He started flipping burgers from a griddle set up on his driveway to make a living during the pandemic, and now former public relations business owner Matthew McIvor is continuing to smash the burger business as he gets ready to open a second location of his joint, Proudly Serving.

“We’re super excited but super nervous at the same time, and I definitely see the challenges because we’ve been super busy, so it’s a good challenge to have,” said McIvor, who is expecting the new location to open by early January at 1617 S. Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach.

His restaurant specializes in smash burgers, made by pressing on the patty when it’s on the grill to intensify the flavor. The menu at the new location will include established entrees like The Founder, made with a double patty with cheese, raw onions, pickles, yellow mustard and ketchup; as well as the PS Burger, another double patty with cheese, griddled onions, pickles and sauce.

The 60-seat restaurant in Redondo’s Riviera Village will also serve his new Juicy James burger, made with a double patty with cheese, lettuce, tomato and bacon on a sesame seed bun.

“We’re adding that one new burger in Redondo, and we’ll have milkshakes and soft serve there eventually,” he said.

McIvor started his burger business by setting up a griddle on his driveway after the pandemic forced him to go from running a PR agency to flipping burgers to make a living. His burgers were a hit and he operated as a pop-up for more than a year before taking over the kitchen and sharing a space with the Project Barley brewery taproom on Redondo Beach’s International Boardwalk in 2022.

He left that space about a year ago to open his first 60-seat restaurant at 110 Second St. in Hermosa Beach. The place quickly gained a following, which led to McIvor’s decision to open a second location, and he envisions more burger spots, including in Orange sometime next year, as well as a food truck.

“We have some pretty lofty goals ahead of us,” McIvor said.