Famous 4th Street Deli reopens after a ‘small army’ fixes health issues
It was lunchtime as usual, with waiters hustling soups and overstuffed sandwiches to tables and takeout orders headed out the door. The owner vowed to keep it clean.
Famous 4th Street Deli was cleared to reopen Friday, about two days after a city health inspector shut down the Queen Village landmark over violations.
It was lunchtime as usual, with waiters hustling soups and overstuffed sandwiches to tables and takeout orders headed out the door — accounting for half of the deli’s business. The cases brimmed with smoked fish, salads, and baked goods. Loaves of bread behind the counter were covered in plastic, one issue that had been cited.
Owner Al Gamble said “a small army” of exterminators and cleaners had worked for 36 hours to address a mouse problem and other issues. “It’s an old building,” Gamble said. “There was a lot of accumulation here. We took out two dumpsters [of materials] against the walls.” The exterminators also closed holes in the building to minimize the chance of a recurrence. “I think we have a handle on it and have an action plan to go forward to lead us into the future,” he said. “We should be good going forward and hopefully put this behind us.”
Gamble, whose other restaurants are in New England, acknowledged “dropping the ball on the administrative side” when incorrect paperwork was filed with the city when he bought Famous in January. Most jurisdictions insist that establishments have on site at least one employee who has passed the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe course in food handling. But Philadelphia also requires the person in charge to obtain a certificate from the city.
“This was no one’s fault but ours and I sit in the big chair,” Gamble said. “I thought we had it done.” He credited the city for working with him to correct the issues.
In his almost five months in the deli business, Gamble said, “the hospitality side and getting to know the customers is amazing. I’m getting to know the community, and that part is very familiar, comfortable, and warming for me.”
Gamble bought the business from Russ Cowan, who purchased it in 2005 from the founder’s son, David Auspitz. Cowan now owns Radin’s Deli in Cherry Hill. The Famous 4th Street cookie business that Auspitz and his wife, Janie, founded nearly 40 years ago was sold in 2016.