YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The oldsters who go to Jimmy’s Italian Specialties in Liberty each Christmas Eve for seafood know they’re in for an extended wait.
However they don’t thoughts, says retailer proprietor and supervisor Frank Occhibove, as a result of the time they spend in line turns into a reunion. They run into previous associates who’re dwelling for the vacations and others they see solely annually.
Mike Allegretto, proprietor of Lariccia’s Italian Market in Boardman, says the scenario is identical at his retailer.
Jimmy’s and Lariccia’s are simply two of the numerous delicatessens within the Mahoning Valley. Every is a spot the place conventional, and normally ethnic, meals is ready for takeout daily with strict consideration to element and consistency.
Others embrace Kravitz Deli, Krakus Polish Deli, Ghossain’s Mediterranean Meals, Tringhese’s Cornersburg Italian Specialties and Okay’nafa Mediterranean Restaurant.
Whereas every deli has common prospects who cease in all 12 months, the vacation season is a very busy time for them. The Enterprise Journal checked in with their homeowners for this report.
JIMMY’S ITALIAN SPECIALTIES
Jimmy’s Italian Specialties, 3230 Belmont Ave., Liberty Township, is without doubt one of the greatest and busiest Italian deli-bakeries you’ll discover wherever. The deli counter will get a lunch crush daily and the bakery has among the finest choices of Italian cookies and desserts in a large radius.
It was began by Jimmy Occhibove in 1974 as an Italian present store in his storage within the Brier Hill neighborhood and moved into Colonial Plaza in Liberty in 1983. The deli settled into its present location, with its brightly painted Italianate structure and courtyard, in 2007.
Frank Occhibove, who’s the son of Jimmy and his spouse, Irene, was born into the enterprise and loves it.
The strains to purchase fish for the Feast of Seven Fishes, an Italian Christmas Eve custom, “are actually out the door, beginning within the morning,” he says, however prospects don’t thoughts. “I hear them say, ‘I grew up with this man!’ [as they see old friends]. They reminisce. When folks are available in from out of city, we’re considered one of their stops.”
As for that bakery, Occhibove says “90% of the objects are baked right here on the premises. Our pastry chef has been with us for 11 years. The few issues we herald are from different small bakeries like us, however it’s nonetheless home made and never mass-produced.”
Regardless of ever-rising prices, Jimmy’s by no means modifications its recipes. It’s confirmed to be one the keys to the shop’s longevity.
“We all the time use the highest elements,” Occhibove says. “I by no means understood those that use cheaper elements. I’ve seen some mom-and-pop shops like us that didn’t make it as a result of they reduce corners. We didn’t. We elevate costs when we now have to however our prospects perceive it’s all the time the identical product.”
KRAKUS POLISH DELI
Marta Mazur is a local of Poland who immigrated to America in 1981, settling in Connecticut.
After shifting to Youngstown in 2009, she realized there have been numerous Polish folks right here however nowhere to purchase Polish meals.
“They might get collectively and make an inventory of what they needed after which ship somebody to Cleveland to select up the order,” Mazur says.
She determined to fill the necessity and opened Krakus Polish Deli, 7050 Market St., Boardman, in 2012.
“Folks actually responded to the new meals,” she says. “The pierogi, the stuffed cabbage … these are our greatest sellers. We make them sizzling and able to go daily.”
The menu has every day specials however prospects can normally get kielbasa, haluski, stew and several other sorts of pierogi. The shop additionally carries imported specialties and onerous to search out elements.
Mazur says her enterprise booms earlier than Christmas and Easter as of us fill up on conventional meals for vacation meals.
“We provide a wigilia [‘vigil’] Polish Christmas Eve dinner,” she says. “You may decide up the entire dinner to go.
“Folks additionally are available in [before the holidays] to select up borscht, or [imported] mushrooms and pickled cabbage to make use of in making their very own meals at dwelling. We assist them with their traditions.”
Mazur explains that she will get many shoppers who hint their heritage to different Slavic nations moreover Poland.
“Each Jap European nation has the identical meals, however a special phrase for it,” she says.
