New Location for “House of Jerky” at 19 Exchange Street.

The Former Site of the “House of Jerky” on Exchange Street.

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 2,319)

If you’ve been missing your Jerky Fix since late last year, relax!

The “Jerks” are returning to the Old Port sometime this spring.  The two business owners have signed a lease for a basement store at 19 Exchange Street in the Old Port. Few details are available  at this time.

The business closed late last year – right after Christmas in fact. This time around the business partners Matt DiBenedetto, 54, and Jeff Gagne, 46, have a rent that is about half of the one they had at 13 Exchange Street – (allegedly over $6,000 per month)  – the former site of the cafe – “Mornings in Paris – which was forced to close because of the excessive rent increase it received from its landlord, Joe Soley. This new location has a different landlord.

Last May, the “Jerks” got off to a bumpy opening when it had issues with its landlord and opened later than they had planned.

The House of Jerky is Baaaack – hopefully with a rent it can afford – year round.- despite the lack of window space for advertising that it used to have.