Somers Deli to Bring Quality and Convenience back to Route 100

The quality of a good cup of coffee or convenience found in a filling ham, egg and cheese on a role definitely eases the anxiety of morning commutes – until your favorite deli goes under.  Such was the case for
the one on Route 100, next to the Mexican Shack. But newcomer Karl Aakjar is soon to re-facilitate that B-line to MetroNorth and 684 and he obviously wants Somers to know the good news.

“We’re trying our best to get the word out,” he says of Somers Delicatessen , which opened last Friday.

Of course, those of us left behind in the absence of the all day commute will find the expected offerings of soups, raps, subs, salads and hot lunches.  The Somers Deli will also add authenticity to the brand by putting the burn to their own Virginia Ham, Turkey and Roast Beef.  

The traditional sausage patie won't be a staple either, as Aakjar will concoct from fresh ground sausage to spice up breakfast. As a result, preservatives and msg's lose their place in all the above processes.

 As for catering, he’s waiting to be more firmly established but the Columbia County resident, who certainly intends to take up residence here soon, is not really concerned about venturing off the domain of what delis typically offer. Homemade Cheesecake, muffins, pies and cupcakes, he says, “Me and my father will be doing a lot baking.”

Nonetheless, from behind the Somers Deli displays, people can still take the Cannoli's, Napoleon's and Arthur Avenue Italian Bread, which he'll import from the bakers in the Bronx. But the division of labor on 256 Route 100 is clearly defined. Meaning, Dad has resigned himself to the heavy workload so far, as he acknowledged that the brains behind an operation can leave the heavy lifting to the help. “He’s pretty smart about that,” jokes Mark Aakjar.

But in all seriousness, the welcoming revamp is a product of the synergy the two share. “He knows what I think and I know what he thinks,” says the elder Aakjar.

The history goes back a long way and Karl assigns his motivation and accumulation of knowledge to the source. “It comes from my father’s background. I’ve seen him succeed in many different businesses before.
So learning from him, it’s been a big inspiration,” he says.

The admiration now certainly has good cause to travel in the other direction.  “I’m very proud of him,” says his Dad of his son's first business venture.

All told, Karl is confident that despite the challenge of the lagging economy, he’s got a good sense of what he needs to do to succeed, and Friday awaits an introduction that he’s been waiting for his whole life.  “I’m looking forward to meeting everybody and providing excellent service and good food to the community,” he concludes