John Murray is the first to admit his latest business venture in Patchogue is self-serving in nature.
The Wantagh native first opened a Kilwins fudge shop on East Main Street in 2015. He soon realized the absence of a serious hero place in walking distance.
But no ever stepped up to fill the void.
So, he’s doing it himself. Murray will be opening his own hero joint, aptly named The Hero Joint — and he’s shooting for June.
“This is a combination of both necessity and me wanting to come up with my own concept,” said Murray, who currently runs two Kilwins franchise locations — the other being in Babylon.
“Having worked here for over two years I realized there’s no dedicated sandwich shop,” he said. “And I assume other people are in the same boat. There are some great sandwich options, but they’re not walking distance to the village.”
He’s building The Hero Joint in the 1,600-square-foot space directly behind Kilwins, the nondescript rear to the old Rose Jewelers building that will be transformed into an inviting eatery.
The Patchogue Village Planning Board approved Murray’s application Tuesday night.
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The Hero Joint will mostly serve takeout customers, but there will be room for some 20 seats — with TV’s on the wall for anyone looking to catch a daytime game.
The emphasis will be on quality, Murray tells us.
“The meat will be cut to order; that’s a big thing,” he said. “And we will be roasting our own meat. Our bread will be baked fresh daily. Everything will be very customizable. Every single element of the sandwich will be great, or we won’t sell it.”
The Hero Joint will also be featuring seasonal sandwiches, as well as chicken sandwiches and cheesesteaks.
Murray’s already working on perfecting his own homemade potato chips.
“We’re talking jalapeños, vinegar, salt and pepper, rosemarie and garlic,” he said.
“Let’s just say I’ve been playing.”
The plan for hours is to stay open from 11 a.m to 8 p.m., seven days.
with Nicholas Esposito
Photo: John Murray in front of what’s going to be The Hero Joint, located behind his Kilwins Patchogue location at 74 East Main Street. (Credit: Michael White)
