Michael’s New York Style
Deli
Opens in Coolidge Corner
By Susie Davidson
Advocate Correspondent
BROOKLINE - On Wednesday, July 24,
a bit of New York City arrived in Brookline. Michael’s Deli, which had
been eagerly anticipated by the local community, opened its doors, and the
corned beef began to fly off the counter and out the door. “People were
waiting a half hour in line that day, and two hours later, they were back
buying sandwiches for their friends,” says owner Michael Sobelman, who knows
from the business. For 20 years, he operated Michael’s Deli in
Marblehead, which he closed last year, aiming to get out of the field (as we
can see, that didn’t last).
“I missed it,” he
says. “I realized that I needed the challenge and let’s face it, I
love the food, and making people happy enjoying it.” In the interim, he
opened a chicken restaurant in Salem, which was bought out six months later for
the location and the concept (a high-quality type KFC/Boston Market model). He
found that he could not stop checking out available storefronts, and decided
that a Brookline/Newton locale would be ideal for another carnivorous venture.
When Ringo Realty of Brookline called reporting that the Tealuxe location was
available at 256 Harvard St., just by the Beacon St. and Longwood Aves.
intersection (on the “Route 9” side of Beacon), he came down and
observed the large amount of potential. “Between the pedestrian and the
automobile traffic and the Green Line,” recalls Sobelman, “it
seemed perfect.” He began a lease this spring, and commenced renovations
in the 14-seat site, which took until now to complete.
Michael’s offers
high-quality corned beef and pastrami which are shipped in from New York. His
turkey breast is cut right off the frame and roasted fresh daily on the premises.
In addition, deli staples include various salads, homemade whitefish salad,
which sells for $8.99 per pound (such a deal), a chopped liver “better
than your grandma’s,” he promises, half sour, kosher dill, sour
tomatoes and other pickles, Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray, Cream and other sodas at
89 cents a can, smoked whitefish and Norwegian lox. Knishes are also trucked
from the Big Apple. Breads are custom-baked locally, as are the chewy and
crusty bagels, and include authentic rye, pumpernickel, bulkie, egg rolls, etc.
The corned beef? Over a half pound
of meat, only $5.99, “and
our Romanian pastrami is incredibly tender,” says Sobelman, who also
proffers a large selection of take-out items and party platters, with both deli
and smoked fish, for every occasion.
“The welcome has been
awesome,” he says, “from the already regular diners to Bay State
Federal Savings and Loan’s Ken Jaffe, who has especially gone out of his
way to introduce me to locals, while the bank has extended their services over
and above the call.”
Michael’s hours are Monday
through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays until 5 p.m. and Sundays until 3
p.m.
“I’ve been building
the business one customer at a time,” says Sobelman, who seems to stand
and greet each one. If this is the secret to his success, he’s
accomplished a lot already.
For information, call 617-738-DELI
(what else, you should ask?)