With little fanfare but big reaction, a popular College Area delicatessen announced it will close “for good” Thursday. Aztecs Nation went into mourning.
“Whhhhhaaattt!!??” said a Facebook comment, reacting to the 4.0 Deli’s announcement last week.
“Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!” said a Twitter post in the wake of The Daily Aztec first reporting the closure.
According to the student newspaper, 4.0 Deli manager Daniel McCluskey blamed the rising price of food “and with a lot of the things around campus gone during the summer, it’s been really slow and we have employee wages on top of everything else.”
“It’s just been really hard to keep up with anything and make any money,” he was quoted as saying.
The gnashing of teeth was sparked by this Facebook post July 23:
“4.0 Deli is shutting its doors for good CLOSED…..Our last day is going to be July 31st. I am offering $1 beers till all my beer is gone. If you a dying for one last Godfather then act quick. Thanks everyone its been a fun ride.”
At the corner of College Avenue and Montezuma Road, 4.0 Deli opened in 2001 and had become a popular chowdown spot for nearby student housing and young people leaving campus to the west. By 2009, it had become a finalist in U-T San Diego’s “best subs/deli” poll.
Comments on social media had the same taste: bitter.
“4.0 Deli has helped me maintain a 4.0 GPA during m undergrad and graduate school years. I’m disappointed,” said Craig Majestic Williams.
Juan Esteban Delgado posted: “I think I’m gonna ditch my internship for day to come munch on some godfathers,” a reference to the roast turkey sandwich with melted provolone.
Tommy Mandler said: WTF!! … Poor students have no where to go drink anymore. We got out at the right time I guess.”
Greg White suggested: “We should get some alumni together and buy the restaurant so it doesn’t go away.”
That didn’t seem to be in the cards, and Danyellah Garseeyah spoke for many: “I’m going to miss you guys!”
