WickeDaily

Deutsche Weinstraße (German Wine Road)

2010-03-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

With Spring officially here, it has me thinking of long drives in the countryside… enjoying fresh air, sunshine and flowers...and wine!

If we were in Germany, I would be planning a weekend trip along the famous Deutsche Weinstraße – an 85km stretch of road that runs through the foothills of the Palatinate forest in southwestern Germany. The Deutsche Weinstraße is famous for its many wine festivals, and Mandelblütenfest (Almond Blossom Festival) starts this month marking the first festival of the year as the almond blossoms paint the whole region in pink and white colors.

I am already driving the route in my mind…

Starting in the southernmost town of Schweigen-Rechtenbach at the Deutsches Weintor (German Wine Gate), the ceremonial sandstone gatehouse to the route (built in 1936). Traveling northward, we would stop in Dörrenbach and admire the half-timbered houses. We would revel in the beauty of Spring at the Almond Blossom Festival in Gimmeldingen (Neustadt). As we close out our weekend, we would relax in the spas of Bad Dürkheim and walk around the castle of Neuleiningen before finally arriving back in the big city Bockenheim, Frankfurt.

(sigh)…and oh yes…there would be much wine tasting the entire way!

Let me know when you are ready to leave…

Prosit Neujahr!

2009-12-29T09:14:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Sorry we missed you for Christmas - as with everyone else, this time of year kind of takes our breath (and time) away. So Merry (belated) Christmas: Fröhliche Weihnachten!

On New Year's Eve (Silvesterabend), we will practice the German tradition of Bleigießen (BLYE-ghee-sen). If you buy a Bleigießen kit (which we do), it includes pre-molded shapes of lead and a melting spoon. The practice is to melt the pieces of lead and drop the molten lead into a bowl of cold water. The resulting shape is your fortune for the upcoming year; different shapes mean different fortunes - here are a few examples:

Fish - luck; fortune
Flower - new friendship
Eyeglasses - wisdom
Heart - fall in love
Ladder - promotion; transition
Mouse - secret love
Snake - others are jealous of you
Ship, airplane, rocket - unexpected journey / trip

Yes, there are some bad fortunes, but I didn't include those. Truth be told - you can see whatever you want in your lump of lead! Make up something new...we do!

Hope your holidays have been special - filled with family, friends and memories. See you next year!

Oktoberfest!

2009-09-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

Ah...
Fall...
and Fall (Herbst) in Germany makes us think of Oktoberfest. You can just imagine the crisp, Fall air carrying whiffs of warm gingerbread and sausages, and swarms of smiling, laughing people, with rosy cheeks and beer breath.

This Sunday (October 4th) marks the end of Germany's Oktoberfest in Munich, where over 6 million people will have consumed 1.5 million gallons of beer, 200,000 pairs of pork sausage, and 480,000 spit-roasted chickens (Hendl). Gulp!

That's not even taking into account all the potato dumplings, red cabbage and apples (Blaukohl), steamed white veal sausages with sweet mustard, sauerkraut, the ever-so-yummy warm pretzels or bread rolls (Brötchen), potato salads (hot or cold), potato soups and cheese plates that will be consumed. And don't forget desserts: steamed honey-dumplings served with vanilla sauce (Dampfnudel), apple strudel, gingerbread and sugared pancakes with raisins (Kaiserschmarrn).

You won't find many places in Texas that can offer what the 200-year old festival offers in Munich, but Fredericksburg is closer than Munich and their annual Oktoberfest STARTS this Friday (October 2nd) and runs through Sunday. (Tickets for adults are $6 and kids are only $1!). http://www.oktoberfestinfbg.com/

And next year, you won't have to travel far at all for a little taste of Oktoberfest...we'll just see you at the deli.

Schmeckt gut (and easy to make!)

2009-08-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

Want a quick end-of-summer desert recipe? This desert is good all-year round but the sour cherries always remind me of summer.

Just mix up some Dr. Oetker's Organic Vanilla Pudding and spoon some Bende's sour cherries (with Rum!) on top and yum! You'll be saying 'Schmeckt gut' too!

What do YOU crave?

2009-08-03T09:06:00.000-07:00

We want to know about your favorite German food(s). Was it something you grew up eating? Maybe it was something Oma used to make for special occasions or during the holidays? Or was it something you ate on a trip to Germany and haven't been able to find again?

