After a successful 10 year run, KO Pies owner Sam Jackson is packing it in for the warmer climate of his native Australia and has put KO Pies at the Boston Shipyard and Marina in East Boston up for sale.
Jackson has been flirting with selling KO Pies, the cozy haunt on Eastie’s waterfront that serves up authentic Aussie meat pies, sandwiches and other offerings, for two years now.
Jackson expected to be heading back home by the end of 2019 but extended his lease at the marina through 2020 and announced last week that 2021 would be the final year for his business in Eastie.
“2020 was going to be our swan song, as we celebrated the wonderful 10 years of KO, and to express our gratitude to all our mates,” said Jackson. “The pandemic delayed the final chapter of KO, but it also demonstrated the resilience of the humble pie, during extraordinary times. With hope on the horizon, we feel that we can now begin to plan for that farewell. A year late but with greater appreciation and more gratitude than ever.”
Jackson said he is making moves to “wrap it all up” sometime this year.
“We have no idea when that will be, but it will be happening in 2021,” he said. “We have the full support of our awesome landlords here in the shipyard, a professional broker to deal with the sale, and plan on opening up the patio soon to get to see more of you in the flesh to say G’day in person. Suffice to say, we have blown the door off all the wildest hopes and dreams of what KO set out to be. For that we cannot say enough thanks to every bloody one of you.”
Jackson said he’ll have more details to share as the sale and closing of the popular neighborhood eatery develops.
“Be sure to pop down to the yard and grab a pie and beer in the meantime,” he said.
Jackson, who landed in Boston from Australia a decade ago, started KO Pies out of thin air. The success of KO Pies elevated Jackson’s profile in the community and he has enjoyed the reputation of someone that gives back to local schools, nonprofits and community groups since coming here. Jackson sold the original KO Pies in Southie a few years back and made the Eastie location the center of operations that included the restaurant and catering.