Philadelphia Chef To Sell All But One Of His Restaurants To Local Retailer
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A well known Philadelphia chef is selling all but one of his group of restaurants, to a big local retailer. But he and his people will remain in the front and back of those spots.
Chef Marc Vetri's family of six restaurants range from his first, the high-end Vetri, in an intimate Spruce Street townhouse opened in 1998 to his Tuscan themed Osteria on North Broad Street and casual Pizzeria Vetri on Callowhill (as well as Amis and Alla Spina) to his latest at the Navy Yard, Lospiedo, a slow roasted meats spot.
Now Urban Outfitters, the specialty retailer headquartered in the Navy Yard, has entered into an agreement to acquire all the Vetri Family group of restaurants, except for the flagship, Vetri, which was once home to the original Le Bec Fin.
Chef Vetri and his partners are spending their Monday making the rounds to meet with their employees at all of the restaurants. Daily operations at each restaurant will remain under Vetri.
The partnership is keen to expand the most replicable of its restaurants, Pizzeria Vetri, to other cities.
There's already a second branch in the Rittenhouse area on Chancellor, the small street below Walnut Street.
Vetri is teaming up with Urban Outfitters for another pizza spot, opening next week in Austin, Texas. Vetri is looking to expand next to Washington, DC and Bethesda, Maryland, and then Devon, Pa in 2017.