Tell us! We'd love to hear what German foods really get your tummy rumbling...

"Night in Old Fredericksburg" festival - July 17th & 18th

2009-07-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a fun weekend get-away with your family or significant other, plan a trip to Fredericksburg for their annual 'Night in Old Fredericksburg' festival.

The festival runs Friday, July 17th from 6pm to midnight and Saturday, July 18th from 11:30am to midnight. It is super affordable and loads of fun. There will be the traditional German favorites of wursts and sauerkraut, as well as Texas favorites like fajitas and tacos. Lots of beer on tap and activities for adults and kids.

Check out their link at http://www.tex-fest.com/niof/index.htm

And if you attend - let us know what you think!

Frühstück

2009-06-30T16:23:00.000-07:00

Frühstück in German means breakfast. A traditional Frühstück includes dense breads (even stale bread isn't unheard of), a variety of cheeses (from soft, spreadable cheese to hard, stinky cheese), meats (spreadable wursts to hard, cured sausages), pickles and preserves. It is often put together quickly with what is left in the fridge but it can also be 'dressed-up' with fine delicacies for a special occasion. Served with a fresh cup of coffee or tea and there really isn't anything more complete. This traditional meal is eaten at any time of the day - not just breakfast - just like we Americans like to sometimes eat pancakes, eggs and bacon for dinner.

My favorite part of this traditional 'dish' is the variety. We normally set our table with at least two options of everything! That way we can pair different cheeses, meats and breads together for different sensory experiences. And at WickeDeli - that is what you can also look forward to. We are all about options...

Note: The picture I have posted here just doesn't do it justice. So...guess that means you'll just have to come into the deli once we are open and try the 'real deal'.

WickeDeli on Facebook

2009-06-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

I find myself on Facebook more and more - and I seem to find a lot of our adoring fans out there too...so now WickeDeli is also on Facebook. How efficient of us! :)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Worth-TX/WickeDeli/103154603352?ref=nf#/pages/Fort-Worth-TX/WickeDeli/103154603352

Cravings...

2009-05-20T08:23:00.001-07:00

It has been so nice outside lately (not normal for this time of year) and we have been taking advantage of the extended Spring by eating outdoors. This temperate weather has me pining for a Summer trip to Germany: gorgeous weather, clean air, beautiful forests, brats (pronounced BROTS) and sauerkraut, German potato salad, and BEER!

Hm...some of these things I can recreate right here...right now. Or at least tonight...

"Honey, guess what's for dinner?".

Danke for participating in our recent survey!

2009-04-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who took WickeDeli's first online survey - we received 75 responses!
Danke, danke, danke...your feedback is invaluable to us as we make final decisions / preparations for WickeDeli.

The survey will remain active indefinitely and can be found on the right-hand side of the blog under Surveys, 'Eating Habits'.

Just to give you a tidbit of how helpful the feedback was, I'll share the top choice for Question #10.

Rate the items below based on how they factor into most of your eating out experiences:

I like the ambiance (people, decor)
I believe in what the company stands for
Price seems relative to food quality / selection
Close to my house
Close to my work
Process (i.e. Chipotle has a specific process)
Food is really great and/or unique - 61.3% of you voted this as top choice!

Good news for WickeDeli!

How do you like your sandwich?

2009-04-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

WickeDeli really wants your opinion on a few things...yes that means a quick survey. Don't groan! It will only take you about 1 minute to complete...it is easy and there isn't a test at the end.

We are looking forward to better understanding 'eating out' trends (specifically for breakfast and lunch). Some questions are broad, some specific - just answer honestly. And if you have some other comments (maybe something we didn't cover), just comment here on this post.

Click here to take the survey (pssst: it's anonymous).

Oh...and thanks!!

Mmmm...quark...

2009-03-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

Pronounced 'qvark', Wikipedia defines quark as:

"...a type of fresh cheese of Central European origin. Dictionaries usually translate it as curd cheese. It is soft, white and un-aged, similar to fromage frais. It is not the same thing as cream cheese or cottage cheese. It is distinctly different from ricotta because ricotta (Italian: recooked) is made from scalded whey. It also differs from the other cream cheeses in its usually much lower fat content (about the same as yogurt), and it is completely salt free." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quark_(cheese)

I really think quark is more like clotted cream. Clotted cream is common in the U.K., and is often served with scones, fresh preserves and a fresh pot of hot tea. Oh my is this good!! Clotted cream is very similar to quark in texture and flavor. Clotted cream: a little thicker, slightly sweet; quark: very smooth, not sweet at all - in fact, very slightly tart.

