Philadelphia natives Seth Middleberg and his wife, Kathy Battista, are bringing a taste of Philadelphia to Myrtle Beach this spring with the debut of Philly Pretzel Factory.
The Philadelphia-based pretzel shop will open at 7827 N. Kings Hwy., marking the first location of its kind in the area. The nearest shop is in Columbia.
“About a year and a half ago, we were visiting my cousin in Savannah, Georgia. I said to him, ‘Do you miss anything from Philadelphia?’ He said, ‘I get pizza here. It’s passable. I get a steak sandwich that satisfies me, but you can’t get a soft pretzel down here. They’re not the same.’ My wife and I looked at each other and it clicked,” Middleberg told What Now Charleston.
The duo, who long planned to settle in Myrtle Beach after years of visiting Middleberg’s brother-in-law, reached out to Philly Pretzel Factory to explore opening a franchise at the beach.
“They said yes, and needless to say, we’re opening up. We have the whole territory from Myrtle Beach down to Murrells Inlet, all the way to Conway,” he said.
Middleberg looks forward to bringing a piece of home to the area and connecting with other natives.
“Since I started doing this, people have been reaching out to me from the Philadelphia area, New Jersey area, New York area. They are just so excited we’re coming here. I’m excited to meet all these people in person,” he said.
The pretzel shop is known for its hand-twisted, fresh-baked pretzels, along with specialty items like the Cinnamon Rivet Shaker, bite-sized pretzel nuggets coated in a cinnamon-sugar blend, and pretzel dogs, Middleberg’s favorite, made with all-beef hot dogs.
“One thing I’m really excited about is we’re going to have pretzel pizzas. It’s a pizza made out of pretzel dough. We’re going to have plain and pepperoni. It’s a little bit more than a personal pizza, they’re 12 inches,” Middleberg said.
While Middleberg focuses on opening this location, slated to debut in April, he is also planning for future outposts.
“We would love to expand. Our plan is, in two to three years, maybe open something up in Conway. And then, two years after that, maybe Garden City, Surfside area,” he said.
Twist over to the Philly Pretzel Factory website and follow along on Facebook for updates on the buildout and grand opening. Stay tuned!