GHOSSAIN’S
With three areas, Ghossain’s Gourmet Mediterranean Foods is a Mahoning Valley establishment.
However its attain goes far past.
“We ship our flatbreads to eating places that make flatbread pizzas,” says Joe Ghossain, the third-generation proprietor of the deli-bakery. “We additionally ship by way of frozen freight to distributors and by UPS to non-public prospects. We ship to nation golf equipment in Florida, and a few venues in Nevada … We’ve shipped orders to Martha Stewart’s home in addition to to Oscar de la Renta and Invoice Clinton.”
Common of us and the wealthy and well-known normally uncover Ghossain’s the identical approach: phrase of mouth.
“After 50 years, you purchase a fan base,” Ghossain says.
The primary Ghossain’s is at 3990 South Ave., Boardman, with satellite tv for pc areas at 6261 Youngstown Highway, Niles; and 4559 Boardman-Canfield Highway, Canfield.
The bakery for all three shops is on the South Avenue location.
Whereas Ghossain’s meals is native to Arab nations, its buyer base encompasses all who benefit from the meals and wish to eat healthful meals.
“The Mediterranean weight-reduction plan comprises the nice fat, like olive oil,” Ghossain says. “All of our lettuce is natural, and we undergo numerous parsley, bulgur wheat, onions, lemons and tomatoes.”
Nearly all the produce is sourced from native growers, besides within the winter months, he says, and all meals is ready from scratch.
“Our Mediterranean bowls, wraps and salads are a preferred progress section,” he says.
Ghossain’s additionally provides 11 sorts of hummus and might customise platters for events with a collection of hummus, tabbouleh, cheeses and dips.
Okay’NAFA
Sam Awad, a Palestinian, immigrated to America in 2016 and bought K’nafa, 3129 Belmont Ave., Liberty, a 12 months in the past.
He saved the title – which interprets as “sweets” or “dessert” – however added some touches of his personal.
The final time Awad was in his homeland was a couple of years in the past, when his mom died. He pours his recollections of her into the whole lot he does at Okay’nafa.
“I opened this place as a result of I used to be impressed by her,” Awad says. “I put the identical love into my meals as a option to honor her.”
From shawarma to kebabs, and recent baked pita bread to home made baklava, Okay’nafa provides each specialty of the japanese Mediterranean area.
Awad says his prospects embrace these of Center Jap heritage, in addition to many Jews and Puerto Ricans. The imported meals part of his deli carries objects and elements for these kinds of cooking.
Awad says he steadily will get prospects touring by means of on close by Interstate 80, who get off on the Belmont Avenue exit particularly to buy at Okay’nafa.
“It’s as a result of we’re halal,” he says, referring to meals ready in a approach that complies with Islamic rules. “They [search for us on the internet] after which cease right here as they journey by means of.”
Halal is an idea much like the Jewish kosher rules, he explains, including that it additionally ensures meals is of a better high quality.
TRINGHESE’S CORNERSBURG ITALIAN SPECIALTIES
Katie (Tringhese) Salupo was working as a trainer in Cincinnati when her father purchased Cornersburg Italian Specialties a decade in the past. He was the longtime accountant for the enterprise and purchased it when the earlier proprietor put it up on the market.
“He requested me if I want to come again and check out operating this place. So I did,” Salupo says. “I cherished it.”
She has been working the Italian deli-bakery ever since. She purchased it from her father final 12 months.
The shop has been open for 40 years and hasn’t modified a lot. It has a homey environment and continues to be recognized for its recent baked bread, pizzelles and different sweets, home made gnocchi, pizza, pepperoni rolls, baked hen and Italian sausage, which is made on-site and bought cooked and uncooked.
It additionally has a sizzling meals deli case with every day specials.
Like different Italian delis, Cornersburg has a line out the door for Christmas Eve staples equivalent to fried smelt, shrimp and calamari.
She’s already bracing herself for the blizzard of vacation gross sales.
“We’ve 300 rolls and 200 loaves of bread on order,” Salupo says. “Final 12 months, I labored 40 out of the 48 hours earlier than Christmas.”
When the frenzy is over, she and her household rests. “We rejoice Christmas on the twenty seventh as a result of on Christmas Day, we’re sleeping,” she says.
