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Well-known Philly marijuana activist N.A. Poe’s eight-month-old sandwich shop in Fishtown specializing in “high class munchies” closed abruptly over the weekend. Poe, born Richard Tamaccio Jr., cited financial reasons for the sudden closure.
Poe’s Sandwich Joint, at 1429 Marlborough Street right near Suraya, Cheu Fishtown, and Heffe Tacos, opened in December of last year and quickly became a hit, landing on best of lists including Eater’s roundup of epic Philly sandwiches. The casual takeout shop was open daily — until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday — and had more recently added delivery service.
In his initial post on Instagram (which followed an earlier message where Poe reassured followers everything was fine), Poe wrote that he had opened the shop with a loan that “let’s just say, to put it lightly, was not FDIC insured” and put him in a “tenuous financial situation.” He also noted that he hadn’t been able to renegotiate a longer-term lease. But there is a small ray of light for fans: He does mention that he had to close Poe’s “at its current location,” so there’s some hope he’ll reopen elsewhere.
The Instagram note has been edited since it first went up on July 28. Here’s the current version, posted with a drawing of a tombstone reading “Game Over”:
Hey guys,
I’m not gonna bullshit you anymore because I consider us friends now.
Due to unforeseen expenses and circumstances directly related to the business, I regret to inform you that I’m going to have to shut down the joint at its current location.
This is effective immediately. I wanna thank everyone in Fishtown that has warmly embraced my business, my family and our lighthearted pothead ethos. I’m gonna need some time away from the serotonin sucking social media shitshow while I try to wrap my head around this situation and figure out my next move.
Maybe I’ll become a mailman, or a transit cop, or get a job at the PPA and spend my days ticketing cars on Frankford Ave.
Who knows?!?!?!
We’ll see which way the wind blows.
Anyways, we had a lot of fun meeting ya and feeding ya.
It was a wild ride that I will never forget.
xoxopoe