Cheerwine gets foothold in NYC

Staff report

Cheerwine has taken a foothold in New York City.

Brother Jimmy's Barbecue, which has six restaurants in New York, has begun offering Cheerwine with its traditional North Carolina-style barbecue and hush puppies.

"We have finally brought the nectar of Carolina to New York City," said Jim Goldman, an owner and founder of Brother Jimmy's BBQ. "It's the perfect accompaniment to our Carolina-style barbecue and we've had numerous requests for it over the years."

Brother Jimmy's opened its first restaurant in 1988. It soon outgrew the location and two years later opened on First Avenue and 76th Street.

Over the years, the restaurant established itself as a common ground for Carolina and surrounding Southern states' alumni to cheer on their favorite football, basketball or baseball teams.

Its five additional city locations include Midtown, the Upper West Side, opposite Madison Square Garden, Amsterdam Avenue and an express restaurant at Grand Central Station's dining concourse.

A Cheerwine press release said Brother Jimmy's is widely known as a great place to relax, gather with friends to watch a game and "put some South in your mouth."

"This is a great fit for us; according to most Carolinians, Cheerwine and barbecue are as perfect a match as peanut butter and jelly" said Tom Barbitta, vice president of marketing for Carolina Beverage Corporation, the manufacturer of Cheerwine.

"We're glad to share a Southern staple with the barbecue lovers in New York."