Quark is not a common grocery item, but it is a regular item at Central Market near the cheese section. It tends to be hidden and doesn't live with the cream cheese spreads, yogurts and other dairy cheese items (like you think it would). And it does move from time to time, so best to just ask someone where it is.

So...my suggestion for this weekend? Go buy some quark, scone mix and your favorite preserve (best to splurge here on the preserve for top of the line stuff). Saturday or Sunday morning, make a fresh pot of English Breakfast tea and bake those yummy scones. Serve your freshly baked, hot scones sliced in half with a dollop of cold quark and room-temperature preserves on top of each slice... You will NOT forget this treat.

And best of all: we'll be offering fresh scones, quark and preserves at WickeDeli...so you won't have to go through all the trouble. We'll do it for you. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

Magnolia Avenue

2009-03-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

As we continue to look at locations around Fort Worth and determine which neighborhood is the best fit for WickeDeli, we continually come back to Near Southside - Magnolia Avenue in particular.

This old neighborhood has come a long way in the past few years, and each year brings more positive attention - from city officials, residents, investors and small business owners (as well as those who travel into the city to work 5 days a week!). As residents of Fort Worth, we enjoy exploring our little city and finding 'new' things to do, and we find ourselves returning to Magnolia time and time again. With all the options Fort Worth has to offer, what is it about this little street that captures attention?

It's got to be the nostalgic feeling you get when you first turn onto Magnolia from 8th - a bit of what Magnolia felt like back in the 40's and 50's. Or maybe it's the vibrancy of the people eating on the outside tables of Magnolia staples like Spiral Diner, Lili's Bistro or Scampi's. Or maybe it's the new construction you pass that makes you think, "Cool. I wonder what is going in there!?".

But really it isn't just one of these things that makes Magnolia unique - it's all of them combined; that make one entity. It's a gut feeling that says 'community' and a basic simplicity that doesn't exist anywhere else in the city.

(Deep heartfelt sigh) That's just as well. We like you just the way you are...

General update...

2009-02-24T14:30:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since we posted, so we are sure everyone is curious as to what we have been up to.

We are keeping our eye on the economy and how the country is being affected, as well as our neck-of-the-woods (Fort Worth) and our industry (specialty food). Overall North Texas continues to fare better than other parts of the country, so that is good news. Things are still moving forward, but instead of moving forward at 70mph we are now moving at about 25mph.

What are the next big steps for WickeDeli in the coming months?

Finalizing financials
Finalizing Real Estate Agent
Finalizing location

Each of these items could happen very quickly, or could take months. We are really eager to get WickeDeli off the ground, but HOW it gets off the ground will affect WickeDeli's longevity...so patience is mandatory here; each step is extremely important. LOTS of planning, LOTS of discussing varying opinions and LOTS of decisions to still be made.

So...stay tuned (or drop us a line if you have any questions)!

Weihnachtsmarkts

2009-01-05T14:53:00.000-08:00

The Weihnachtsmarkts in Germany are extremely fun and special. These outside Christmas festivals are in the middle of almost every city center and folks mill about at any time of the day. (We did learn the hard way that they shut down the one in Kassel around 8pm! We hadn't eaten dinner yet so we were running around the market trying to find food booths with folks still in line. I ended up with a freshly made Nutella crepe. Not exactly dinner fare, but oh my was that good!!).

Otherwise you spend your time walking around all bundled-up: drinking glühwein, alternating between eating a variety of hot, freshly prepared food items (like brats and hot, sauted potatoes) to sweets (like Schokoküsse) and eyeing all the booths with German Christmas items (like wooden candle holders and straw ornaments).

This is definitely something that we will look to recreate when we are open. It makes you feel like a kid again.

Spricht hier jemand Englisch?

2008-11-18T11:03:00.000-08:00

WickeDeli will be on hiatus for the remainder of the year - we are spending the holidays in Europe with family. Lucky us!

Our first stop is Scotland where we will spend two weeks: traveling the countryside, relaxing in our cabin by the loch, visiting unique destinations and paying homage to family history (Tatiana's mum's family is from Scotland). There will be lots of drinking of tea and beer (and scotch of course).

