F. Martinella Closes After Less Than Nine Months
When you sign a lease for $125 a foot at the tippy-top of the market, your margin for error is pretty slim. The founders of F. Martinella’s, which opened last October after much speculation, have just found that out the hard way. A reader happened to be walking by the high-end deli at the corner…
When you sign a lease for $125 a foot at the tippy-top of the market, your margin for error is pretty slim. The founders of F. Martinella’s, which opened last October after much speculation, have just found that out the hard way. A reader happened to be walking by the high-end deli at the corner of Court and State last night around 10:30 p.m. and reported back to us that the entire store was being disassembled and all the fixtures and appliances loaded onto a flatbed truck outside. When we rode by a few minutes ago, the windows were papered over and the sign in the window read “Store Closed.” Update: BHB and Flappy Days also have coverage.
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The salad bar was actually pretty weak, but they made pretty good sandwiches, though somewhat slowly. Sad to see it go. Maybe Lenny’s should give it a try. That’s a deli that seems to know how to do volume.
I’ll miss this place as it became my spot to grab a sandwich after work, before seeing a movie. It was so convenient to the theater, and the other evening options on that block for a quick bite are… less than healthy. I hope a similar type of place takes over the space.
I never understood the focus of the store. And I admit I never stepped foot in there but really I don’t get cold cuts at all. The salad bar sdid ound nice.
This place was owned by Boar’s Head yet prices for deli meats and sandwiches were no cheaper, and often more expensive than at every other deli that sells Boar’s Head products in the neighborhood. If you don’t use your competitive advantage, you’re going to fail.
Thanks, DIBS and Biff – I’ll check those out.
also looks like at least 3 out of 4 or 5 apts in the buiding have now gone vacant in the last month. maybe their is something afoot with the entire building? either that or the idiots that signed on for $5000 per month rents discovered that there were better deals out there?
Wasnt this place a ‘beta’ shop for Boars Head or something – to try out new products and concepts?
Very weird to close so quickly – very possible something else will open here (either run by same mgmt or as sublease) because unless the LL was an idiot (also possible) he got some guarantee on the lease from the parent organization, therefore Boars Head maybe wants to try something different, they have a decent sub-tenant in mind or again maybe the LL was just dumb and gave them an easy out.
DIBS, good call re: Chop Chop. It’s a slight hike if CG was looking for something within a few doors of the place above, but I believe salads to order (and paninis) are their specialty.
i missed my predicted close date by 3 months! from the start this place was suffering from a host of issues …#1 too many employees – there were always at least 10-15 people on the clock even when it was dead … #2 prices were too high, comparable sandwiches at La Bagel Delight or any other area deli were way cheaper … #3 was this a lunch joint or a place to buy meats or high-end condiments? that was never really clear. Hopefully the owner will find a tenant with a sound business plan and settle on a reasonable rent.