Empire Armadillo: For the Sake of a Chicken Sandwich, a Restaurant Was Born

John Vink and Ousmane Barry have teamed up to open Empire Armadillo in Sunnyvale in the old location of the Armadillo Willy's.

We’ve all had the experience of losing a beloved restaurant, but very few of us decide to recreate that favorite restaurant. Yet that’s exactly what retired Apple engineer John Vink did when the restaurant he ate lunch at every week for 29 years, Armadillo Willy’s, closed suddenly last June. And he did it in only three months, with the help of his business partner, restaurateur Ousmane Barry.

On Sept. 18, when Vink’s Empire Armadillo Barbeque opened in Sunnyvale, it wasn’t just another restaurant; it was a recreation of a beloved community institution that serves his favorite chicken sandwich.

A serendipitous conversation started the ball rolling.

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“One day I met Ousmane, who was manager at the Sunnyvale [Armadillo Willy’s] location,” Vink said. “I found out that they were closing a bunch of restaurants, and I didn’t want to go anyplace else. So my plan was to buy the restaurant so I could purchase my sandwich.”

The partners got right to work launching the new restaurant, aiming to preserve its Sunnyvale legacy and community ties. The pair made a good team.

With his background as a longtime Apple engineer, Vink applied his systematic mindset to fast-tracking the opening. He worked on multiple fronts simultaneously to navigate legal, logistical and operational hurdles. The partners acquired all the equipment and assets from the bankruptcy estate of the original restaurant, and renegotiated leases with the landlord.

Barry brought a long career in the restaurant business — including time at Manhattan’s famous Magnolia Bakery — as well as long-standing relationships in the industry and Armadillo Willy’s.

“I already had established relationships with all Armadillo Willy’s vendors,” said Barry.

Setting up the supply chain was “a very quick couple of hours of phone calls.

“In terms of staffing,” he continued, “we already have a great relationships, at the Santa Clara [and] Sunnyvale locations. I knew all the key employees, and we were fortunate to have them on our team right away. Ninety percent of our staff were already experienced working at Armadillo Willy’s.”

Vink didn’t stop at recreating all the Armadillo Willy’s favorites. He wanted to bring something extra to the restaurant and added some New York deli classics to the menu.

Just like the idea of the restaurant, the pastrami and corned beef sandwiches come from a personal connection.

“I went to a place called Auggie’s Montreal in the Arena,” said Vink. “I had a sandwich that tasted so good. And I couldn’t find a sandwich like that around San José. I googled it, and the answer was: there’s nowhere you can get this here. I wanted to add the deli sandwiches.”

The partners also added other items with a NY deli vibe, like matzoh ball soup and banana pudding, a menu item that Magnolia Bakery is known for.

Being part of the community is central to Empire Armadillo’s mission.

“During COVID, everything shut down, the community really came and supported us,” said Barry. “We want to support the community. When we had the soft opening, we got so many hugs and thumbs up from people. This was one of their favorite places to come. They have stories about so many celebrations at Armadillo Willy’s. We would like to continue being part of that community.”

Empire Armadillo Barbeque is at 161 E. El Camino Real in Sunnyvale, and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The grand opening was Sept. 11.

Carolyn Schuk can be reached at carolyn@santaclaraweekly.com.