The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/27737
CENTER STREET DELI 82 Center St., Oneonta 432-0402 CUSTOMER BASE: College students, neighborhood locals and vacationing families. SIGNATURE ITEMS: Seafood, kegs, homemade foods and deli. REASON TO SHOP HERE: Owners Frank and Robin Companie bought the business in 1988 and made it their own. From the tidy exterior of the shop and rental property next door to the cleanliness of the kitchen and table tops, the pride the Companies take in their work shows. An electronic door chime signals arrivals at Center Street Deli, centrally located near the corner of Center and Maple streets in Oneonta. With a bus stop just outside the door and a mix of student and single-family housing in the neighborhood, Center Street Deli serves a diverse assortment of customers. The business has a homey feel to it. Little signs, seasonal decorations and bobble-head dolls are tucked in here in there, along with homemade comfort foods in the cooler (think deviled eggs sprinkled with paprika and macaroni salad). This grocery offers everything from cat food and deodorant to microbrews and Daddy Al and Mama Sue (who prefer to keep their last name private) stand next to their new peanut grinder. They have just begun offering freshly ground peanut butter (plain, with honey and with chocolate chips). DADDY AL’S 387 Chestnut St., Oneonta 432-0652 CUSTOMER BASE: Residents and workers of the West End, bakers, thrifty shoppers. SIGNATURE ITEMS: Baking supplies, bulk goods, full deli, thrift bread, candy. REASON TO SHOP HERE: Daddy Al’s is a great example of the little guy going up against corporate America by carving out his own little niche. One example might be the old-fashioned candies sold here. Says Daddy Al, “You can’t beat Walmart with Snickers bars, but you can beat them with Mallo Cups.” Stepping through the door to Daddy Al’s, visitors might feel like they have en- tered a slightly different dimension. Unexpected choices spring up everywhere, drawing in customers with a unique blend of novelty, nostalgia and practicality. Even though it’s probably not what they originally came in for, customers will find intriguing items are everywhere. Three varieties of Amish popcorn? Check. Corn-cob jelly? Check. Just try to resist the beauty of a glass bottle Coke or the charm of a black licorice edible pipe _ it’s hard. Bluegrass music beckons from behind the deli counter. At the deli, every kind of sliceable meat or cheese that the Amish ever came up is available. Customers can order a sub or get some cold cuts to prepare at home. A large selection of fresh bread or thrift bread (bread that is a few days old) is also available. For 10 years Daddy Al’s operated out of a commercial space on state Route 23, just beyond the shopping mecca of Southside. It was after moving to Chest- nut Street, though, that Al and his wife, Sue (“Mama Sue” as she is sometimes called), said they really felt like part of a community. ON A PERSONAL NOTE: Daddy Al’s first drew me in during my anti-plastic phase when I learned that they carried glass bottle milk. My thanks go out in particular to employee Will Lipari, for not regarding me as a lunatic when I asked him to package my deli purchases in the waxed paper baggies I handed him. Additional points for carrying my stuff out to the car one hot summer day. lighters, but the seafood is definitely a signature item. Center Street Deli keeps its wholesale license and relationships with seafood dealers in order to offer it. “Clams are a big item,” said Robin Companie, “especially in the warm weather.” Customers can also find shrimp, crab legs and lobster tails, though the deli no longer carries live lobsters. “At $100 a month, the tanks just got too expensive to run and maintain,” she explained. The Companies seem to enjoy their role providing Oneonta-style hospital- ity. Whether it is selling kegs to students or bar- beque supplies to summer families at the rental next door, customers will hopefully go on to enjoy a laid-back good time while here in Oneonta. ON A PERSONAL NOTE: Center Street Deli has one of the cleanest and most quietly inviting little spaces to enjoy a cup of coffee and read the paper. On mul- tiple occasions, my 3-year-old and I have found ourselves with an extra 15 minutes before school. At the Center Street Deli we share a table and split an egg sandwich, enjoying the sunny space and friendly atmosphere. The sun room at Center Street Deli is a favorite place for locals to read the newspaper and have a cup of coffee. March 24, 2011 O-Town Scene 17