Superior Motors revs engine for July debut

Restaurant, theater to open in Braddock after 3-year saga

Kevin Sousa knows three years seems like a long time to get Superior Motors up and running.

For nearly two years, while construction in the former Chevrolet dealership in Braddock was at a standstill, the award-winning chef concedes he, too, began to wonder if he would ever open one of the most highly anticipated area restaurants and become a major player in the struggling town’s revival.

“I was going to play every card until the end,” he said.

Now the end — and beginning — is finally in sight. Superior Motors is set to open to the public July 12, following an invite-only soft opening for friends and family the previous weekend.

“And we’re actually coming back stronger,” Mr. Sousa said of the venture that includes a 70seat theater. “It’s a much better project because of the delay.”

The 42-year-old chef from McKees Rocks developed a devout following after opening Salt of the Earth in Garfield in 2010. He also ran Union Pig and Chicken and Station Street Hot Dogs in East Liberty.

His Superior Motors project got off to a good start in January 2014 with a history-making Kickstarter campaign that raised $310,225 from more than 2,000 backers in 33 days. To date, it remains the most-funded of Kickstarter’s 2,500-plus restaurant projects.

With Braddock Mayor John Fetterman’s help, Mr. Sousa secured some $900,000 in loans from organizations such as the Enterprise Zone of Braddock, The Laurel Foundation and Heinz Endowments, which provided $150,000 for the purchase of equipment. In addition, Mr. Fetterman, who owns and lives on the second floor of the building on Braddock Avenue, across the street from U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works, offered the space rent-free.

Construction started in November 2014, and it became clear the project was “about 10 miles from turnkey,” Mr. Sousa said.