York Region resident Leo Shisgal has grown up in the deli world.
Working out of his mother’s store, Angela’s Deli, Shisgal said he got a good understanding of the business after a decade-long career there. The family-run Vaughan store offered Eastern European goods and foods for 17 years now.
Shisgal said he has stuck with it because it is what he is good at.
“When I stepped up to the table and helped the staff, everyone started selling,” he said. “I’m just like my mom, I guess. It comes naturally to me. I like to help people, I like to feed people. It’s hard to explain. I tried other jobs, but when you’re working for yourself, your family, there’s a different sense of appreciation.”
Angela’s Deli opened its doors in Newmarket Dec. 3 at the 16635 Yonge St. plaza, offering a hot food table, bakery, salads and fish.
Shisgal said they have long had a demand from customers north of their Vaughan location to expand, with some coming from as far as Barrie. When a competitor closed down and investors approached them, Shisgal said the time seemed right to expand — but they decided to do it themselves, keeping it a family-run operation.
“A lot of our customers in Thornhill have been telling us, ’open up north, it’s so far for us to drive here,” he said, adding, “I’ve been telling my parents we need to expand for a while.”
The business started in 2001 when the family immigrated to Canada when Shigal was nine. He said his mother, Angela Angelica, started working with another team but decided to take over a European deli. The family faced some skepticism early on, he said.
“‘Why would you open here? There’s competition right next door,’” he recounted. “She rebranded to Angela’s Deli with my dad and started doing what she knows how to do, and everybody kept coming. The whole neighbourhood loves her. Our service is authentic, it’s a real smile, she really tries, and people love it.”
As for Shisgal, he said he has worked for many different jobs across different grocery stores but decided he could be more helpful working with his parents from whom he learned his skills. He said he started trying to push the business forward, putting more emphasis on branding.
“'We’re all excited. It’s going to be an interesting venture for us,” he said. “We have a lot of really talented pastry chefs, chefs, everybody joined the team. We’re hoping to do good here.”
Opening up the store has been stressful, he said, with some work still being done as doors open. But he said the community has been very welcoming.
“Everyone is super excited,” he said. “Neighbouring stores have already visited. All the neighbouring businesses are very supportive.”
The store will have a grand opening event Dec. 7, Shigal said.
Once this new store is running smoothly, he said they hope they can start expanding even further.
“This is just the beginning for us,” he said.
