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In this episode of Greetings from the Garden State, host Mike Ham sits down with Dean Maroulakos, co-founder of Skopos Hospitality, at Cowan’s Public in Nutley, NJ. Dean shares the journey of launching and expanding a hospitality empire in North Jersey, from the origins of Cowan’s Public to the recently opened Nomada in Verona.
They dive into:
- The history of Cowan’s Public and its deep-rooted family ties to Nutley.
- How Dean transitioned from theater to the restaurant industry.
- The inspiration behind each of Skopos Hospitality’s seven unique restaurant concepts.
- The evolving cocktail and food scene in North Jersey.
- How the team maintains quality, innovation, and a strong community presence across all locations.
- What to expect from their newest venture, Nomada, a vibrant new Mexican restaurant.
Along the way, they sip on some of Cowan’s signature cocktails, sample delicious menu items, and discuss the importance of creating not just a restaurant, but an experience.
Guest Info: Dean Maroulakos – Co-founder, Skopos Hospitality Website: skoposhospitality.com Instagram: @skoposhospitality
Locations Mentioned:
- Cowan’s Public (Nutley, NJ)
- The Barrow House (Clifton, NJ)
- Franklin Social & The Junto (Jersey City, NJ)
- Gus’s Last Word (Wood-Ridge, NJ)
- Parkside Social (Verona, NJ)
- Nomada (Verona, NJ) – Opening February 2025
Sponsors:
- New Jersey Lottery – Bringing you Greetings from the Garden State
- Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) – Visit mayoarts.org for upcoming events.
- Meghan Carroll of ReMax Elite – Serving Monmouth & Ocean Counties. Visit mcsellsbythesea.com
Links & Socials:
- Visit our website: greetingsfromthegardenstate.com
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