Pascarella Bros. Delicatessen, Chatham, NJ
Pascarella Bros. Delicatessen is a local deli in my hometown of Chatham, NJ. Chatham is located in Morris County, New Jersey and is sometimes referred to as “The Chathams,” as it consists of the Chatham Borough and the Chatham Township. The town was settled in 1710 and the township of Chatham was incorporated in 1806 (Township of Chatham). By 1837, the Morris Essex line was established in Chatham, allowing residents to get into New York for work and return home on the same day (Borough of Chatham). While Chatham is located only about 25 miles from New York City, and therefore a little more than a half hour drive, the train remains an easy method of transportation for residents to get to their jobs in the city.
I visited Pascarella Bros. Delicatessen over Thanksgiving break, as it is a local deli I go to regularly in my town, located in the Chatham Borough. The deli is owned and operated by two brothers, Anthony and Gino Pascarella, who are both local residents and are always seen working there. Gino grew up in Chatham and now resides in Madison, a neighboring town, while his brother Anthony went to school in Madison and now lives in Chatham. The brothers serve both breakfast, with delicious breakfast sandwiches, and lunch with options including salads, wraps, and a variety of sandwiches and paninis. The deli has been praised in the area for offering a gluten free menu for patrons.
The deli has built up a number of loyal customers from around the area, with friendly interactions between the owners and staff with their customers, as most interactions are usually on a first name basis. The deli is decorated with articles from the local newspaper, The Chatham Patch, about the high school, its sports teams, and its students as well as pictures from around the area. While the deli does serve delicious food, it is best to take your order to go because the actual shop is small in size and has limited seating.
In Global Cities, Local Streets, Zukin, Kasinitz, and Chen (2015) state, “…today, in an accelerated mobility and global ‘flows’ local shops risk losing their livelihood to both suburban shopping malls and online retail sales” (p. 2). However, Pascarella Bros. Delicatessen seems to be thriving, as customers keep coming back for the great food and friendly atmosphere. It seems that the interactions between store owners and staff with the local customers has kept people around town coming back. Zukin, Kasinitz, and Chen also stated, “Both inside the store and outside in the street, local shops sustain social interaction” (p. 3). This statement encapsulates Pascarella Bros. Delicatessen and its role as a local shop in the town of Chatham.
Works Cited
“About Us.” Pascarella Bros. Delicatessen. Web. 8 Dec. 2015.
“History of Chatham Township.” Township of Chatham. Web. 8 Dec. 2015.
“Living in Chatham.” Borough of Chatham. Web. 8 Dec. 2015.
“Menu.” Pascarella Bros. Delicatessen. Web. 8 Dec. 2015.
Zukin, Sharon, Philip Kasinitz, and Xiangming Chen. Global Cities, Local Streets: Everyday Diversity From New York to Shanghai. Routledge, 2015. Print.
Galen Polise ’16