Farellas to open steakhouse at Schlesinger’s location
The Farella brothers – Christian, Gavin, and Jamie – have some big things cooking for the upcoming year. The founders of Brothers Barbecue, in New Windsor, are looking to expand to two new locations.
“We’re just extremely happy with how our community has supported us over the years,” Christian said. “Me and my brothers are family guys. We grew up here. The roots our parents planted years ago in the community, we’re trying to build upon that. We’d like to think we’re flourishing, expanding, but also contributing to the community.”
The original Brothers Barbecue opened on March 25, 2008, but a fire caused the restaurant to close two years later. Discouraged but determined, the brothers rebuilt and opened again on Sept. 27, 2010. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Farellas decided to expand and in Aug. 2020 they opened Brothers Smokehouse BBQ and Soul on Rt. 17 in Ramsey, N.J. where the former Macaroni Grill was located.
Continuing to follow their big dreams, two new locations are anticipated to open this year – a Brothers Barbecue in the Palisades Mall where Outback Steakhouse used to be located, and Brothers Steak will take over the Brewster House, the former location of Schlesinger’s Steakhouse.
Christian explained years ago he and his brothers were looking at a spot to expand within the Middletown Galleria Mall, but ultimately decided upon the New Jersey location. The Pyramid Group, which owned the space in Middletown, kept coming to the Farellas as they believed in the brothers’ concept. When a space opened up in their property in West Nyack, a representative reached out to the brothers.
Christian went to scope out the storefront and the first thing he noticed was the number of family-oriented restaurants in proximity to the empty space.
“It seemed like a natural extension of our brand,” he said. “They made it real easy for us this time around and gave us a deal we couldn’t refuse.”
Having just signed a deal a month ago, an architect has already been hired and blueprints are being developed to redesign the interior.
“It needs to become a Brothers Barbecue,” Christian said. “It needs some love.”
Mapping of the space is still underway, so it’s unknown if live entertainment will be part of the dining experience like it is at the other locations.
The goal is to open before the holidays, but the timing is still up in the air. It could be the summer or fall depending on when the steakhouse is ready to open.
The brothers closed on the Schlesinger’s property in August and have already entered the design phase. The goal is to maintain the colonial look of the exterior while modernizing the interior. But why a steakhouse?
“We’ve always loved steak,” Christian said. “We eat it together as a family. At all of our restaurants we come up with concepts by how we like to eat. We want to share that with others.
It was always a concept that we had in the back of our minds, but it wasn’t something we were actually looking to do. We were actually looking to expand on our Brothers brand.”
When owner Neil Schlesinger approached the brothers about purchasing the property, Christian took a tour of the location and sat down to speak with the eager seller. The connection was immediate.
The new restaurant is going to feature a wood-fired grill and will offer all-American fare with a mix of Italian. Although the Farellas are still in the test kitchen working on a menu, Christian said it will feature lamb, pork chops, pastas, and of course, steak. The outdoor space in the rear will allow for live entertainment.
“There are a lot of things we want to do,” he said, “but we have to narrow things down.”
With four locations and only three brothers, Christian said they will continue to rely on their staff as an extension of themselves. They know it will be a challenge trying to visit each restaurant on a daily basis. Each has their own role, however. Gavin is focused on the front of the house working on hospitality and marketing. Jamie assists his brother, but can also be found in the kitchen. Christian works behind the scenes in the kitchen.
“I think we feel some pressure because we’re big dreamers and we want to accomplish our goals,” Christian said of the expansion. “We also want to support the community and support our staff. I think the biggest thing coming out of this is excitement. It fills our hearts. It makes us happy to see how happy our customers are.”
Hundreds have already reached out to the brothers on social media, wishing them luck and showing excitement for the opening of two new locations.
