September 04, 2026
Brian Hickey/PhillyVoice
N.A. Poe, pictured in 2018, signed a five-year deal for a standalone shop just weeks after it was announced that his longtime partnership with Human Robot Brewery is ending.
Just weeks after Poe’s Sandwich Joint announced its longtime partnership with Human Robot Brewery was coming to an end, the owner said he signed a five-year deal to open a new shop.
While Richard Tamaccio, better known as N.A. Poe, didn't disclose a location or many details about the latest venture, he said in an Instagram post Wednesday that the deli is on the "fast track" to open by the end of the year.
"We look forward to the freedom to do things our own way without interference or apologies," he said to the Inquirer.
Poe, a marijuana activist-turned-entrepreneur, had been serving his homemade sandwiches and fries out of Human Robot’s locations in Kensington for nearly seven years. He also operated out of the craft brewery’s newer location in Brewerytown, which opened in 2025. The partnership between the two splintered last month over Poe's provocative social media posts, including a lewd meme targeting the owner of Fergie's Pub.
"That made one of the Human Robot partners go through like, the goddamn roof, ya know?" Poe told PhillyVoice at the time. "I guess there's a straw that breaks every camel's back."
Until his standalone location opens, Poe will be expanding his role at Poison Heart bar in North Philly, where he has run the kitchen for the past year.
Poe’s last day of serving sandwiches at Human Robot's 1710 N 5th St. location is Thursday.
"I'll be there all day smoking bones and kissing babies wit all of the usual suspects," he wrote on Instagram. "Feel free to pop by to pay yer respects to the end of an era while also celebrating the beginning of a new one."
Here are other announcements made by Philly businesses over the past couple weeks:
A thrift and consignment store specializing in second-hand clothing will open this fall. Consignment appointments will be available to book starting in late September.
A fiction-only bookstore will take over the storefront next to NKCDC Garden. Owner Carmen De Jong has described the shop as a neighborhood third space with "a little whimsy." She has plans to open book clubs, storytimes and private events after hours as well.
The oldest natural history museum in the country is closing after nearly 200 years due to dwindling admissions and financial strains. But there's still some hope for it being saved in some form, with Mayor Cherelle Parker saying on Wednesday that she's collaborating with Gov. Josh Shapiro and Drexel University to "preserve the essential mission" of the institution.
Owner Bruce Cooper is closing the wine bar exactly 39 years after it opened and plans to sell the adjacent properties, the Inquirer reported. The family took to Instagram to thank its longtime customers and promised to hold special offers and events prior to its closing.
"Thank you, Manayunk. Thank you, Philadelphia. And thank you to every guest who has ever walked through our doors," the post said. "The love and sense of community you have given us is something we will carry long after the last glass is poured."
The Mexican restaurant and craft beer bar at 263 S. 15th St., closed after 19 years in Center City. Owners cited a debt-related gas shutoff and tough business climate since the COVID-19 pandemic as reasons for the closure.
After five years in business, Ray Daly is closing her eponymous refillery shop, which allows customers to bring their own containers to stock up on products in bulk. The owner said she has "struggled deeply" to keep the shop going and was seeking someone to purchase the storefront, but said she was unsuccessful.
"I have nothing but profound gratitude for this experience, and for being embraced with so much love," she wrote on Instagram last month. "I will be keeping you updated as we go through this process here, and sharing resources to help fill in the gaps that the shop might leave behind."
