A deli with a difference

KINGSTON — As he walked through the dining room to begin this interview, Pierce Street Deli owner Ken Bond was flagged down by a regular customer.

“I really like the fish Reuben,” the man told Bond, before they briefly exchanged friendly greetings.

A simple encounter can speak volumes.

This month marks the deli’s 15th anniversary. A mix of good food, friendly service and pleasant surroundings have helped the deli become a success over the past decade and a half.

“You meet a lot of great people. Over the years I’ve made a lot of friends in this business, which is probably the best part,” Bond said. “We’ve had a lot of great customers, and you build relationships. It’s a lot of fun.”

This month also marks the beginning of Lent, which starts Wednesday. Attention to customers’ needs — especially in a heavily Catholic region like the Wyoming Valley — make all the difference.

With the annual fasting period fast approaching, Pierce Street Deli will once again offer a full menu of Lenten lunch specials for those observing the season, from fish and chips and mac-n-cheese to tuna paninis, haluski, and pierogies.

“Lent is tremendous for us,” Bond said. “A lot of restaurants are afraid of Lent, afraid they’re going to be slow. We’re not. We have 20-plus Lent specials, eight-to-10 fish dishes, and we’re ready.”

Oh, and about that fish Reuben? Over the years, Bond has frequently taken the opportunity to adapt recipes he discovers elsewhere.

“We were away at a field hockey tournament with my daughter and at a bar in Sanford, Florida. They had their own version of this sandwich, and we came back and tried our own version of it, with a Chesapeake or Old Bay style cole slaw,” he said. “It really turned out good.”

Experimenting with different dishes has created some real home runs.

“We self-proclaim ourselves the panini capital of the world,” Bond chuckled. “Fifteen years ago when I started this, we were doing paninis when only a handful of places around here were. Our breakfast paninis? Nobody was doing those.”

Bond has had many years of practice during which to hone his craft.

“I’ve been off and on in the restaurant business my entire life,” the 53-year-old said.

“I started out as a dishwasher when I was a kid, and I’ve just always been involved one way or another. I ran a produce company for a bunch of years and then got back into the restaurant business after that.”

Like many first-time entrepreneurs, Bond found it took a lot of sweat and stress.

“Those first two or three years were tough,” he said. “It takes a while to get things rolling.”

But roll it did, thanks in part to the traffic rolling by.

For those who might not know it, Pierce Street Deli is located in the Pierce Plaza building at 517 Pierce St., between 2nd and 3rd avenues in Kingston.

“I liked the building location. You’re close to the courthouse, all the high-rises, you’re centrally located,” Bond said.

The restaurant shares the building with a mix of medical professionals’ offices. In addition to its main dining room, the deli offers additional seating in a light, airy indoor space dubbed the Gallery at Pierce Plaza.

And while daytime patrons might recognize the gallery for its quiet tables beside relaxing fountains, they may not know that after hours the gallery is frequently transformed into an events venue which can seat 160 guests at gatherings catered by the restaurant.

“This beautiful space here is what we underestimated,” Bond said during an interview next to one of the fountains.

“We started off as mostly lunch, but now our catering business has been growing tremendously. It dwarfs the deli,” Bond said. “We do baby and bridal showers here, weddings, communions, family reunions, political events, you name it. We offer full menus, full bar packages, appetizers, linens, everything. We do it all.”

“We do a mother’s day brunch with two seatings, serving 300 people,” he added.

The business also does a lot of off-site catering, Bond said, including barn weddings, events at the Irem Temple Country Club pavilion and more.

“I think people are surprised at how much we offer,” he said.

The business also employs about a dozen people — more than that in the busy catering season — and Bond says he has many employees who have been with him almost the whole 15 years.

Likewise, he has developed a loyal customer base.

“Our customers come from all over. There was a lady in here the other day from Berwick, and she said whenever she’s in the area she loves stopping here,” he said, while another customer comes down from the Dickson City area for the deli’s homemade soups.

What does the future hold?

“We’re mulling over another location, but that would be down the road,” Bond said.

So for now, they concentrate on continuing to do the things that have kept Pierce Street Deli in business for 15 years, from daily specials to large events.

“The nice part is, we’ve done some wedding receptions for people who have already come back to us for baby showers, first communions,” Bond said. “That’s a good feeling.”