Repeat prospects are the shop’s lifeblood. Salupo says she usually sees three generations of shoppers from the identical household.
“One in all our favourite prospects is available in each Friday and will get a pound and a half of mozzarella and takes it dwelling to make pizzas,” Salupo says. “[His family] used to do this when he was a boy going to St. Christine’s college. Now he’s 45 and nonetheless doing it.”
Others are available in and purchase pepperoni rolls by the handfuls to carry to their youngsters who’re away in school.
“I don’t know if it’s the meals, the folks or a mix, however we now have prospects who like it and maintain coming again,” Salupo says.
“Once we see a brand new buyer, we’ll say, ‘Take a pepperoni roll without spending a dime and also you’ll be again.’ And so they do come again.”
LARICCIA’S ITALIAN MARKETPLACE
The oldest deli enterprise within the space is nearly definitely Lariccia’s Italian Marketplace at 7438 Southern Blvd. in Boardman, which dates to 1907.
The key to its longevity is its adherence to high quality and custom. “Our recipes haven’t modified,” says proprietor Mike Allegretto.
The shop’s long-time greatest vendor is its meatball combine.
“Once we had been positioned on East Federal Road again within the Forties, [then owner John Lariccia] was mixing up some meatball combine for himself. A buyer walked in and requested how a lot it prices. A clerk began to say it’s not on the market, however John stopped him. Right now, we promote on common 200 kilos a day. There are occasions when it’s on sale that we’ll promote 1,500 kilos a day. However that’s the way it bought began.”
Lariccia’s additionally makes and bottles its tomato sauce, which is bought in lots of shops within the Valley.
With Christmas Eve developing, Allegretto is stocking as much as meet the seafood demand.
“We’ll promote 1,000 kilos of cooked fish – haddock, smelts, squid,” he says. “I simply positioned an order for 4,400 kilos of calamari.”
KRAVITZ DELI
One other legendary Youngstown deli is Kravitz, which was based in 1939 on town’s North Aspect and moved to its current location, 3135 Belmont Ave. in Liberty, in 1970.
The deli was owned by the Kravitz household till April of this 12 months, when it was bought to Matt Rydarowicz.
However its old-school authenticity continues, and its overstuffed corned beef sandwiches are nonetheless the highest vendor. Rydarowicz is aware of higher than to mess with success.
“The menu is the menu, and we is not going to be altering it, however there are some further issues I can be including,” he says.
First up, he says, will possible be french fries. Kravitz sandwiches include a pickle and chips. Fries have by no means been an possibility however could possibly be within the close to future.
Earlier than he purchased the deli, Rydarowicz had labored with earlier proprietor Jack Kravitz on catering jobs. “I’m studying as I’m going,” he says. “I nonetheless discuss to Jack [for advice].”
The custom of Jewish meals, together with bagels and baked items, can be upheld, and so will the deli’s repute as a spot the place all really feel at dwelling.
“You are feeling welcome while you come right here,” Rydarowicz says. “That’s how Jack ran it, and that’s how his mom ran it.”
NODAY’S DELI
Noday’s Deli has lengthy been recognized for its pepperoni rolls. The heavyweight delicacies additionally come filled with spinach, ham and cheese, spinach and a couple of dozen different fillings.
The deli at 5229 Mahoning Ave., Austintown, which opened in 1991, can be recognized for its Friday fish fries, and sells a complete lot of hen.
In truth, Noday’s stands out within the deli panorama for its “everywhere in the map” menu, which additionally contains home made pierogi, pizza, wings, bread and soup.
“We’re an all-around deli,” says proprietor Ken Noday. “I feel it’s too onerous to make it on only one merchandise. However the whole lot right here is home made.”
The deli had been recognized for pepperoni rolls lengthy earlier than the present homeowners purchased it.
They saved them on the menu, “however we simply made them higher,” Noday says. “We added extra cheese and pepperoni, and we began placing sauce in them.”
Pictured at prime: Frank Occhibove is the proprietor and supervisor of Jimmy’s Italian Specialties.
Copyright 2022 The Enterprise Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
