Send us a text

In this episode of Greetings from the Garden State, host Mike Ham sits down with Dean Maroulakos, co-founder of Skopos Hospitality, at Cowan’s Public in Nutley, NJ. Dean shares the journey of launching and expanding a hospitality empire in North Jersey, from the origins of Cowan’s Public to the recently opened Nomada in Verona.

They dive into:

• The history of Cowan’s Public and its deep-rooted family ties to Nutley.
• How Dean transitioned from theater to the restaurant industry.
• The inspiration behind each of Skopos Hospitality’s seven unique restaurant concepts.
• The evolving cocktail and food scene in North Jersey.
• How the team maintains quality, innovation, and a strong community presence across all locations.
• What to expect from their newest venture, Nomada, a vibrant new Mexican restaurant.

Along the way, they sip on some of Cowan’s signature cocktails, sample delicious menu items, and discuss the importance of creating not just a restaurant, but an experience.

Guest Info: Dean Maroulakos – Co-founder, Skopos Hospitality Website: skoposhospitality.com Instagram: @skoposhospitality

Locations Mentioned:

• Cowan’s Public (Nutley, NJ)
• The Barrow House (Clifton, NJ)
• Franklin Social & The Junto (Jersey City, NJ)
• Gus’s Last Word (Wood-Ridge, NJ)
• Parkside Social (Verona, NJ)
• Nomada (Verona, NJ) – Opening February 2025

Sponsors:

• New Jersey Lottery – Bringing you Greetings from the Garden State
• Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) – Visit mayoarts.org for upcoming events.
• Meghan Carroll of ReMax Elite – Serving Monmouth & Ocean Counties. Visit mcsellsbythesea.com

Links & Socials:

• Visit our website: greetingsfromthegardenstate.com
• Follow us on Instagram: @greetingsfromthegardenstate
• Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify!

Support the show