It looks like Park Slope's finger-licking grilled cheese spot MeltKraft may be packing up their operation on 9th Street and seeking greener pastures for their cheese in Sunset Park. The two-year-old Philly transplant is considering a move out of the neighborhood to combat what owner Eran Wajswol refers to as "the normal story...sky high rent."
Park Slope Stoop noticed this listing for 442 9th Street at 7th Avenue, asking $9,500 for the 1,250-square-foot studio. We asked Wajswol what kind of rent increase he was looking at and we'll update if we hear back.
According to Wajswol, the restaurant wasn't using the tiny, on-site kitchen, so decided that a larger commissary space would better serve their growing fleet of grilled cheese sandwich shops. "Kitchen in Park Slope is separating from the restaurant space...and moving to a new commissary location in Sunset Park," he told us. "The future of the location itself will be decided soon."
While Park Slope may be losing a place to score superlative cheese sandwiches, Wajswol also revealed some exciting expansion plans for the shop. In addition to their Greenwich Village shop on MacDougal Street, the Valley Shepherd Creamery-based operation will also be opening a location at 151 East 43rd Street in August, followed by an outpost in the Columbus Circle food court project Turnstyle later this year, in addition to another location in Downtown Brooklyn sometime in 2016.
