Nicky’s Undefeated will bring Philly cheesesteaks, Jersey-style pizza, and water ice to Tucker when it opens this summer beside Perc coffee shop on Main Street.
Owned by Philadelphia and South Jersey natives Michael Lo and Walt Gebelein, the two met while working at The Home Depot in the early 2000s. They struck up a friendship, initially bonding over their love for Philadelphia sports, before finding commonality in their family backgrounds. Lo’s family owned restaurants in Philadephia. Gebelein’s family operated a liquor store nearby in southern New Jersey.
Lo continues the family business in Atlanta with his restaurants Salaryman, Ramen Station, and food stall Suzy Siu’s Baos at Krog Street Market. But for this next restaurant venture, he partnered with Gebelein in Nicky’s Undefeated. The counter-service joint in Tucker was inspired by another of their shared loves: sandwiches.
“Nicky’s Undefeated is our homage to our hometown. It honors Italian-American culture, the City of Brotherly Love, and [Philadelphia’s] favorite, small-time underdog boxer [Rocky Balboa] who worked harder than anyone else using sides of beef as punching bags and overcoming all the odds to become a champion,” Lo told Rough Draft of the name. A further nod to Philadelphia sees the iconic Liberty Bell replacing the apostrophe in the name.
Look for Nicky’s Undefeated to feature sandwiches popular throughout the Philadelphia and New York metropolitan regions, including Philly cheesesteaks, Italian-style hoagies, and breaded chicken cutlet sandwiches. Lo and Gebelein sourced deli meat, cheese, chips, and ice cream for Nicky’s from companies around the Northeast. They tapped Liscio’s Bakery in South Jersey to supply the dough for the sandwich bread to bake at the Tucker shop.
In addition to sandwiches, expect sides like cheese fries, salads, water ice (a more granular form of Italian ice), and large slices of Jersey-style pizza. The pizza style is known for its crispy edges and thin, foldable crust loaded with toppings. Nicky’s Undefeated will also serve beer, wine, and cocktails and include TVs for watching sports.
As for why the duo chose Tucker to open Nicky’s Undefeated, Gebelein said that the decision came down to the city’s diverse population, industrial leanings, and high concentrations of commercial corridors. It reminded Lo and Gebelein of where they grew up.
“The Main Street Tucker area is exciting with new businesses coming in, the proximity to Tucker High and Middle Schools, a new Town Green Park about to open next year, recently passed open container laws, and a supportive growth mindset focused on local city government,” Gebelein added.
Nicky’s Undefeated should open by early summer and offer lunch and dinner service daily.
2316 Main Street, Tucker. Opening early summer for lunch and dinner.
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