'Skinny Joey' Merlino to open cheesesteak shop in South Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- In the shadow of the stadium complex in South Philadelphia, the kitchen at Skinny Joey's Cheesesteaks is heating up ahead of Saturday's grand opening.
"This is my hometown, this is where I am from. Born and raised," said "Skinny Joey" Merlino. "We're the best, everybody likes us. Even my haters like me."
Merlino is referring to his past.
In the 1990s, the FBI claimed that Merlino unseated the then-reputed crime boss John Stanfa.
After serving time in prison for convictions - including racketeering, extortion, and bookmaking - Merlino is now opening the first of what he hopes will be a massive cheesesteak franchise.
"I just look forward. Whatever I did, I did my time, I paid my debt to society like me and my friends. Like men," said Merlino.
His other business venture: The Skinny Podcast, where he shares stories from his past with co-host Joe "Lil Snuff" Perri.
No topic is off-limits.
"We're getting millions of views every five to six days. After the first episode, we were just like 'We've got something here,' and we just kept running with it," said Perri, who is also managing the restaurant.
The restaurant has been a year in the making. The aging infrastructure has been a challenge.
Last May, police responded to a small fire caused by a Molotov cocktail tossed in the vacant building.
Merlino disputes it was arson.
Now, he says he's focused on what's ahead.
