Jim's South Street

Last updated
Jim's South St.
Logo of Jim's South Street restaurant.png
Jim's South St., Jim's Steaks, Philadelphia (2465726262).jpg
Jim's South St's logo
Jim's South Street
Restaurant information
EstablishedJuly 5, 1976;46 years ago (1976-07-05)
Owner(s)Ken Silver
Previous owner(s)William Proetto
Abner Silver
Food type North American cuisine
Street address400 South St
City Philadelphia
State Pennsylvania
Postal/ZIP Code19147
CountryUnited States
Website jimssouthstreet.com

Jim's South St., formerly a part of the Jim's Steaks franchise, is a Philadelphia restaurant located on South Street specializing in cheesesteaks. The original restaurant chain known as Jim's Steaks was founded in West Philadelphia in 1939, however in 2011 ownership of the location on South Street changed and was later renamed to Jim's South St. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Founding

In the 1930s, "Jim and Millie" offered sandwiches from their house in West Philadelphia. In 1939, they converted the house into what would become Jim's Steaks. William Proetto and his brother, Tom, purchased the West Philadelphia location in 1966. In 1976, Proetto and Abner Silver opened its second location on South Street. [4]

History

Abner Silver took sole ownership of Jim's Steaks on South Street in 2011 after Proetto death. Abner Silver's owned the South Street location until his death from complications of Alzheimer's disease in 2015. [5] [6] Ownership of Jim's Steak on South Street was passed to his son, Kenneth Silver. The name of the South Street location was later renamed to Jim's South Street.

In 2014, while in town for the opening of Ride Along , Kevin Hart and Ice Cube gave away cheesesteaks at Jim's South Street. [7]

In 2016, NJ.com named Jim's South Street as one of the 10 Philadelphia cheesesteak shops that are worth a visit. [8] Jim's was selected based on winning a series of polls of the readers of the Philadelphia Business Journal . [9]

Ken Silver feared the COVID-19 pandemic would change the cheesesteak business forever. [10] After reopening after a 2-month lockdown, crowds were smaller, but better than what Silver expected. [11]

In the morning of July 29, 2022, a fire, caused by downed wires, was reported at Jim's South Street. [12] Firefighters were met with smoke and backup was called. [12] Silver said the fire was most likely caused by a malfunctioning HVAC system. [12] Silver plans to rebuild Jim's saying "I owe it to my father’s legacy. I owe it to the street and I owe it to Philadelphia. We are too important a business to go away and I truly view it that way." [12] Reconstruction of this location is planned for completion in 2023. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheesesteak</span> Steak and cheese sandwich from Philadelphia

A cheesesteak is a sandwich made from thinly sliced pieces of beefsteak and melted cheese in a long hoagie roll. A popular regional fast food, it has its roots in the U.S. city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat's King of Steaks</span> Restaurant in Philadelphia

Pat's King of Steaks is a Philadelphia restaurant specializing in cheesesteaks, and located at the intersection of South 9th Street, Wharton Street and East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia, directly across the street from rival Geno's Steaks. It was founded in 1930 by brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri, who are credited with the creation of the cheesesteak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geno's Steaks</span> Restaurant in Pennsylvania, United States

Geno's Steaks is a Philadelphia restaurant specializing in cheesesteaks, founded in 1966 by Joey Vento. Geno's is located in South Philadelphia at the intersection of 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue, directly across the street from rival Pat's King of Steaks, which is generally credited with having invented the cheesesteak in 1933. The cheesesteak has since become a signature dish for the city of Philadelphia. After Joey Vento's death in 2011, restaurant ownership was passed to his son Geno Vento.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of Philadelphia</span>

The cuisine of Philadelphia was shaped largely by the city's mixture of ethnicities, available foodstuffs and history. Certain foods have become associated with the city.

Harry M. Olivieri was an American restaurateur of Italian descent. He is credited, along with his brother, Pat Olivieri, as the co-creator of the cheesesteak in 1933. The brothers opened Pat's King of Steaks in 1940, one of the best known purveyors of steak sandwiches in Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charleys Philly Steaks</span> American restaurant chain

Charleys Philly Steaks is an American restaurant chain of Philly cheesesteak stores headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Formerly known as Charley's Steakery and Charley's Grilled Subs, the franchise was established in 1986 on the campus of The Ohio State University. By 2017 there were 600 locations in 45 states and in 19 countries. Charleys is expected to have doubled in size in 2021. In addition to traditional Philly cheesesteaks, the chain also has other steak based sandwiches and multiple grilled chicken sandwiches, among other grilled sandwiches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steak sandwich</span> Type of sandwich

A steak sandwich is a sandwich prepared with steak that has been broiled, fried, grilled, barbecued or seared using steel grates or gridirons, then served on bread or a roll. Steak sandwiches are sometimes served with toppings of cheese, onions, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, and in some instances fried eggs, coleslaw, and french fries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steak-umm</span> American brand of frozen meat products

Steak-umm is a brand of thin-sliced frozen steaks manufactured by The Steak-Umm Company, LLC. Steak-umms are sold in supermarkets throughout the United States and are used for making homemade Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks. The company claims to be "the best-known sandwich steak brand in America" and to have "helped turn the regional 'Philly Cheese Steak' Sandwich into standard fare on America's dinner tables over four decades ago". The company also produces ready-to-cook hamburger patties that are available in "Original" and "Sweet Onion" varieties.

