Few eateries in Reading have inspired the kind of loyalty that Tack’s Sandwich Shop did. For nearly eight decades, the little corner spot at 16th and Cotton Streets served not just cheesesteaks and tuna sandwiches but a sense of belonging — a taste of continuity in a changing city. From its founding in 1946 to its final closure in the early 2020s, Tack’s embodied everything that made East Reading special: hard work, flavor, and familiarity.
Origins: A Family Shop with a Big Heart (1946–1970s)
Tack’s Sandwich Shop began in 1946, founded by the father of Greg Tack Jr., whose family name would become synonymous with comfort food in East Reading. The small brick shop at the corner of 16th and Cotton Streets quickly earned its nickname — “The Heart of East Reading” — serving the neighborhood’s working families who filled nearby rowhomes and factories after World War II.
Inside, it was simple: a shiny metal lunch counter, a few booths, and a menu of cheesesteaks, tuna sandwiches, and cream smoothies that defined the postwar lunch crowd. Patrons came for the food but stayed for the warmth. In a city of corner bars and luncheonettes, Tack’s stood out for its energy and its signature house sauce, a tangy, spicy condiment that elevated every bite.
The Sauce and the Sandwich
Ask anyone who grew up in Reading and they’ll tell you — the sauce made Tack’s. A delicate balance of heat, sweetness, and savor, it turned a simple cheesesteak or burger into something unforgettable. Longtime fans have tried to decode it for years, whispering recipes that mixed ketchup, sweet relish, and Frank’s Red Hot, but the real blend remained a closely guarded secret.
The Tack Burger became the shop’s calling card — a small hamburger with melted cheese, fried onions, and that unmistakable sauce on a toasted roll. Other classics included the California Cheeseburger, the Steak and Cheese, and a rich tuna sandwich that regulars swore couldn’t be replicated anywhere else.
The Next Generation: Greg Tack Jr. and a Loyal Following (1980s–2000s)
Under Greg Tack Jr., the shop maintained its old-school vibe even as the world around it modernized. The silver counter, the retro sodas, the sizzling grill — everything looked and felt like it did decades earlier. Locals passed their love of Tack’s down to their kids, and many former Reading residents would make special trips back into town just for a sandwich and a smoothie.
For East Reading, Tack’s wasn’t just a business — it was an institution. It was where families met after Little League, where city workers grabbed lunch between shifts, and where familiar faces always seemed to show up.
Changing Times: Charlie Kondraski and the Expansion (2013–2018)
By the early 2010s, Greg Tack Jr. decided to sell the business to Charles P. “Charlie” Kondraski, a dedicated young cook with a passion for Reading’s food culture. Kondraski had already spent years in restaurant kitchens, beginning his culinary career at just sixteen — when, as he once confessed, he “lied about his age to get a job at La Scala.”
When he took over Tack’s, Kondraski honored the legacy while introducing subtle upgrades. In 2015, he expanded the brand with a second location — Tack’s Pizza Shop — in the former Rosa’s Place at the Shillington Shopping Center. The new spot featured more seating and a broader menu, but still carried the heart of the Cotton Street original.
Kondraski even invented a new specialty — the Tack’s Cheesesteak Pizza, topped with chopped steak, onions, mozzarella, and that famous sauce. As he told the Reading Eagle, “Throwing the dough came back like riding a bicycle. Never go cheap — that’s what Tack taught me.”
A New Owner, Familiar Flavor (2018–2020)
In 2018, Tack’s changed hands again when Josh Nowotarski, Mt. Penn native, local business owner, and future mayor of Mt. Penn, became the new proprietor. For Nowotarski, this was more than a business deal — it was a homecoming.
“I grew up on this stuff,” he told WFMZ’s Tom Rader. “Every Thursday night, mom and dad would take the family to Tack’s. It’s something I fell in love with, and I’m glad to finally be a part of history.”
Under Nowotarski, Tack’s remained true to its roots while adding modern conveniences like credit card payments and extended hours. Patrons still packed the small dining area for Tack Burgers, steak sandwiches, and cream smoothies, reassured that the recipes they loved hadn’t changed.
The Final Years: Tack Shack and Closure (2020–2022)
As Reading’s restaurant landscape evolved, Tack’s struggled to navigate new economic realities. Around 2020, the original Cotton Street location quietly closed its doors after nearly 74 years of continuous operation. A short-lived offshoot called the “Tack Shack” opened nearby inside a CITGO gas station, attempting to preserve the name and the sauce for a new era of grab-and-go customers.
Despite loyal fans and nostalgic support, the Tack Shack closed in early 2022, marking the end of an East Reading legend. Its departure was felt deeply in the community. Social media lit up with tributes — stories of after-school lunches, first dates, and three generations of families united by a sandwich and a smile.
Legacy: More Than a Sandwich Shop
Tack’s Sandwich Shop represented something rare — a local business that transcended commerce to become part of the community’s identity. Its neon sign, the smell of sizzling steak and onions, the sound of orders called over the counter — all became sensory touchstones for thousands who grew up in Reading.
In an era when chain restaurants dominate, Tack’s remains a memory of the kind of neighborhood place that can’t be franchised or replicated — where food was made with pride, the customers were known by name, and a “special sauce” meant more than a condiment. It meant connection.
Leave A Comment