Chris and Tatiana will then spend a week in Germany visiting relatives. Kassel is of particular interest since this is where Chris' mum was born and raised. Definite points of interest include local meat markets and bakeries (vital market research to ensure we are bringing key German elements to WickeDeli!)

If you would like to follow along with us on our travels, visit: http://scotlandgermanyholiday2008.blogspot.com/

Wir sehen uns, wenn wir wieder da!

Simple Moments Photography

2008-10-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

So where did we get our stylish management team photos?

Stacey Pinkney (owner of Simple Moments Photography), is a talented and experienced journalistic-influenced photographer based out of Grapevine, Texas. Her and her team "...specialize in documentary style wedding and family portrait photography."

Stacey's casual approach results in capturing the simplistic but core nature of an individual or moment. She quickly assesses personality, mood and environment and uses these elements with her own unique perspective to create the perfect canvas. She is observant, engaged and leverages the natural tempo of interaction into her work.

As the heart of Simple Moments Photography, we are happy to have Stacey as part of our team and look forward to many more fun and inspiring sessions! Interested in hiring Stacey and her team for one of your Simple Moments? You can reach her at: www.simple-moments.com

Camp Bowie District member

2008-10-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

WickeDeli is now a Camp Bowie District, Inc. member! You may be familiar with Camp Bowie District, Inc. as the organizers of the 'Camp Bowie Crawl' and the 'Jazz by the Boulevard' events.

Although we have not finalized our exact location yet, WickeDeli is committed to supporting local organizations that focus on community and Camp Bowie is an essential and historic part of Fort Worth. Their mission is simple:

To create a pedestrian friendly commercial corridor that encourages people to shop a safe and comfortable environment and have a gratifying urban experience.

In addition to providing a cohesive organization for business owners along Camp Bowie, this not-for-profit focuses on public improvement efforts such as:

"...infrastructure improvements, the implementation of beautification projects (including tree planting and landscaping), hosting special events (including the Jazz By The Boulevard festival and Camp Bowie Crawl) and serving as an advocate for all development."

We are happy to support this organization that in turn supports the local businesses along Camp Bowie by ensuring Camp Bowie remains a diverse destination.

WickeDeli's first employees

2008-09-23T11:02:00.001-07:00

You may (or may not) know that WickeDeli already has two employees: John and Carol Brooks – they make up the other half of the WickeDeli management team. Here's a quick look at their valuable experience and the key roles they play:

John Brooks has over 25 years experience as an IBM Point of Sale project manager. His responsibilities included executive overview, systems' needs analysis and design, installation planning, implementation, training, and post-installation reviews for a variety of accounts including WalMart, May CO., Neiman Marcus, KFC, Steak and Ale, and Furr's Cafeteria. As the head of Information Systems for WickeDeli, he is responsible for leading all POS and Inventory efforts by:

managing the POS / Inventory system from concept to inception;
supporting, improving, and maintaining the POS system;
continually determining business needs and reviewing system specifications to ensure efficiency;
ensuring a high level of quality and inventory control by creating processes / standards;
staying abreast of new products and technology; evaluating and making recommendations to owners to ensure WickeDeli remains in the forefront of the market;
managing all user training materials and ensuring new employees are trained on system.

In his spare time he likes to write, spend time with family and do anything on the water.

Carol Brooks has over 25 years experience in IBM office systems and mid-range systems marketing. She worked with client teams to develop marketing strategies, presented cost benefit analyses to executives, and developed curriculum for senior IBM marketing professionals. Most recently she worked in IBM Corporate Community Relations implementing philanthropic programs in the nonprofit community. As the head of Marketing and Client Services for WickeDeli, she is responsible for leading social & community marketing efforts by:

managing social enterprise and promotional strategies and campaigns;
ensuring identity and brand awareness of, as well as loyalty to, WickeDeli;
continually researching and understanding target audiences, social causes, business benefits, competitive edge, and customer preferences;
ensuring the most suitable method(s) of communication and tools to measure results;
ensuring effective campaigns by staying abreast of changing trends in the marketplace.

In her spare time she likes to garden, sew, read and spend time with family.

John and Carol’s expertise, dedication and creativity genuinely complement the needs of the company and team. We are lucky to have them!