Joseph Anthony Vento was an American cook and restaurateur who founded Geno's Steaks, a cheesesteak restaurant, in 1966, starting a longtime rivalry with neighboring restaurant, Pat's King of Steaks.

Jim's Steaks is a Philadelphia restaurant specializing in cheesesteaks, founded in 1939 on North 62nd Street in West Philadelphia. Jim's Steaks currently has two locations, the original in West Philadelphia and another in Springfield, Pennsylvania. Jim's Steaks owned the restaurant on South Street until 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Luke's</span>

Tony Luke's is an American-based cheesesteak restaurant that was founded in 1992 by Tony Lucidonio, Sr. and his sons, Tony Luke Jr. and Nicky Lucidonio at its original location at 39 East Oregon Avenue in South Philadelphia. The franchise has since expanded, with 16 locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, one location each in Washington, DC, Maryland & Texas as well as one in Bahrain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalessandro's Steaks</span> Restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Dalessandro's Steaks & Hoagies is a cheesesteak restaurant that was founded in 1960 in Roxborough, a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. When referring to Dalessandro's, The New York Times declared that "Philly food could be summed up by those cheese steaks".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve's Prince of Steaks</span> Restaurant in United States, Pennsylvania

Steve's Prince of Steaks is a cheesesteak eatery that was founded in 1980 on Bustleton Ave in the Oxford Circle section of Northeast Philadelphia. The eatery has since expanded to three additional locations and is popular among locals. The eatery is known for its melted American cheese and does not chop the meat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe's Steaks + Soda Shop</span> Restaurant in United States, Pennsylvania

Joe's Steaks + Soda Shop, formerly named Chink's Steaks, is a cheesesteak restaurant founded in 1949 in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Controversy over the restaurant's former name led to the owner renaming it. A second restaurant location opened in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia in 2015. In addition to its cheesesteak sandwich specialty, the company sells other types of sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, and other foods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primo Hoagies</span>

PrimoHoagies Franchising, Inc. , doing business as PrimoHoagies, is a United States east coast-based, fast casual restaurant chain founded in 1992 in South Philadelphia. Primo Hoagies has over 95 locations in seven states, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, South Carolina, Florida and Virginia.

A Philly taco, also known as South Street Sushi, or the Lorenzo's-Jim's Challenge, is a sandwich consisting of a cheesesteak wrapped in a jumbo slice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donkey's Place</span> Restaurant in New Jersey, United States

Donkey's Place is a restaurant and bar founded in 1943 in Parkside, Camden, New Jersey, which sells various sandwiches. The deli is known for its hoagies and cheesesteaks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonny's Famous Steaks</span> Restaurant in United States, Pennsylvania

Sonny's Famous Steaks is a cheesesteak restaurant that was founded in 1999 on Market St in Philadelphia. The restaurant has been highly ranked for its cheesesteaks since 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max's Steaks</span> Restaurant in United States, Pennsylvania

Max's Steaks is a cheesesteak and hoagie restaurant that was founded in 1994 on Germantown Ave in Nicetown, North Philadelphia. The restaurant is known for its whole cheesesteaks sometimes referred to as the "Giant" which is two feet long. The restaurant is attached to a bar called Eagle Bar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philadelphia's Steaks and Hoagies</span> Restaurant in the U.S. state of Oregon

Philadelphia's Steaks and Hoagies is a restaurant with multiple locations in the U.S. state of Oregon. There are two restaurants in the Portland metropolitan area and another in Sisters.

References

  1. ↑ Apple, R. W. Jr. (28 May 2003). "A TASTE OF PHILADELPHIA; In Hoagieland, They Accept No Substitutes". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
  2. ↑ "AFTER A DECADE, AN ADVENTURE IN DINING OUT; THE CHEESE STEAK: AN ORIGINAL". The New York Times. 21 May 1986. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
  3. ↑ Gavin, K. (2017). Moon Philadelphia: Including Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Travel Guide. Avalon Publishing. p. pt150. ISBN   978-1-63121-413-4 . Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  4. ↑ Gallagher, Christina (12 July 2011). "First a death, then a 32G heist, plague Jim's Steaks". philly.com.
  5. ↑ "Jim's Steaks". Jim's Steaks Official Website. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
  6. ↑ Etchells, Arthur (2015-01-13). "Abner Silver of Jim's Steaks Dies". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  7. ↑ Dillon, Hughe (2014-01-09). "Ice Cube and Kevin Hart Giving out Free Cheesesteaks at Jim's". Philly Mag.
  8. ↑ O'Neill, Erin (2016-03-24). "10 Philly cheesesteaks worth crossing the bridge for". NJ.com. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
  9. ↑ Hilario, Kenneth (4 January 2016). "Jim's Steaks South St. named champion of Cheesesteak Madness". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
  10. ↑ Rose, Kennedy (14 May 2020). "Jim's Steaks owner faces dramatic changes to 'cheesesteak industry' post-pandemic". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  11. ↑ Rose, Kennedy (25 June 2020). "Jim's Steaks reopens with cautious optimism after 2-month shutdown". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Jim's Steaks owner says fire could lead to 'total loss,' vows to rebuild". The Philadelphia Inquirer . 29 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  13. ↑ •. "Fire-Ravaged Jim's Steaks Shows Off Blueprint to Reopen on South Street in 2023". NBC10 Philadelphia. Retrieved 2023-04-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

Coordinates: 39°56′30″N75°08′57″W / 39.94156°N 75.14926°W / 39.94156; -75.14926

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.