When the Guerras opened Howard Delicatessen on the southeast corner of Georgia Avenue and Fairmont Street, the city of Washington, D.C. was much different than it is today.
Row houses lined Georgia Ave. housing the black community, for segregation wouldn’t allow blacks to live in certain parts of the city. Racist policies limited when and where black people could shop and eat. However, Italian immigrants Frank and Murray Guerra opened their deli in the heart of the Howard University community, serving customers of all colors.
“Me, my four siblings and my mother lived right next door,” Kent Gilmore said. “I would go into the deli some mornings before school started and do little odd jobs, learning things like customer service and branding.”
Gilmore is the godson of the Guerra’s daughter Grace and the current owner of Howard Delicatessen.
The Guerras specialized in Italian sandwiches such as salami and bologna. Provolone cheese hung in the windows of the store, providing it with a distinctive odor. And because they knew the prejudices of other stores in the area left blacks with no other options, the Guerras also provided the community with common items such as toilet paper and cigarettes.
Although they spoke little English, they strived to make every customer feel as if they had a home at the Howard Deli.
“Coming from Italy, they didn’t understand all of the racism that was going on,” Gilmore said. “It wasn’t ab out race; it was about the community. And they served them all – poor folk, rich folk, professors and students. Even if the students were short money, they never left hungry.”
In 1970, the Howard Deli was relocated to its current location on the opposite side of Georgia Ave. The old store and the neighboring row houses were torn down for university development. The School of Business currently sits in the exact spot of the original shop.
Today, instead of cheese and cigarette boxes adorning the walls of the deli, they have been replaced by pictures of jazz legends such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley.
Autographed snapshots of local and famous singers, actors, athletes and activists decorate the shop. Family pictures hang from the walls giving anyone who walks in a sense of home. And a long line of more than 30 graduation photos of former Howard and Banneker High School students show the deli’s close connection to the members of the community.
When Gilmore took over the business in 1987, he made sure that the Howard Deli maintained its reputation of excellent service.
“It’s a labor of love,” Gilmore said. “We have a seven days a week workload. It’s been a lot of sacrifice, but I wouldn’t give it up for anything.”
The deli offers a variety of sandwiches, ranging from turkey to egg salad to BBQ beef. The sandwiches are made to order by Gilmore’s younger brother Pepe. Muffins, brownies and homemade cakes are also available, along with chips and candy.
Popular among customers is the supersized Ghetto Sweet Tea.
“I love it,” said Eunique Hansel, a junior advertising major. “It reminds me of what my mom and my grandma used to make. It’s so good!”
A staple in the Howard community for more than 75 years, the Howard Delicatessen continues to provide the Howard and Washington, D.C. community service with a smile.
“Everything we do in here, we love,” said Renee Brodus, an employee and friend of the Howard Deli. “No big marketing, no rush, no greed. Just love.”
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