafe, Boongs Chicken, Boongs Grab & Go and Boongs Sushi — in New York City.”
