SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Brooklyn Pickle will expand outside the Syracuse area next year, opening a restaurant in Utica and its first out-of-state eatery in North Carolina. The North Carolina location was first in the works, Brooklyn Pickle owner Craig Kowadla says. He and his family have spent time in the Pinehurst area over the years, […]
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Brooklyn Pickle will expand outside the Syracuse area next year, opening a restaurant in Utica and its first out-of-state eatery in North Carolina.
The North Carolina location was first in the works, Brooklyn Pickle owner Craig Kowadla says. He and his family have spent time in the Pinehurst area over the years, and he thought it was an ideal location for a fourth restaurant. Brooklyn Pickle currently operates eateries on Burnet Avenue and West Genesee Street in Syracuse and Buckley Road in the town of Clay.
“There’s nothing like this down there,” Kowadla says. He plans to open a 2,800-square-foot location in Pinehurst, North Carolina in February.
He will follow that in March when he plans to open in Utica at 600 State St. in the old Utica Steam Cotton Mill. Lahinch Group of Syracuse is in the process of remodeling the 94,500-square-foot building into a mix of 64 apartments and 20,000 square feet of commercial space.
Brooklyn Pickle will occupy 6,200 square feet with a very “Brooklynish” feel, Kowadla says. The space has an industrial look ceiling, exposed brick, and even a garage door that will open to an outdoor seating area.
“I’m excited for people to see it,” he exclaims. “It’s not like any of our other three locations.” He expects to employ between 25 and 30 people once the restaurant opens.
In a first for Brooklyn Pickle, the Utica restaurant will also serve beer. The eatery is known for its giant sandwiches, which contain a half a pound of meat, but also serves soups, salads, homemade sides, cheesecake, various daily specials, and, of course, pickles.
Kowadla had been looking into expanding outside of the Syracuse area for a while, he says, and was considering either Utica or Rochester for the next New York location. It was a January meeting with Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri that helped sway his decision.
“It’s a really great building, a great location, a great spot, and everything makes sense,” he notes. Like several other new business ventures in the area, he cited The Wynn Hospital set to open in downtown Utica next year as a big draw. He also feels the nearby Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium and Nexus Sports Center will help attract some customers.
Of course, the 64 apartments above the restaurant offer a built-in customer base, he adds. Brooklyn Pickle began offering take-out meals during the pandemic, and Kowadla expects that option to be a popular choice for apartment tenants.
North Carolina and Utica are the first of what Kowadla hopes will be several additional locations. “I’d like to do a couple more around here,” he says, noting that he’s looking at the Binghamton and Watertown markets. He would also like to expand further in North Carolina. Kowadla says he may even offer franchises in the business at some point, but that’s well off into the future if it happens.
Ken Sniper founded Brooklyn Pickle in 1975 on Burnet Avenue and added a West Side location two years later. The restaurant moved into its West Genesee Street location in 1984. The Clay Brooklyn Pickle opened in 2019.