A Peppercorn for Picking in the ‘Port

We haven’t heard much about Pennsport spot Peppercorns since it opened late last year, but it looks like the building is for sale. The phillyblog thread, ominously titled “Poor Peppercorns“, offers 10 pages of neighborly assessments that run the gamut from hopeful to grim on the future of the spot. 

Pennsport is a tricky spot for a restaurant, bar or resto-bar. It clearly can support a bar – there’s no shortage of them there – but the food situation is inconsistent. The Ugly American seems to be surviving. There’s a newish BYOB Nicholas (anyone been?). So what might work in Peppercorns space, if not Peppercorns? Another BYO? Another gastropub? Sushi? Bueller?

Here’s the Restaurant Yenta’s pick: lose the restaurant and open a craft beer store with prepared foods. The prepared foods should be delicious, but affordable and accessible. It should be staffed by cute guys and girls who are earnest but not snotty about their love of craft beer. They should have cake, because cake is wonderful and everyone loves cake. 

Thoughts?