Philly steak shop changing controversial name
PHILADELPHIA — The owner of a historic cheesesteak shop in Philadelphia says he’s changing its controversial name.
Chink’s Steaks owner Joe Groh says he’ll change the name to Joe’s Steaks & Soda Shop on Monday. Civil rights groups have long protested the current name, citing its reference to a racial slur.
Groh tells The Associated Press it’s time to “get with the times.”
The shop opened in 1949 and was named for founder Sam “Chink” Sherman, who died in 1997. Groh says Sherman was like a father to him, and Sherman never thought of his nickname as a slur. He says neighborhood kids came up with the nickname.
Asian-American groups have long petitioned for a change, however, thousands of people signed a petition years ago in favor of keeping the original name.
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