Chink’s Steaks Is Now Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop

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Philadelphia cheesesteak institution, Chink’s Steaks is dropping the controversial name the business has had since it opened in 1949. Joe Groh, who worked at Chink’s for twenty years before purchasing the business in 1999 is rebranding the spot as Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop. Named for the original owner, Sam “Chink” Sherman, the name resonated for the man and not as a slur. But today, Groh says “it is very important to me, my family and the entire staff that we no longer inadvertently alienate anyone in the Philly community. We are very excited to move forward under the new name, Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop.”

The new name also stresses the shop’s devotion to sodas, milkshakes and egg creams, which has been part of the business since its opening. Groh looks at the rebrand as a chance to create his own legacy, one he hopes to pass down to his son Patrick, who has been working at the cheesesteak shop since 2008.

Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop [Official Site]