ASHLEY: YEAH, IT’S NUTS.
KELLY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH IS.
>>> SO JOINING ME NOW IS THE
GENERAL MANAGER OF JOHN’S OF
BLEAK OR STREET, HIS NAME IS
KEVIN JACKSON -- BLEAKER STREET.
KEVIN, WE JUST HEARD FROM KELLY.
YOUR BUSINESS, ONE OF THE OLDEST
COAL-FIRED PIZZERIAS IN THE
COUNTRY, YOU CANNOT BE HAPPY
ABOUT THIS.
WHAT WILL IT DO TO YOUR
BUSINESS?
>> GOOD MORNING, ASH.
THANKS FOR HAVING US ON.
ASHLEY: YEAH.
>> LISTEN, THIS IS A
WELL-INTENTIONED LAW, BUT IT
MISSES THE MARK WHEN IT COMES TO
COAL-FIRED OVENS.
ALL RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE COAL
OVENS USE A COAL THAT IS A HIGH
CARBON TYPE OF COAL ALMOST
PARTICULATE-FREE.
SO TO INCLUDE COAL OVENS IN THIS
LEGISLATION, IT MISSES THE MARK.
BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS, THE CITY,
THEY’RE MANDATING IT AND WE’VE
DONE IT.
ASHLEY: NOW, I MAY HAVE MISHEARD
KELLY THERE, BUT I’M SURE SHE
SHARED SOMETHING ABOUT 150,
$160,000.
WHAT’S THE COST TO YOU TO UPDATE
YOUR OVEN’S EXHAUST SYSTEM?
>> YEAH.
SO KELLY HIT THE MARK.
WE HAD ABOUT $150,000 WORTH OF
EXPENSE.
DON’T FORGET YOU CAN’T JUST PUT
A SCRUB ISER ON THE TOP OF THE
FLUE.
OUR FLUE WASN’T THE RIGHT WIDTH,
SO WE HAD TO CHANGE OUR
SIX-STORY KNOW WE HAD TO CHANGE
FROM 14 INCHES TO 18 INCHES, YOU
HAVE TO PUT SCRUBBER UP TOP.
THAT INVOLVES PUNCHING THROUGH A
BRICK WALL WHICH IN A
100-YEAR-OLD BUILDING, I CAN
ASSURE YOU, NEEDS ENGINEERS AND
ALL KINDS OF CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE
JUST TO DO THE PUNCH THROUGH THE
WALL.
SO IT’S A BIG TECHS PENCE.
ASHLEY: -- BIG TECHS PENCE.
ASHLEY: WOULDN’T IT BE NICE TO
MAYBE CONCENTRATE ON CRIME
ACROSS THE CITY AND OTHER ISSUES
THAN COAL-FIRED PIZZAS?
I MEAN, THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE
VERY TICKET?
TY AND IF MISPLACED.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
>> ASH, WE AGREE WITH YOU.
LISTEN, I SUFFER FROM ASTHMA.
NO ONE’S MORE INTERESTED IN
HAVING CLEAN AIR AND AND
PARTICULATE-FREE AIR A THAN I
AM.
HOWEVER, IT’S THE COST OF DOING
BUSINESS IN NEW YORK CITY, AS WE
FOUND OUT.
ASHLEY: THAT’S INSANE SANE --
INSANE.
MY QUESTION THEN, KEVIN, ARE YOU
GOING TO HAVE TO PASS ON THIS
BIG COST TO YOU TO THE CUSTOMER?
>> YEAH.
SO, ASH, WE ACTUALLY DID THIS
PROJECT THREE YEARS AGOING,
RIGHT AT THE HEIGHT OF COVID WE
WERE MANDATED TO DO IT.
SO WE’VE ALREADY INCORPORATED
THE PRICE OF THAT INTO OUR
CURRENT PRICES.
ASHLEY: I WOULD IMAGINE OTHER
PIZZERIAS MAY BE PUT OUT OF
BUSINESS BY THIS.
IT’S A LOT OF MONEY.
FINISH.
>> YOU’RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
THANKFULLY, WE ABSORB ISED IT,
WE ENDED UP ON OUR FEET.
BUT I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER
PLACES THAT CAN’T DO THAT, AND
THAT’S REALLY WHY WE WANT TO
FIGHT THE FIGHT, BECAUSE IT’S
NOT FAIR TO THE SMALLER PLACES.
ASHLEY: IT CERTAINLY ISN’T.
KEVIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
LETTING US INTO YOUR PLACE