A Conversation with Philip Given

Q: Your company has grown rapidly in a short amount of time. Tell us about the latest developments.

A: We opened in December, and we’ve had great success in York. Most of our business is wholesale, selling to bars and restaurants. From the beginning that was really the focus, getting pretzel products into the hands of local restaurant owners. We opened Intercourse Pretzel Co. in May. We also have a food truck on the streets that’s popping up at events all over Central Pennsylvania and beyond. Our hard pretzel pieces were released two weeks ago.

Lots of things going on, and we’re trying to hit the market in a very calculated way with everything we do, and people have been reacting great so far. I’m excited about that.

What role do small businesses like yours play in the revitalization of downtown York?

I think we’re seeing a tremendous growth in quality small businesses in downtown York. What we tried to do was open up a place you could go and just want to hang out. For some that’s Central Market, for some a bar or restaurant, for us it’s a pretzel shop. York City Pretzel Co. is on that list of first places people bring people from out of town, and I love that.

At this point, the pretzel shop wasn’t going to survive just selling soft pretzels to people that come in, but because we have revenue from wholesale business and now from our hard pretzel pieces, we’re able to operate in downtown York, which is where we wanted to be from the beginning.

What do you see in the future for the food-truck movement in the area?

The suburbs are responding very well to food trucks. Springettsbury Township, every Friday during lunch over the summer, is having a food truck court. We had a tremendous amount of success the first day, sold out in about an hour and a half, and that was with four trucks there.

A lot of smaller communities are doing food-truck events, starting these little gatherings, and doing that to draw people in to these communities. I think you’ll see more of that in the next few years. Then you’ll see cities respond and start to loosen regulations, and realize these are business owners that want to contribute to the community.

You’ll definitely see more trucks on the street. I talk to probably two people a week interested in starting a food truck and looking for advice. But it is a major investment. It’s not something that is cheap and easy, and you’re not an overnight success. It’s very hard work.