You can still grab a sandwich in Charlotte — deli markets remain open during COVID-19
Although restaurants and bars have closed in-dining options to patrons and pivoted to curbside, pickup and delivery options, there are some establishments still open due to a gray area. Deli/markets such as Rhino Market, Common Market, Laurel Market and newly opened Paper Plane Deli & Market are still open to customers.
Although you can’t sit and enjoy your meal inside these establishments, you can still order your favorite sandwich and purchase some necessities. This week, NoDa Company Store became NoDa Company Store + Grocery. Shelves stocked with fresh veggies, fruit and herbs have replaced tables and seats in the store.
We spoke with Amanda Cranford, owner of Paper Plane Deli & Market, about what it was like to open during a pandemic and how things are going.
C5: What was it like to open your market during the pandemic?
Cranford: I have a sticker on my hat that says, “It’s Fine. I’m Fine,” which is my reaction to everyone when they come through the market. Yeah, our timing was a bit less than desirable, but that’s just life sometimes. I couldn’t imagine it any other way at the moment. I have seen some of the best examples of humanity in this tiny community over the past few weeks.
C5: How are things going now? Are folks coming in to buy food and items from the market?
Cranford: Things are going pretty well. I have a terrifying moment every day where I look at the empty parking lot at the HUB (HUB933 is the building where Paper Plane is located in addition to neighbors Advent Coworking and Catawba Brewing). I think, “Today is the day the no one comes in. Maybe we are finally going to have to admit that we need to close.” Then someone comes in, and then someone else comes in. It’s not as busy as anyone wants right now, but every day I see new faces and get a chance to maybe be there for the community the way they are there for me.
C5: You’ve been giving out free toilet paper to customers, including city workers with the nearby Charlotte Solid Waste Services Department office. What has the response been?
Cranford: The response to the toilet paper has been quite funny. People either love it or are wildly confused by it. I get a lot of, “ Oh yeah, it’s free with a purchase,” or a “Wait, what? Why?” I explain that I thought about doing it as some promo thing but that it became glaringly obvious that if our mission statement is simple, convenient and kind that it made more sense to just give it away to anyone and everyone who needs it. I’m going to keep doing it, too. Hopefully, we will be here 20 years from now explaining to people why we are the market with a killer pastrami sandwich that gives away free toilet paper.
C5: What is the most ordered sandwich right now? What is the most popular item from the market being purchased?
Cranford: Well this one is hard for me to admit. I wanted to be known for the best BLT in Charlotte. While I think we have the best BLT, it is the pastrami sandwich that is getting more love than anything. As far as items being purchased, it varies a good bit. Wine and beer are probably the highest at the moment.
C5: As a market, will you be able to stay open throughout all of this like grocery stores if there is a “stay in place” order?
Cranford: I am going to do my best to continue to stay open as long as I can for the community, my employees and myself. Being a new business owner is incredibly hard. Being tasked with something like navigating a truly unthinkable situation is sort of like walking through a dream state daily. That being said, I think that if there is a stay in place order, the best thing that I can do to support at that point changes. I think that I would most likely decide to support by closing for the time that we are asked to close. Do I want to? No! Not at all! However, if the rest of my community is asked to stay home to help protect the health and safety of others, then I think we should do the same.
C5: Any final positive thoughts you would like to tell Charlotteans at this time?
Cranford: As a Charlotte native and an eternal optimist with an undying belief in the good in humanity, I want our city to keep in mind that we are all in this together. This is happening to everyone. We are slowing down a bit as a society and a city. We are making our dogs happier than they have ever been and forcing our cats to deal with our presence. I guess most importantly, and what I am trying to get at is, “Hey, Charlotte, we are all in this together! No one is alone. Be kind, help when you can, love always and if you need toilet paper, we got you!”
This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 2:43 PM.
