While many restaurants along University Boulevard have changed hands over the past few months, South Philly Cheese Steaks has been a staple since 2011.
The South Philly name, however, will soon change, as the restaurant rebrands and renovates.
Owner John Pinelli, who graduated from DU in 1994 and was an adjunct professor in the executive MBA program from 2000 to 2001 and University College in the late 1990s, has big plans for the sandwich shop. Alongside new bar manager Mike Summey, Pinelli has been deciding on designs to completely renovate the space. They will add a staircase to open up a second-floor patio to give patrons a second, outdoor bar with a west-facing view of mountains. It will nearly double the size of the existing bar area and open up the front windows.
South Philly will also be changing its name, and will be called Sprockets. They will still serve the traditional Philly cheesesteaks along with new, healthier menu options. It will also retain the same ownership and management.
While the main renovations are scheduled to begin soon after school lets out in June, some of the changes can already be seen. In the past six months they have added a new sound system, put in a stage and added events throughout the week. Every day has a new event: Open Mic Night on Mondays, Karaoke on Tuesdays, Ladies Night on Wednesdays and DJs and Drink Promos on weekends. Each event comes with deals on drinks for those of age, and a chance for some fun for those who are not.
The events have already received support from DU students, as several have performed at Monday’s Open Mic Night, and French and computer science double-major Bohdi Cooper’s DJing skills on Thursday nights have packed the bar. Pinelli says he cares deeply for the DU community and is committed to creating the number one spot for fun near campus.
He also has a history of hiring DU students, including three who currently work there. One of these students, master’s student Daniel Pedinoff from New Templeton, Pennsylvania, who is working towards his masters in international security at DU, loves working close to campus and described it as a “great place to work that reminds me of home.”
While the specific details of the renovation may still be tweaked, the commitment to change and the overall vision for Sprockets is clear. South Philly Cheese Steaks is open until midnight during the week and until 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Renovations should be completed in time for the beginning of Fall Quarter of the 2015-2016 school year.
