Cutty’s Is Taking Over the Space Next Door

The Roast Beef 1000 at Cutty’s by Susanna Bolle on Flickr/Creative Commons

Cutty’s, “home of the skillfully crafted sandwich,” is growing its footprint. This is good news. Since it opened in 2010, the Brookline Village sandwich shop has built a cult-like following with its meltingly tender Roast Beef 1000, crispy fried chicken Sundays, super-stuffed breakfast sandwiches, and more, and time waiting in line can regularly reach 45 minutes.

Business owners Charles and Rachel Kelsey are taking over a former hair salon next door to add about 600 square feet of space. Plans are just underway—they signed the lease for 280 Washington St. on August 1—so the layout and number of additional seats is to be decided, Rachel Kelsey said. But the expansion will definitely add a second door, enabling Cutty’s to better manage the flow of traffic. “We are totally reconfiguring the space with our customers in mind. Quicker lines, less waiting, smoother service,” Kelsey said.

The extra space will allow for additional refrigeration and prep space, therefore making it possible for the shop to add a few favorite daily specials, like tuna and chicken salad, to the regular menu. In September, Cutty’s reimagined its wildly popular Super Cluckin’ fried chicken Sunday special, replacing the mayo, cheddar, and tangy honey-mustard with herbed ranch and smoky-sweet barbecue sauce. Change can be hard, the sandwich makers are finding out, and Kelsey said “we’d love to be able to offer two, the Classic and the BBQ Ranch, on Chicken Sunday.”

The menu, in general, will grow along with the restaurant. The team is working on a specialty turkey sandwich to join the current Basic and off-menu Turkey 1000 offerings, and plans to add onto the breakfast menu—and offer it longer. “On the weekends, we will be able to extend the hours for egg sandwiches, Currently, we are only able to offer them until 10:30, and we know a lot of sleepy heads miss out,” Kelsey said.

“We will just do more of everything in general: treats, salads, veg sides, soups, pickled items, you name it,” she continued. Without providing details, she added Cutty’s has been working on an “original creation that takes three weeks to make,” which will benefit from the extra refrigeration and new equipment.

To make it all happen, the Kelseys are asking fans to help fund the expansion. A $30,000 Kickstarter campaign launched October 1, and Kelsey told Eater Boston they hope to start work in November. “Right now, our biggest challenge is doing the construction without closing for too long,” the Kickstarter page reads. “We have a talented design/building team, helping us come up with creative ways to do the work without negatively affecting our wonderful staffs’ livelihood.”

Stay tuned for the bigger, better Cutty’s—and maybe think about getting in line pretty soon.

Cutty’s, 284 Washington Street, Brookline Village, 617-505-1844, cuttyfoods.com.