Deli Wars

.. ok, so just TRY and convince me that this wouldn't be a great reality show!!

So back in like, July or something, the pizza joint that's half a block away from the deli closed down and reopened as a pizza joint / deli.

Same owner.. but yknow, those nasty LLC's or whatever means that you can have an unsuccessful business, close it down, and then reopen it under a different name.

His pizza SUCKS by the way...

Anyway.. so now there's a new deli in town a half a block from ours and people being people are going to try it. Maybe because they live closer.. Maybe because Tim has a habit of pissing people off when he's in the front of the deli because he tells it "..like it is" .. which, btw, is why he is NOT ALLOWED in the front of the store!

But for whatever reason, we saw a drop in business.

August is always a struggle anyway.. for some reason, business tanks is January and August.. but this one almost put us out of business. We have no doubt that we'll be some people back.. the other place uses cheaper meats at higher prices and what he is under-cutting us on, he won't be able to sustain.

So while that all seems bad.. it's just a part of being in business and just something that we were going to have to scratch and crawl through. No biggie.

But then the borough decided to hold a Haunted House thingy at the local swim club and came in asking for donations which would entitle us to a sign advertising the business. Cool .. no problem.. AND because WE have THE best mini hoagies around, the borough wanted us to supply them. At a reduced rate, of course.

No problem.

So the dude running the thing comes in and tells us that the ODD (Other Deli Dude) was also willing to donate but he insisted on providing his own sign.. and wanted it in a prime location.. and basically wanted it to look like he was responsible for the whole sha-bang.

Upon hearing that, Tim decided to donate the mini hoagies. Hey.. it's a tax write off, right?

And he decided to bring in the same ham and turkey that ODD is using but sell it a few cents above cost. Being that we live in the welfare nation state, that will bring people in and the thought it that once they are in here, they'll pick up other things that bring us in more of a profit.

Dirty business, isn't it?

Ok.. so with that all laid out, yesterday afternoon this dude walks in and says CHICKEN SANDWICH to me. He obviously has an issue with English.. and I have an issue with hearing so yknow.. it was fun. Anyway, I ask him what kind of chicken.. we have Buffalo Chicken.. Honey BBQ Chicken.. Chicken Salad.. etc.

He wants Buffalo Chicken.

Ok.

Do you want it on a roll? On bread? White? Wheat? Rye? Potato?

He wants it on a roll with everything POSSIBLE on it.

Fine.

He asks how much and how long and I tell him $4.99 and 10 minutes because everything is sliced fresh.

He says he'll be back and leaves.

While I'm slicing the Buffalo Chicken it hits me. Was that ODD?? Was he in here checking out our prices and product?? Was our customers who go there for nasty pizza singing our praises??

Hmmmm....

So I describe the guy to Tim and he's like, yea.. that sounds exactly like him!

Now.. I could have completely blown out the hoagie and make it exceptionally special but our sandwiches already have a half pound of meat on them as it is and really, our smalls are more then enough for two people so screw it. He gets what everybody else is getting.

And then I wait .. and wait.. and wait..

About a half hour goes by and I tell Tim that if this JO doesn't come back for his sandwich then I'm going to call them up and order three pizzas and not pick them up.

He laughed at me because had had a conversation earlier about how uber-competitive I am. For the record, I don't think of myself as uber-competitive. I call it "drive and determination".

Anyway.. so Tim goes outside to talk to the crossing guard for awhile and I'm inside bouncing off the walls waiting for ODD not to show up so I can call in a pizza order.

But he does show up.. and it's NOT ODD.. just some random guy.

So I got all "aaarrrrrrggggghhhhh" for nothing but in my defense .. you kinda get like that when you're trying to save the source of income that feeds your family and puts a roof over your head. 'Cause ODD has the bankroll.. just not the business savvy ..

We're the opposite..

Anyway.. we'll see how this plays out.