Wheeler deli under new ownership

A long-time Valley Stream eatery is under new ownership, with Carlos Leon and John Hughes taking over management of the Wheeler Deli. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held with the Chamber of Commerce on March 10.

The business partners knew each other from working together at the TNF Pork Store in Franklin Square. Leon worked there for 15 years, starting as a stock boy and working his way up to sausage maker, cook and eventually counter manager. He said he is very thankful to the owners of TNF, John and Steve Carlino, for all they have taught him.

“I love being in touch with customers,” Leon said. “I love to cook. The opportunity came to have a business of my own.”

Hughes, who had worked at TNF part-time over the past seven years, is no stranger to the food service industry. He owned a restaurant in Franklin Square in the late 1990s and has worked in delis since he was a a teenager. Additionally, he said his grandmother was involved in the deli business for more than 60 years. Her best advice for him — “Make sure everything is fresh,” Hughes said. “If we wouldn’t eat it, we wouldn’t serve it. That’s what she tells me.”

Leon said most of the menu at the Wheeler Deli is the same, although raw meats are no longer available. He said the deli specializes in Italian dishes, such as eggplant parmigiana and lasagna. Overall, he said about 90 percent of the food sold is made on site.

The are numerous specialty sandwiches on the menu as well, Leon said. “The Mikey Boy,” named for one of Hughes’ stepsons, features chicken breast on toasted garlic bread with mozzarella cheese, bacon and ranch dressing. That, Leon said, is the best-seller.

Ranking second is another sandwich named for one of Hughes’ stepsons, “The Danny Boy.” It is has roast beef on toasted garlic bread with fresh mozzarella, sauteed onions and brown gravy.

For breakfast, the speciality is the egg sandwich, “just like grandma used to make them,” Leon said.

The owners say they are open to any suggestions from the customers and can make just about any sandwich a person requests. They also say they have gotten a lot of good feedback on their menu items. “If my customers are going to come here,” Leon said, “it’s because of my food.”

The Wheeler Deli has been in business on Wheeler Avenue for more than 50 years. Leon and Hughes purchased it from John Tufarelli. The pair renovated the deli, putting in a new floor, shelves, counter and kitchen before re-opening.

Hughes said the biggest challenge is that the deli is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood, away from any other businesses. Despite this, he said, business has been good because customers are satisfied. “Word of mouth has basically been our best advertisement,” he said.