Dearborn’s Deli on The Avenue Closes
After nearly eight months of running her own business, Vicki Snapp Barndollar is closing the door on her Deli on the Avenue.
Deli owner Vicki Barndollar, left, and her niece, Heather VanOast, began serving sandwiches in December.
Rather than try to sell her business (she did consider it), for personal reasons Barndollar says she is simply going to sell the equipment in her deli, 949 Military, and move on to the next chapter in her life.
We wrote about her Deli on the Avenue when it opened in December and again in May when city officials approved the deli’s request for outdoor seating. Barndollar said closing was a tough decision to make but a necessary one at this point in her life.
“It saddens me to say that I have had to close it due to personal reasons,” said Barndollar, a 1978 Fordson High School grad. “I do want to thank everyone who came in and supported us. We had so many regular faces each and everyday. They had honestly become our friends. It was a hard battle to get where we had become but it was so worth every minute of it.
“I think it would be wonderful if someone could do the same type of thing that I did, but right now for me the timing was just off.”
Down the road might there be a Deli on The Avenue Two? “Who knows,” Barndollar says.
Best of luck . . .
July 11th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
You were finished because of the City fathers at first, and then the construction. I’m sorry for you, believe me.
July 11th, 2010 at 9:25 pm
That business was a bad idea to begin wtih!
July 12th, 2010 at 5:53 am
I don’t believe that the business was a bad idea – it was a great deli but I think it was just in the wrong place. Good luck to both ladies.
July 12th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Always sad to hear. Good luck to them. Hopefully something else will fill the void quickly.
July 12th, 2010 at 10:38 am
You can blame politics or location, but the hours were not convenient to those who lived in Dearborn, but didn’t work in Dearborn. I was hoping to find a time to try since it opened but could never get there.
July 12th, 2010 at 10:58 am
thats a tough location- i cannot remember a successful business in that building in the past 20 yrs
July 12th, 2010 at 11:42 am
I’m sorry this has happened.
I wish Vicki Barndollar, and those near and dear to her, the best in light of a challenging period.
This news is just one more example of why it is such a troubled period for any business owner in the city of Dearborn. (Not encouraging.)
July 12th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
sm1968–my thoughts exactly! I feel very sorry for the entrepeneurs who try to make a go of it at that location. What do you think is the problem?
July 12th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
When you want to run into a place like that for a sandwich- you want to run in- if there was some curbside parking it would have done wonders. Mati’s is always busy- you can park and dash if you will. If Muirheads was still a store with some foot traffic it would have been way better-those people in those offices can only eat so much
July 12th, 2010 at 9:39 pm
I just want to say to those who do not have the faith in the city, I do understand. But if you have the courage to fight as we did u will be a success. I had run into some difficulty in my life that has caused me to close and not the location or the economy. The customers were very supportive and I feel we achieved more than we could have ever expected in those eight months. It is the people of Dearborn who are there to support the small business versus the chain restaurants. This could be a success for anyone who loves what they do as we did and just believe it could be done instead of watching the city fall apart as it is doing everyday. There is nothing wrong with buidling your dream, if you dont believe in it no one will.
July 12th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Paid parking at that location does not help. It is not a quick in and out like other lunch spots. Mati’s has free parking lot, street parking and tables inside and out.
July 12th, 2010 at 11:19 pm
Barndollar, i guess her name explains it all :/
July 13th, 2010 at 9:53 am
vicki…i’m saddened to learn that this was not the timie for your endeavor…i wish you luck in eliminating the difficulties that forced your hand into closure…keep your dreams alive and best of luck with everything…
July 13th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
One closes – one opens. We had lunch at Cedar’s Coney Island and Grille (near ACO) and they have a great menu with a variety of choices from breakfast to dinner items. We definitely will be going back.
July 13th, 2010 at 4:44 pm
also just opening in “what’s up dawg” …a gourmet hot dog and sandwich shop on carlysle just west of outer drive…these are good dearborn people…they have been working their tails off selling from carts for many years with this dream in mind…
July 14th, 2010 at 6:27 am
It sounds like Vicki had valid reasons for closing per her comments above. Nonetheless, I wish her business would have stayed. Even if one closes and another opens, we are losing FAR morey businesses in Downtown West Dearborn (DTWD) than we are gaining.
In my opinion, there are MANY reasons we are losing business in DTWD – the economy, the user paid parking, disagreements between city leaders business owners and/or building owners, Michigan Avenue traffic being more of an east to west “freeway”, it not looking enticing enough to want to stop, signs that are hard to see when one drives by, little to no pedestrian traffic on Michigan Avenue, not enough of a variety of shops and/or not having the type of shops that we used to have and on and on and on.
This is sad and I still have a hard time believing that someone in the private and/or government sector cannot seem to get the recipe right to make DTWD a thriving downtown as it was for decades. In my numerous meetings with city leaders and business owners in DTWD with many valid suggestions from me and many others, it always seems that our city leaders and or business people down there always have a reason why this or that won’t work.
With such closed minds, it’s no wonder nothing is working. Sorry if I sound pessimistic, as I’m usually the ultimate optimist, but this is the way it is and after almost 3 years of doing my best to try to get something done down there, if no ones mind is open to suggestions, then it doesn’t surprise me as to why it is the way it is in DTWD. Sad, but true…
The only last option I believe we have is that WE the voters, taxpayers and residents MUST let our city and business leaders know that we DEMAND they make changes for the better down there.
July 14th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Michael, I agree with what you have said and am surpised because you always have been the ‘ultimate optimist’ for the city. The present administration is going to keep going along the same path and driving more businesses out of the city and not making an effort to replace them. I don’t think we can wait for the next election to let our voices be heard, the time to do this is now not the future – if there is a future to be had in this city.
July 15th, 2010 at 8:06 am
It’s July, six months after O’reilly started his current term, which means a recall petition can now be pulled on him. if we really want him to “get the message” he needs to be recalled.
July 20th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
I’ll sign it
July 20th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
I’ve heard some talk about starting this.
July 26th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Perhaps if the city were promoted in a better light than it is known for at this time, even nationally, we’d be able to bring more diverse businesses, including retail shops into West Dearborn. We have so much to offer! To whom shall we address this concern? How can we help?
July 26th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
Oh! Sorry! Vicki, good luck during your challenging times. You’re in my prayers.