Philadelphia, PA - Toll Man Joe's in South Philly announced on Facebook that they are closing their doors at 26 E Oregon Ave, Philadelphia, PA. Toll Man Joe's opening in September of 2016 and had been a popular sports bar and restaurant in South Philadelphia.
Below is a Copy of the Facebook Post Announcing the Closure:
"Well, we have some sad and very disappointing news to share with you all. For many reasons beyond our control, Toll Man Joe’s Philadelphia will not be re-opening at this time. Obviously, the pandemic caused catastrophic damage and will continue to do so for a long time.
Bars and restaurants have a very long road ahead to return to fully functional. We gave it our all during the closure, and I feel we succeeded in thinking outside the box. Chef Arty came up with some very creative ideas that actually worked!
We became a Chinese restaurant for some weeks while they were all closed. Soul Food. Clam Bakes. We tried everything. Our managers became delivery drivers. Whatever it took.
But there has also been a lot going on behind the scenes. We have been in negotiations for a new lease for a while now. Some bills and expenses have obviously fallen behind. Even though we believe we have offered good-faith solutions and effort, our landlords have demanded that we leave the building. We can not answer at this time whether a different location is a possibility.
Toll Man Joe’s has been a very personal endeavor for many people since September 2016. It took a village to bring to life the heart and soul of a bar/restaurant based on the larger than life, Joe Paul. It wasn’t easy, and it came with many sacrifices. But each and every person on that evolving team contributed and helped shape what it became. I think we succeeded and created something special.
We’re beyond blessed that Chef Arty chose us to be his next creative endeavor 4 years ago. He believed in us and taught us so much. We were lucky to have only a handful of amazing managers over our time. You all saved us at different crucial times.
Thank you. I still don’t know how we got so lucky with our small core group of amazing employees who have been with us since day one. Our day, one crew. YOU are our backbone, along with the many who joined us along the way. They include servers, bartenders, catering, kitchen staff, dishwashers, cleaning staff. I will never forget your loyalty.
And lastly, to you, our customers, who have become friends. Thank you for giving the little guys a real chance. We know you have many options. We’ve shared so much with you over the past 4 years. Who gets to say they owned a sports bar during an Eagles Super Bowl win, and celebrate with 500 people? It sure has been a ride. So many amazing musicians, DJ’s. Benefits for our community.
Thank you for all of it. All we hope we’ve achieved is that we’ve made a difference. Helped create some lifelong memories. Love you all. Thank you. We hope to see you all out and about to share a drink". - Toll Man Joe's Facebook