Recipe for creating an identity

2008-09-18T19:42:00.001-07:00

After three years (almost to the day), our original 'German Platter' concept certainly has evolved. The first year it was merely a thought - something to bring up in conversation over a late Sunday brunch and say, "Wouldn't that be cool". The second year was making sure we knew what we would be getting into by opening our own business, and then putting things in place to make sure we were able to do so. Somewhere in the middle of all this the name was created...and this last year has been pulling all the ingredients together to ensure WickeDeli can have a life of its own. And as you know (from your own teenage angst years), the first step in having your own life is figuring out who you are.

The identity of a company is pretty much the same as our own personal identities - there are complexities and simplicities. You know...layers. Like Shrek said, "Ogres are like onions...we both have layers." Some layers you want people to notice right away...and some you would rather leave a mystery - to encourage further discovery. I thought it would be harder than it was to bring out all the layers of WickeDeli - to make sure all the necessary elements were there, but with subtlety too. It wasn't really the "oh, I'll know it when I see it" process...it was more like the "dab of this, dollop of that, taste it...no, maybe a pinch more of that" type of process.

Overall it was an intense and truthful process. But I know the recipe is right, because every time I look at the life we have created for WickeDeli, I don't taste the onion at all. Instead all the flavors blend together - layer by layer - to create an interesting, provoking identity. Don't we wish we could all say that about ourselves.

-Tatiana

We are so very close...

2008-09-10T12:51:00.001-07:00

...to

revealing

our

logo...

stay tuned...!

The current happenings...

2008-09-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

(You may be wondering why we haven't posted in awhile...there was a much needed vacation in there somewhere).

We have received quite a few inquiries from friends, family and colleagues, like: "How are things going?", "What are you currently working on?", "What's going on?". So we thought we would give you a quick update on some of the things that are currently in the works:

logo concepts in second stage of revisions;
once the logo is solidified, Curtis Hart will take our logo and make www.wickedeli.com a better looking landing page;
preliminary conversations with restaurant / space planners;
preliminary conversations with Fort Worth real estate brokers;
solidifying recipes (this means ongoing taste testing - yay for us!);
drafting internal processes;
professional pictures of management team;
finalizing POS / Inventory system;
finalizing market research data;
finalizing finance / accounting details.

Things are moving along really well and (as always) we appreciate your ongoing enthusiasm and interest in not only the end result, but the journey!

What we offer...

2008-08-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, WickeDeli is a deli...but we are not 'JUST a deli' (see the WickeDeli timeline on our blog's home page). We like to think we are creative folk and as we discussed our business offerings and services - the following structure took form:

DELI- you can eat-in, take-out or pick-up. We focus on using natural and/or organic foods, local farmers (where possible) and high-quality, imported German foods. Our menu consists of a 'build your own' concept from our 'German Platter' to our salads, even our breakfast items! And if there is a particular meat or cheese you really like - you can just buy it by the pound right over the deli counter (just like the old days of the corner market).

GROCERY- any of our packaged items that we use in the deli, you can buy in our grocery area. Really like that local honey we use? Or that quark? http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Quark-(cheese) Or maybe you want to make up your own brats and sauerkraut at home? Good thing we have the grocery so you can satisfy your tastes from home, too.

BAKED GOODS- we will bake our own organic breads on-site. Note: we are not a bakery, but our bakery partner provides their delicious, natural and organic breads to us frozen so you experience fresh baked bread for your sandwiches and German Platters. We do bake some specialty items on-site like Herta's Kuchen and some cookies. And we partner with a couple local bakeries to provide the other delectable goodies like scones and homemade Black Forest Cake.

Hungry now? Good...only a minimum of 7-8 months to go! Hang in there...

Being a conscientious business

2008-08-06T13:12:00.000-07:00

By our standards, being a conscientious business is not just about pushing forward with everything you have, every day - striving for perfection. It isn't just about finding the best materials and relationships to maximize the business. It isn't just about thinking of every possible detail from every possible angle.

So what do we think being a conscientious business means? And why do we feel we are so different than others?

Early on we knew that in order for WickeDeli to be a success it had to be an extension of ourselves. It had to be something we were proud of not just because we had the tenacity to open our doors and keep it going, but that we instilled within the business our morals and values. So, to us this meant being conscientious in HOW we approached the business and HOW we wanted to build WickeDeli from the ground-up. (It's always 'those little things', don't you think? And in this case, it's about the little AND big things!).

