Brothers Gurpreet “P2” Sandhu and Gurbhagat “Gulu” Sandhu are two smart cookies. For one thing, Gulu has his PhD in chemical engineering and P2 studied finance and real estate at Virginia Commonwealth University. For another, they’re working together to open Virginia’s first Mooyah, a fast-growing, better burger franchise.

The brothers are development agents and franchisees for the blossoming chain, and their first location is exclusive. Tucked in the first floor of the College of William & Mary’s brand new Tribe Square residential building, Virginia’s first Mooyah is slated to open in January 2012.

“Students currently have limited dining options on and close to campus, so we feel this is going to make a big impact,” P2 says.

The restaurant is one of four that will be on the first floor of the building, which just opened this fall.

Mooyah broke into the franchising scene of the better burger segment in 2007. Twenty-three locations are currently open in the brand’s home state of Texas with additional locations in Connecticut, California, and Tennessee.

The Sandhus' new William and Mary location is Virginia’s first, but it won’t be the state’s only one for long. A second location is slated to open in spring of 2012 in Short Pump, with more to follow. Since the brothers are Richmond natives and residents, they’re eagerly exploring the Richmond area for opportunities. 

“We’ve had franchises with Subway, KFC, and Taco Bell for years, and we’ve been looking for fresh growth opportunities for some time,” P2 says. “Mooyah is the perfect fit for us. We visited Dallas and were sold on the concept the minute we stepped into the flagship Frisco location. The guest experience that Mooyah provides is amazing, and we look forward to introducing this brand to Virginia and making it No. 1 in the category.”