Making someone’s day can be as simple as a friendly welcome or treating them like they are family.
Warm, kind receptions are something customers at Regina’s Italian Star Deli have grown accustomed to over the years. It seems to be one of the reasons why people keep going back to the iconic business that has operated in the Queen City since 1966. That and the establishment’s renowned selection of deli meats, cheeses and other foods and supplies.
Carlo Giambattista, the owner of the Italian Star Deli, is known in the community for his kind, welcoming and enthusiastic demeanor.
“It’s not very hard to try to remember somebody’s name, then try to put that name with that person that comes in again and talk about what they’re doing. You engage with people like that as a business because they’re coming in, buying your stuff, paying you the money,” said Giambattista during our sit-down interview for Shaping Saskatchewan.
“We relate to people and we’re thankful. I don’t want to sound sappy here but we’re very thankful when we lock the door at night. I’m thankful we’re doing it. Sometimes I sit and go, ‘How did this happen?'”
The business, which was started by Giambattista’s parents Frank and Gina and later passed on to him, will continue for years to come, albeit with a few changes.
The current building nestled near downtown Regina, which is where it all began back in the 1960s, is showing its age. That’s why a new location, right next door to the original, is set to open in the spring.
Giambattista said the business will then go to his children, Marina and Gino.
“I love the old place, but if there’s ever a building that has a soul that needs to rest, that building there does because it has had its time,” Giambattista said.
“We feel very connected to the downtown. That’s why we built right next door to our old place. This community where we are definitely resonates with how we like to do our business and we’re very fortunate to be able to do business with this.”