Because family, community and the environment are so important to us at home, it was natural that WickeDeli would emulate those same values. So from a business perspective that means: using organic and all-natural foods as well as biodegradable products, supporting local farming families, involving family and friends, staying in touch with our community through neighborhood associations - staying engaged...

There are still many individual foundations to be laid but it is a journey not necessarily a destination; and we get to make new friends along the way...

So maybe people are drawn to WickeDeli because they think our name is cool and they are curious, or maybe it is because they feel they can relate, or maybe it is a new experience and inspires them. Whatever the reason, we can move forward knowing that we built it right from the beginning and that the impact we make around us is something we believe in.

Inventory = details, details and patience!

2008-07-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

What does 'bologna' have in common with a 'mopping bucket'? Not much that I can tell, but in relation to WickeDeli these non-relative nouns reside in the same document as one another: our very robust inventory spreadsheet.

I never understood how someone could sit for hours in front of a computer screen, scouring the internet, looking for the obscure (or even the 'what you wouldn't think is so obscure but somehow it is and you can't find it'). NOW I understand. (And we aren't just talking hours on the internet doing research - more like months). But I learned a bit along the way and the end result is a rock-solid document that is the foundation for outfitting our venture.

Whatever the goal when conducting internet research, the reality remains that you can find ANYTHING on the internet with time and patience. (I learned the patience part).

-Tatiana

"Cheers" to the logo journey!

2008-07-14T14:47:00.000-07:00

Today was WickeDeli's first logo brainstorming session - there was much to discuss, re-address and explore. It was an exciting process (and hard for Chris and I to let each other speak - we have been waiting so long for this moment that our ideas were hard to contain any longer!). Dale and Betsy were attentive, engaged and interested. We discussed everything from space layout ideas (which is a component in the feel we are trying to accomplish) to color schemes.

Betsy was very proactive and brought in some German beer coasters (we still don't know where she got them all, but it really helped get the ideas flowing!). There was one in particular that really stood out to Chris and I (check it out at http://blog.pinkergreen.com/2007/08/cheers-to-bier-paper.html). Not only did this Bauhaus-influenced design appeal to us and create quite a bit of dialog regarding colors and overall design - but the company Gmund (www.gmund.com) is pretty cool too! They are a German paper manufacturer that has been around since 1829 and they have a line of paper that is made from recycled beer labels and the by-product of beer production (i.e. leftover hops and stuff).

So...two good finds in one day:
1) the first logo we have felt inspired by;
2) and a potential paper product we would want to support!

Dale and Betsy have some places to visit this week that we thought would give them some ideas as to what we are trying to accomplish with WickeDeli...and then we will regroup for more creative chatter.

It's LOGO time!

2008-07-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

After months of conversations and meetings with a variety of designers and agencies - and just as much time deliberating - we are happy to have solidified an agreement with BRANDWISE to create WickeDeli's logo!

One of WickeDeli's values is to be conscientious of how our business choices directly impact our community. We put a lot of time and effort into trying to find not only the best fit for WickeDeli - creatively and professionally - but we were also striving to find a marketing partnership with a company based in Fort Worth. We feel we have found all three of these attributes in BRANDWISE.

We are looking forward to a mutually rewarding process as we work together to solidify the image and identity for WickeDeli.

BRANDWISE is owned by Dale Berkebile and can be found at www.getbrandwise.com

WickeDeli's piece of the pie...

2008-06-27T14:08:00.003-07:00

As most locals will tell you, there is quite a bit going on in Fort Worth - mostly in the form of real estate; everyone is vying for a piece of this little city. (And a lot of us remember when the only reasons you came to Fort Worth were the Tandy Center ice skating rink and the Stockyards!). Not anymore!

There is a concentrated area of interest and development in the area of Camp Bowie and 7th Street: there's Montgomery Plaza, So7, West 7th, Museum Place - all of them brand new and leasing spaces...and more to come. If you live in the area, you are already familiar with the feeling of discovering something new each time you drive around; some building is either going up or coming down.

Anyhoo - finding the perfect location for WickeDeli is already a whirlwind. It's like watching one of those metal carousels that used to be on the playgrounds in the 70's - it is spinning around at top speed and you are trying to find the best place to jump on.

We've looked at a couple of places - all of them in the Camp Bowie / 7th Street area - and are excited to say that we are very much looking forward to continuing to be a part of this community and neighborhood. We hope to be in a space by the end of the year - which will keep us on track to open in early 2009.