Joe’s Sports Bar, Pizza and African Deli To Replace Brooklyn Park Godfather’s Pizza

The closure of the Brooklyn Park Godfather’s Pizza ended a decades-long legacy of hot pies and community involvement in the city.

Now, the entrepreneur who bought the building wants to build a new legacy of his own.

Joe Jarbah purchased the Godfather’s building at 7450 Unity Ave. N. in late March from Roger Backstrom for $825,000, according to real estate records. 

After a full remodel, Jarbah told CCX News he’s planning to reopen the business as Joe’s Sports Bar, Pizza and African Deli.

“Brooklyn Park needs another sports bar and it’s going to diverse,” Jarbah said. “It’s going to be a great place for the city. I think the city of Brooklyn Park really really needs stuff like that.”

The new restaurant will serve two styles of food: African cuisine with a Liberian focus and bar classics.

Jarbah mentioned “cassava leaves, potato greens, collard greens [and] jollof rice,” as examples of African foods that would be available during daytime and dinner hours.

Customers will also find American and late-night standards that many bar-goers look for while watching a Vikings game. 

“Different kinds of pizza, we’re going to have pasta, we’re going to have burgers, wings, fries,” Jarbah said. “Bar vibes.”

The sports element of the bar is important to Jarbah — he plans to show professional and college level football, hockey, soccer, tennis, baseball and volleyball on a multitude of televisions.

“Have you ever been to Willie McCoy’s? A sports bar like that, that’s what I’m trying to do,” he said. “You go in there and you feel like home. You have games, the Minnesota pull tabs.”

Jarbah hopes to open the new restaurant in July.

While this is his first foray into the restaurant world, he’s already active in Brooklyn Park’s business community.

He’s the owner of Boss Kuts, a barber shop just blocks away from the former Godfather’s.

Joe Jarbah purchased the Godfather’s building at 7450 Unity Ave. N. in late March from Roger Backstrom for $825,000, according to real estate records. And after a full remodel, he’s planning to reopen the business as Joe’s Sports Bar, Pizza and African Deli. He’s also the owner of Boss Kuts barber shop.

Brooklyn Park