Deli celebrates 30 years
The smoked meat is piled precariously high on rye with gobs of French’s glorious yellow mustard. I tackle tart pickle spears and knock back a retro bottle of Coke to ease the pain of knowing the Cott black cherry has sold out. No matter. The sandwich, normally $ 5.69, is selling for a thrifty 99 cents. It’s a one-per-person/one-day-only special that took place Monday to celebrate Wolfie’s 30th anniversary.
Fans will tell you this deli, at 670 Sheppard Ave. W., hasn’t changed much since Wolf Zimmerman opened it in 1975.
This is a good thing.
Wolf’s still here, pushing 84 and still coming to work six days a week ( the deli’s closed Saturday) to cut meat and assemble sandwiches.
His daughter and son- in- law, Gila and Dave Gelberman, help him run the show. And what a show it is.
Get a few people into Wolfie’s and it’s a tight squeeze. ( Apparently small is the best size for a deli.) The walls are lined with Coca-Cola paraphernalia (that’s Dave Gelberman’s thing). The TV is set to Fox for breaking world news.
“ What I call the décor of this place is early tacky,” jokes Dave, who’s darting around with a tray of free cocktail steamies ( best eaten with more of that yellow mustard).
Customers come and go in rapid succession, relaying quick verbal orders and either grabbing a seat or getting takeout.
“ People don’t linger here,” reports my lunch companion, Canadian Jewish Congress CEO Bernie Farber. “ They get out what they want to say, they eat what they want to eat, and they get out.”
Today’s chatter bounces from the deli’s birthday party to the Palestinian suicide bomber who killed five people and injured dozens outside a shopping mall in northern Israel.
Greater Toronto is home to more than 180,000 Jewish people ( almost half of Canada’s Jewish population). The community’s social, business and religious life centres on Bathurst St. from downtown to Vaughan.
Wolfie’s, just west of Bathurst, attracts people of all religions and cultures united by love of deli sandwiches ( in this case: corned beef, pastrami, smoked meat, turkey, roast beef and salami).
“ I’ve been coming here at least 25 years and I come here at least four times a week,” enthuses Jack Ross. “ The food has always been superb, the company has always been fantastic and the owner treats me like a brother.
“ He is a brother,” Ross guffaws, pointing to a patch on his jacket and explaining he’s part of the brotherhood of Freemasonry. ( Now there’s a secret society you don’t hear much about.)
So Farber’s right — Wolfie’s attracts “ a real range of humanity.” He has seen politicians, police officers, firefighters and community leaders, strangers engaging in opinionated debates, and everyone from infants to seniors eat here.
“ It’s a small place — it’s like sitting in your own kitchen,” opines Farber.
Still, you’ve got to wonder what makes this deli survive where others fail. After all, it serves Lester’s smoked meat from Quebec, just like countless other delis ( and wannabe delis).
“ It’s the KISS method,” says Dave of Wolfie’s business secret. “ Keep It Simple — and I don’t want to say what the last ‘ S’ is for.” By simple, he means Wolfie’s sells just six main items (all sandwiches) plus knishes, latkes, dills, coleslaw, potato salads and soup on the side. The deli’s also committed to selling fresh, quality meals at good prices.
“ Can I get you anything for dessert?” Dave asks during one of many walkabouts through the deli. “ Please say no because we don’t have any.”
Ah, humour — now there’s the real secret to Wolfie’s success.