In a rare twist of events, a beloved food business that closed this year, Redwood City's longtime Woodside Deli, will return.
The owners of Colombo's Delicatessen in Pacifica, who are related to the original owners of Woodside Deli, have taken over the 1453 Woodside Road space. They plan to reopen it as Colombo's-Woodside Deli in the coming weeks, owner Nick Colombo confirmed Wednesday.
Woodside Deli, which opened in 1958, will reopen in December. Photo by Elena Kadvany.
Woodside Deli closed in September, much to the chagrin of a loyal customer base. Owner Kyle Vogel had taken over and remodeled the deli after the original owner, Dan Gallinetti, retired. Vogel cited a sharp rent increase and the increasingly prohibitively expensive cost of doing business in the Bay Area as reasons for the closure.
Dan and Barbara Gallinetti opened Woodside Deli in 1958. Emil Colombo, Barbara's brother, and his wife Doris started Colombo's Delicatessen in 1986. The shop's website describes them as avid home cooks who wanted to bring a traditional Italian deli to Pacifica.
Nick Colombo, Emil and Doris' grandson, said that they spoke to Vogel after the Redwood City deli closed and wanted to seize on the opportunity "to keep providing Woodside Deli to the community and carry on a legacy."
They did talk with him about the cost of rent but felt it's "appropriate for the area," Colombo said. He's hopeful the new deli will be sustained by "substantial" support from the community.
The reopened deli will serve elements of both shops' menus, which are similar, Colombo said. Colombo's also serves sandwiches and homemade Italian specialties such as tortellini, ravioli, lasagna, prosciutto and cured olives, all of which will be available at the Redwood City deli.
They're aiming to reopen by Sunday, Dec. 15, or sooner, Colombo said.
