We close at 6 PM. Always have. Some folks think we should stay open later, catch the dinner crowd, maybe do delivery. And I get it — there's money to be made.
But here's the thing: by 6 PM, we've been going for fourteen hours. The bread is yesterday's news, the soups are running low, and the crew is spent. I'd rather close strong than limp to the finish line serving food I'm not proud of.
Besides, closing time has its own rhythm. Wiping down the cases, wrapping the meats, sweeping the floor. It's the bookend to those quiet morning hours. The deli breathes in and breathes out, every single day.