Owners of popular Lake Norman gourmet deli retire. Meet the couple who took over.
The owners of a popular gourmet deli on Lake Norman in Mooresville retired Tuesday and another couple took over, preserving the menu and promising even more in the months ahead.
“Almost two years ago, we opened The Counter, pouring our hearts into creating a place where good food and great company could come together,” founders Don and Diane Pfeil said on social media Friday.
“What started as a little deli quickly became so much more — it became part of our family, our community, and our daily lives,” the Pfeils said. “Every sandwich made, every coffee poured, and every conversation shared has meant the world to us..”
Now, they said, “it’s time for a new season of life — one filled with travel, relaxation, and the joy of retirement.”
Welcome, Cornelius residents Ron Anderson and Beth Ruby.
New owner previously managed Charlotte restaurant
Anderson has managed restaurants for 35 years, most recently as general manager of Easy Like Sunday on Woodlawn Road in Charlotte for a little over three years, he told CharlotteFive at The Counter on Friday afternoon.
The couple moved to Cornelius from Columbus, Ohio, four years ago, Anderson said. He is originally from West Virginia, he said.
Anderson said he’d been looking to buy a restaurant closer to the couple’s Cornelius home. On a good day, it would take 45 minutes to get to Easy Like Sunday. On a bad traffic day, the commute mushroomed to an hour and 20 minutes, he said.
The couple ate at The Counter three times over the past three months and were impressed by the staff and quality of their meals each visit, Anderson said.
He tried the Hot Italian meatball parmigiana on an Italian hero selection the first time they visited, and it remains a favorite, he said. Both the chicken and meatball parm Hot Italians are smothered with marinara and fresh mozzarella and sprinkled with pecorino romano ($14.95).
Other popular selections include:
- Piled High Pastrami: Hot pastrami on thick pumpernickel and rye swirl bread, with deli mustard or pastrami Reuben, topped with sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and Swiss cheese, served with a side of cole slaw ($14.95).
- Fire Bird Press: Roasted turkey topped with applewood smoked bacon, roasted tomato, three pepper cheese and creamy avocado, spread on focaccia bread ($14.95).
The couple also noticed a lot of chain restaurants in the area, not as many high-quality, locally-owned establishments, he said.
Expect more offerings at The Counter in the next couple of months, he said, declining to be more specific.
“I want to take what they’re doing and expand upon that,” Anderson said.
But people should expect the same great selections they’ve enjoyed since The Counter opened in 2023, he said.
“The main thing for people to know is we’re not changing what’s here,” Anderson said. “A great neighborhood restaurant, that’s what we’ll continue to be.”
The Counter
Location: 1098 Brawley School Rd, Suite G, Mooresville, NC 28117
Cuisine: American, deli
Instagram: @thecountermooresville