Restaurant professionals from the greater Philadelphia area gathered on Thursday, January 30, to share insights with their businesses, make connections, and collaborate at an Accelerate event hosted by What Now Media Group.
Apricot Stone hosted the free event at 426 West Girard Boulevard. More than two dozen representatives from businesses featured on What Now Philadelphia, including restaurants and industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners, attended. Guests mingled while enjoying bites and beverages from the beloved Armenian-Middle Eastern concept.
Apricot Stone decided last year to move to this new location, which formerly housed Las Cazuelas. The additional space allows the eatery to offer al fresco dining on its outdoor balcony. The greater space was the largest consideration in the decision to relocate, but the team wanted to remain close to its roots in the community it calls home. Customers can still find a sprawling menu, including stuffed grape leaves, chicken kebabs, shawarma, and fattoush.
“We love Northern Liberties and the support we have gotten for 8.5 years, and we wanted to keep our home base here,” co-owner Ara Ishkhanian told What Now Philadelphia last year. “An issue we had from the start is more seating capacity, especially in the colder months. In our new space, we will have four times the indoor seating. We can accommodate private parties, larger groups, etcetera without worrying about the weather.”
As a result of the move, the company can now host larger events, clearing the way for What Now Media Group to host one of its Accelerate events. On this day, Mariah Medley, Director of Events and partner Engagement at What Now Media Group, hosted the Accelerate Event to bring local entrepreneurs and business representatives together to share their experiences, provide updates on their progress, and reflect on what they learned from opening brick-and-mortar businesses in Philadelphia. Key takeaways included the importance of having passion, the necessity of pivoting effectively—especially following an emergency—and the value of connecting with others in the community.
Before attendees shared their experiences, Ara Ishkhanian welcomed everyone into their new restaurant location. For business owners the event saw plenty of curious business owners seeking to grow their businesses and gain new connections. Connor Sheridan and Jon Henning, the co-owners of Prime Station Brewing, introduced themselves and shared their progress with their new taproom opening in South Philly. Sheridan and Henning hope to create a taproom that exceeds the conventional expectations associated with such an institution. The new location is initially expected to open in the first quarter of 2025.
“We want to create an all-day taproom that opens early as a coffee shop, and a place where people can come work remotely during the day, and eventually transition into the more lively brewery taproom atmosphere later in the afternoon,” Sheridan explains to What Now Philadelphia. “We want to cater to events (daily yoga classes, sports watch parties, birthday parties, office parties, baby showers, etc.), feature local art, and we hope to build a few rent-able kitchens for local chefs and entrepreneurs to run the food program for the taproom guests.”
Sam and Allison Mattiola of The Boozy Mutt also attended and shared their restaurant’s journey since opening at 2639 Poplar Street. After sharing the business’s highs and lows, they were happily met with words of encouragement from the crowd, who offered assistance where they could. Other business owners in attendance included the owner of Val’s Restaurant, the vice president and marketing manager of Brown’s Handcrafted Confections, and many more.
Some partners in attendance include Rebecca Herhart, who represented E HPS Heartland: Payroll, to discuss how a business owner can simplify their payment system with the help of their services. Another partner in the crowd who helped guide the business owners was Ken Suktar of Our Town America: Marketing, who told the group how a company can use marketing to stand out in a busy area. Sam Arnold of ADT Security also provided insights regarding proper security services. These are just some insightful partners who were ready to help in any way possible.
This led Mariah Medley to carry the conversation even deeper by discussing critical business points, such as having an exit plan and efficiently managing operations after expanding to multiple locations. After Caleb and the guests shared their tips, knowledge, and concerns, everyone quickly grew interested in learning more about their businesses and how they can help one another.
What Now Media Group shares restaurant opening news in 31 cities across the U.S., breaking news and providing timely insight into yet-to-open brick-and-mortar businesses. The platform shares news of thousands of openings across all 31 cities annually.
The industry-leading experts in What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners help new businesses open and existing businesses grow.
Stay tuned for future Accelerate events from What Now Media Group in 2025. For more details, see the Accelerate page here.
