Pickles Pub Proprietors Now Operating Sello’s In West OC

Pickles Pub Proprietors Now Operating Sello’s In West OC
Justin and Brittney Acita, owners of Pickles Pub in Ocean City for five years, are the new owners and operators of Sello's Italian Oven & Bar. Photo by Bethany Hooper

WEST OCEAN CITY – The owners of an iconic resort establishment are bringing years of experience in the hospitality industry to Sello’s Italian Oven & Bar.

On March 4, Pickles Pub proprietors Justin and Brittney Acita took ownership of Sello’s Italian Oven & Bar in West Ocean City.

Located on Golf Course Road, the small neighborhood restaurant has been a community staple since 2015, when restauranteurs Pino and Karen Tomasello converted the former Avery Gallery building to a rustic eatery featuring traditional Italian dishes and an intimate atmosphere.

“We are not changing anything,” Brittney said. “The core menu is staying the same and the staff is staying, which we are really excited and happy about.”

Brittney said she worked for the Tomasellos when they operated Fresco’s on 82nd Street in Ocean City. And even when she stopped working there, they remained close friends.

So when the Acitas learned that the Tomasellos were looking for someone to take over Sello’s, they saw it as an opportunity to diversify.

“We are honored that they thought we would be a good fit to take over,” Justin said. “They spent their lives doing this.”

Over the past eight months, the Acitas have worked alongside Pino and Karen to learn all there is to know about Sello’s. Justin, for example, has spent the last three months in the kitchen with Pino learning the restaurant’s recipes, while Brittney had shadowed Karen to learn the ins and outs of Sello’s management.

“It’s going to make a super smooth transition,” he said. “People won’t even notice.”

The Acitas said years of working in the restaurant industry have prepared them for this new role. Both said they worked their way through the ranks of the bar and restaurant business before taking ownership of Pickles Pub and its neighboring liquor store in 2015.

“Pickles and the liquor store were our first two businesses …,” Justin said. “That’s where we learned we could actually do it. We learned all of this was possible.”

Since acquiring Pickles Pub, Brittney said business has increased by 87%. She said the bar offers lengthy hours of operation, nightly entertainment and its famous Original Pickle Shot, which can now be purchased in bottles at various stores.

“Pickles is a large establishment, but it’s a well-oiled machine …,” she said. “I feel like if we can do Pickles, we can do anything.”

The Acitas said they will continue to own and operate Pickles Pub, but are eager for what the future brings at Sello’s. They said they have plans to introduce new dishes, cocktails and pairing events, as well as the possibility of valet parking.

Sello’s will also extend its bar hours to midnight on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and will be open on Mondays starting April 1.

“Pino knew that he was doing what he wanted to do here, but he also knew there was so much more potential,” Justin said. “There is, and we want to capitalize on that. So we have some different things lined up.”

The Acitas recognized the community for its support in their new endeavor and said they will continue to give back to a community that has given so much. They encouraged everyone to visit Sello’s.

“The better we do, the better the community does,” Justin said.

For more information on Sello’s, visit sellosoc.com or the “Sello’s Italian Oven & Bar” Facebook page, or call 410-390-3543.

“We are really appreciative of this opportunity and for the outpouring of support,” Brittney said. “We really can’t wait to see everyone here. Changes are coming with time, so stay tuned.”

About The Author: Bethany Hooper

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Bethany Hooper has been with The Dispatch since 2016. She currently covers various general stories. Hooper graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 2012 and the University of Maryland in 2016, where she completed double majors in journalism and economics.