After graduating from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. in 2011, Jordan Martin ventured west to St. Louis with plans to open his first restaurant. In May of 2013, Martin opened St. Louis’ second Pita Pit franchise store in the Delmar Loop. Franchisee Ketan Patel owns and operates the Pita Pit store in downtown St. Louis, at 202 N. 9th St.
Pita Pit is a Canadian restaurant chain established in 1995 with more than 220 locations in the U.S. and over 450 locations worldwide, according to Pita Pit’s website. Martin said he discovered Pita Pit while visiting his girlfriend at GeorgeWashingtonUniversity in Washington, D.C. Pita Pit’s first 100 stores are located on or near college campuses.
It took almost a year to find the perfect location, Martin said. He is grateful to property owner Neal Shapiro for the opportunity to set up shop on the “expanding side” of the Delmar Loop, Martin said. His restaurant, at 6120 Delmar Blvd. near Skinker Boulevard, is adjacent to The Pageant, the Moonrise Hotel, and within walking distance of the Delmar Loop Metrolink Station. The Delmar Loop is an “eclectic” area, he said, that has a lot to offer.
“You can’t pinpoint and say, ‘One demographic comes here.’ I think you can reach everybody in this area,” Martin said.
Business was tough in the beginning, Martin said, as people warmed up to Pita Pit, or what eh called the “healthier alternative to fast food.” Most were unsure of eating Middle Eastern food, Martin said.
“The bread is pita,” Martin said. “But, you can come in and get a chicken Caesar or a Philly steak.”
Martin seeks to create a brand capable of one day competing “on a larger scale with the titans that are out there already,” he said. His goal is not solely to make money, but to put out a product that is both “health-conscious” and “tastes good,” he said.
Martin is a self-taught entrepreneur.
“I spent weeks at City Hall,” Martin said, “going room-to-room, trying to get what licenses I needed.”
At Temple, he earned a bachelor’s degree in digital communication. Only in his mid-20s, Martin said there is an advantage to being a young business owner.
“I don’t have any preconceived notions about what owning a business entails,” Martin said. “I kind of came into it real green. I did everything as it came.”
He credited his former football coach at Temple, Al Golden, with being a business mentor. Martin played linebacker for the TempleOwls before he hurt his knee coming out of college. Golden, who now coaches at the University of Miami, ran his football program like a business, Martin said. From Golden, Martin learned that business is about “competition” and “consistency.”
“That’s how you build a company and camaraderie, because everyone is pulling equal weight,” Martin said.
Martin’s mother, Angela Martin, was his greatest business mentor. He would frequently bounce ideas of her and she would always give him a clear answer, Martin said.
“When you’re in this type of business, sometimes you get tunnel vision and you need someone who’s on the outside looking in with a great perspective,” Martin said. “Sometimes I wanted to make snap decisions. She’d be there to kind of level me out.”
Martin is a St. Louis native grew up in the Central West End. His father, Derek Martin, a firefighter in St. Louis city, died in a fire when Jordan was only 13. After his father’s death, he said it was the city of St. Louis that helped him and his family through that tough time.
“This is my city,” Martin said. “These are people that I love, a city that has always been there for me. How can I turn on my back on the city?”
Follow this reporter on Twitter: @BridjesONeil.
