Pat's (Philly cheesesteak) to open a store in State College

[Fortytwo]

https://www.phillymag.com/foobooz/20...-cheesesteaks/

Pat’s Steaks Owner to (Finally!) Open Second Location

And if this one is a big success, Frank Olivieri is looking to go national.


by Victor Fiorillo 9/5/2023, 12:59 p.m.

Last week proved to be a big one in the annals of Philadelphia cheesesteak history, what with the surprise announcement that the OG Jim’s cheesesteak shop in West Philly was reopening as Jim’s West followed by the news that this reopening plan was coming with plenty of drama and legal threats. Well, that’s not all the cheesesteak news these waning days of summer are bringing us. We just learned that Pat’s Steaks owner Frank Olivieri is planning to open his first-ever second location.

Olivieri, a South Philadelphia resident, is the grandson of Harry Olivieri and the grand nephew of Pat Olivieri, the duo who invented Philadelphia’s most famous sandwich back in the 1930s. And now, Olivieri says he’s bringing the family’s cheesesteaks to Penn State.

This won’t be some Pat’s Steaks cheesesteak counter at Beaver Stadium. This Pat’s Steaks at Penn State will be a standalone store. And it’s not a franchise. Olivieri is partnering with Rouge owner Rob Wasserman on the Pat’s Steaks Penn State location. Wasserman is already involved in some restaurant operations at Penn State in the form of his Snap Custom Pizza and Big Dean’s Hot Chicken, the Dean in the name being former Rouge chef Dean Dupis, who is also involved with the Best of Philly-winning Delco Steaks.

And if the Penn State Pat’s Steaks location is a success?

“If it works out well, we plan on opening throughout the country,” says Olivieri. “But not franchises. By opening these the way we are, it allows me to keep an eye on the shops more than I could if they were franchises. Franchises come with all sorts of rules and regulations. And you lose some control.”

This is Olivieri’s first effort to open another Pat’s Steaks. But other family members have made attempts. One relative tried their luck with a Pat’s Steaks in Atlantic City. Didn’t last. Another tried to open a Pat’s Steaks International franchise, which fizzled out. According to Olivieri, his late cousin opened a Pat’s Steaks offshoot on South Street that failed. Then he opened a cheesesteak shop at Reading Terminal Market that is no longer.

The Penn State campus area has no shortage of cheesesteak offerings — included one that just opened last year, co-opting our “It’s a Philly Thing” 2022 Eagles motto as their official slogan (boooo!) — though certainly none with the history or name recognition of Pat’s Steaks. I mean, hell, Pat’s was in Rocky!

For more on the storied past of the official sandwich of Philadelphia, be sure to read our article “The Cheesesteak Cometh: An Oral History of the Cheesesteak.”

WTAJ news did a segment on it: https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddri...er/ar-AA1gkGjz

According to the news story, "the company did confirm though that they’re aiming to open the new shop in December."

[Carson]

Go national? Blahhh. Nothing like original locations. Once businesses like this try to branch out, they lose their ambiance and their product sucks.

[Delkal]

Don't get your hopes up. Pat's (and Geno's) in the Italian market make some of the worst cheese steaks in Philadelphia They are only for tourists. I am sure there are already better places in State College to get a good cheese steak.

If Jim's would come up there that would be exciting. They blow Pat's and Geno's away.

[Walleye Hunter]

About the only cheesesteak that impresses me is mine. I'm figuring that he's trying to branch out for when Philthytown bans meat.

[STBear]

Don't get your hopes up. Pat's (and Geno's) in the Italian market make some of the worst cheese steaks in Philadelphia They are only for tourists. I am sure there are already better places in State College to get a good cheese steak.

If Jim's would come up there that would be exciting. They blow Pat's and Geno's away.

^^^^THIS^^^^

[eatmydust]

Pat's and Geno's both suck compared to my local pie shop and my local watering hole. I've had both and neither is a great example of Philly cheesesteaks.

[bogey1]

Go national? Blahhh. Nothing like original locations. Once businesses like this try to branch out, they lose their ambiance and their product sucks.

Agreed. Jaws is a perfect example.

[bogey1]

Don't get your hopes up. Pat's (and Geno's) in the Italian market make some of the worst cheese steaks in Philadelphia They are only for tourists. I am sure there are already better places in State College to get a good cheese steak.

If Jim's would come up there that would be exciting. They blow Pat's and Geno's away.

We have a jims near me in springfield. So so.

[Carson]

Don't get your hopes up. Pat's (and Geno's) in the Italian market make some of the worst cheese steaks in Philadelphia They are only for tourists. I am sure there are already better places in State College to get a good cheese steak.

If Jim's would come up there that would be exciting. They blow Pat's and Geno's away.

Pat's and Geno's both suck compared to my local pie shop and my local watering hole. I've had both and neither is a great example of Philly cheesesteaks.

Eh, I have been going to Pat*s and Geno*s before they were famous. We call 9th & Passyunk Cheese Steak Vegas. That said I will still have one or the other when the mood strikes. And yes, there are many other places that make a good cheesesteak. I am on a Lou*s in Norristown kick right now. But they are only open Thursday to Sunday and close early.

[Walleye Hunter]

Eh, I have been going to Pat*s and Geno*s before they were famous. We call 9th & Passyunk Cheese Steak Vegas. That said I will still have one or the other when the mood strikes. And yes, there are many other places that make a good cheesesteak. I am on a Lou*s in Norristown kick right now. But they are only open Thursday to Sunday and close early.

What are you doing coming all the way out here to Lou's? You might want to try Pudge's, I always liked them and they are very popular.