If you’re the kind of person who visits New York City just for the sandwiches, you’ll probably want to pay attention: the famed Carnegie Deli announced it’ll be closing its flagship location by the end of the year.
The midtown restaurant’s owner told staff today that she’s keeping the deli open through Dec. 31 so workers can make good money through the holidays, but the delicatessen will shut its doors after that, ABC 7 reports.
“Moving forward, Marian Harper hopes to keep her father’s legacy alive by focusing on licensing the iconic Carnegie Deli brand and selling their world-famous products for wholesale distribution,” a spokeswoman said.
The family has owned the deli since 1976. It first opened in midtown Manhattan in 1937. In 2015 it shut down for nine months over an illegal gas hookup, opening its doors again last February.
There’s still hope for pastrami lovers, however: the flagship location could reopen under new management. In the meantime, there are licensed Carnegie Deli locations in Las Vegas; Bethlehem, PA; NYC’s Madison Square Garden; and at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in Queens.
CARNEGIE DELI CLOSING AT END OF THE YEAR, EMPLOYEES TOLD THIS MORNING [ABC 7]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist