UPPER PROVIDENCE — When Laura Vernola and her husband Ed Simpson opened Mont Clare Deli & Market, it was the beginning of a new journey.
In 2012, Vernola and Simpson approached the owner of the property in the village of Mont Clare, then known as Eagles Nest Deli, to sell the property. The couple liked the property and the fact that it was in the town where they lived.
There was only one thing — the property wasn’t for sale.
Instead, in 2016 Vernola and Simpson purchased Steel City Coffeehouse and Brewery in Phoenixville and have been growing that business for the past six years.
Then, about midway through the pandemic, the couple received a call from the Eagles Nest owner asking if they were still interested in buying the property, Vernola said. they were.
Moncler Deli & Market
Vernola said the process of buying commercial buildings during the pandemic was “very difficult due to the fact that most banks were not funding the hospitality industry,” she and Simson initially said. He added that he was turned down by two local banks.
They worked with the nonprofit Seedcopa to raise half of the loan funding and received guidance and free education through the Pennsylvania Center for Small Business Development at Kutstown University and Marcia McGavisk, the center’s director of capital raising. rice field.
Vernola drew up a complete business plan and pitched it to Victory Bank, who “financed the other half of the loan.”
Once the purchase was complete, the couple began work on getting the venue ready to reopen. This included cosmetic changes such as tearing down walls to open up space, removing some seating, and installing a full kitchen.
Changed the name to Moncler Deli & Market and opened a new store on April 19th.
Mont Clare Deli & Market (500 Bridge St., Mont Clare) offers sandwiches, cheesesteaks, ready-to-eat meals, breakfast, beverages, coffee, and pastries. The place has online ordering, a market pantry and added catering.
Mont Clare Deli & Market also holds a brewery license and sells canned beers and cocktails.
The daily specials include sandwiches named after the surrounding communities. According to Vernola, these are the same sandwiches that have been on Eagles Nest’s menu since it opened in 1993. Everything is made to order.
“We switched from Dietz & Watson to Boar’s Head (meat) and changed it very lightly,” she said. I wanted to keep the
The building has 1,200 square feet of space and can seat about 12 people, Vernolla said.
The online ordering offer was a “game changer,” she says. “In the beginning, the menu wasn’t online. Now 75% of her business is online ordering.”
Currently open Tuesday through Sunday from 8am to 4pm, Vernola says the deli will soon be open 24/7, with extended weekend hours coming in the next month or so.
Give more to your customers
Vernola said she and Simpson aren’t moving forward too quickly because it will take time to settle into the reality of running two restaurants. The product range is expanding and more products are coming.
One thing Vernola knew was a “must have” for the new space was the market pantry. She implemented a market pantry in Steel City early in the pandemic, offering bread, milk, eggs and other items people could grab while they were there. The pantry was eventually removed when it returned to operations.
The market at Mont Clare Deli & Market is ‘close to completion’.
“We try to source products not only from Pennsylvania, but also from women-owned and family-owned businesses,” says Vernola.
Another big change is the addition of catering, which started in July.
“We have an online form that customers can print and scan or drop off here,” says Vernola. “We are a ‘drop and go’ catering option rather than a full service caterer, but we offer delicious food. “
Among the offerings are trays of items such as lasagna, sausages, pulled pork, salads, sides, and sandwiches.
Also in the past few weeks, Vernola said Mont Clare Deli & Market has received zoning approval to add outdoor seating to its premises.
“We will have five or six picnic tables on the side of the building and umbrellas,” she said. She said, “I noticed a lot of delivery drivers and construction workers sitting in their cars eating. It would be nice if they had a place to sit and have a real lunch break.”
Vernola expects the outdoor seating area to be installed in September. Pavement is added and a privacy fence is also added. Vernola said he is also looking into the possibility of adding his market to Farmers on Sunday.
Challenges in operating two businesses
Vernola and Simpson live in Mont Clare, so close to the new Deli and only 10 minutes from Phoenixville’s Steel City.
Starting the business was “a slow roller,” Vernola said, because we overestimate our time and think each is where it’s needed most.
Another challenge, she said, is rising food costs. Staffing was also a challenge, she said.
“And remembering 30 sandwiches, I didn’t think it would be that hard, but it’s really hard,” she laughs.
Vernola said the key to being able to open a second location was Joshua Smith, the company’s general manager hired during the pandemic to control food, labor and other costs, and to train staff. said it is.
“He jumped into the role and definitely pushed us to the first place while we focused on fitting and opening our second concept,” says Vernola.
For more information, please visit https://www.montclaredeli.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/MontClareDeli.
