Brooklyn's First Philly Soft Pretzel Shop Opening In Park Slope

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — A pretzel shaped much differently than the one you might get during an afternoon trip to Coney Island, or on the streets of Manhattan, is landing in the borough.

Philly Pretzel Factory plans to open its first Brooklyn location in an old laundromat on Fifth Avenue, Patch has learned. The pretzel shop will not only be the chain's first location in Brooklyn, but will be one of only two in New York City.

But, according to Eater, that likely won't last too long.

The food outlet reported last summer that Philly Pretzel Factory was planning two locations in Manhattan last year, one in Harlem and one in Tribeca, and will franchise nearly two dozen more New York outposts after that.

The pretzel shops offer a distinct kind of the salty snack that according to Philadelphians is the only way to eat it.

Philly soft pretzels are doughier than the typical NYC pretzel and are weaved into a tight figure eight rather than into larger shape pretzels from city street carts or ballpark stands.

Philly Pretzel Factory has been around for just over 20 years and has more than 150 locations across the country. Its Manhattan and Brooklyn locations join several others across Long Island and elsewhere in the tri-state area.

The signature figure eight is thought to have come from the Federal Baking Company in South Philadelphia, which was opened by Italian immigrants in the 1920s, Eater reported. The business developed the shape to streamline the baking process. It has since been renamed the Federal Pretzel Baking Company.

There isn't word yet on when the Philly Pretzel Factory will open its Park Slope spot, but there is already a sign on the window and a page on their website promoting the new spot.

The Fifth Avenue location was previously a laundromat, which, according to commenters on the Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District's post about the new shop, had been around for quite some time before closing.

"I use to do laundry there with my mom growing up," Facebook user Jessica Vanoni wrote.

"Sad about laundromat but I love the Philly Pretzel Factory," another user, Kim Levering Cummings said.