About Harris Eckstut

Harris at Java and Gems

Harris at Java and Gems

Principal of Eckstut Consulting, Harris Eckstut

Harris Eckstut is a restaurateur, businessperson, teacher, consultant, and commercial business and real estate adviser. His career spans 40+ years and is filled with successes, his own and others.

In 1980, Harris opened the landmark MontSerrat Restaurant on Philadelphia’s iconic South Street. As a veteran of the restaurant business, Eckstut knows and understands the details of ownership and operations: concept, menu, financing, real estate, leasing, operations, management, marketing, budgeting, bookkeeping, maintenance, etc. that make for a successful and profitable restaurant.

While operating MontSerrat, and as a member of the South Street business community, Harris led the formation of the South Street/Headhouse Business Improvement District, one of the first small business improvement districts (BID) in the country. Through his guidance as its first Chairman, the goal of securing and protecting the opportunities of independently owned businesses in the area and ensuring the continuation of the community as one the nation’s most vibrant big city Main Streets was brought to fruition.

For the past fifteen years, as the Principal of Eckstut Consulting, Harris has used his experience, knowledge and skills to help scores of independently owned restaurants, taking start-ups from concept to completion, expanding operations, and stabilizing and guiding the turnaround of those in serious trouble. These clients have become very successful restaurants, many of them award winning. Here are but a few of his most recent clients:

  • Cicala’s at The Divine Lorraine, Philadelphia, PA
  • Vernick Food & Drink, Philadelphia, PA
  • Green Line Cafes, Philadelphia, PA
  • The Pop Shop, Collingswood & Medford, NJ
  • 320 Market Café, Swarthmore & Media, PA
  • Sang Kee, Philadelphia PA and Cherry Hill, NJ
  • Good Karma Cafes, Philadelphia, PA
  • Silverspoon, Wayne, PA
  • Sunflower Café, Pottstown, PA
  • Tomlinson Brands (Ghost Kitchen), Greenbelt, MD
  • Bart’s Bagels, Philadelphia, PA