Cooky's Deli | Bohemia, New York

HISTORY

My name is Marty (actually Martino)

My Grandfather Martino Marino was in the Olive Oil business selling by horse & wagon in the early 1900's.

He eventually opened a grocery store in Brooklyn. My Father worked for an Italian store chain named Spinners who opened across the street from my Grandfather. My Father who saw my Mother across the street asked her out and the rest is History. He eventually came to work for my Grandfather.

He became friends with a salesman for Italian Tomato products and talked about opening their own place,they eventually opened a small Supermarked in Ozone Park, Queens and were very successful. They both wound up moving out to Long Island and opened another IGA Supermarket in Westbury,

The stores did very well but The Deli departments were the best part of the stores.they decided to go into the Deli busuness and opened their first store in West Islip, they named it Renata and it was very heavy into Italian. They expanded and had 6 stores by 1958.

Now might I step back a bit, when they had IGA in Westbury I was 13 and my Father dragged me to work on wekends and also during the summer, I wasn't happy but he put me to work in the Deli department, John Cicione the Deli Mgr taught me everything, he was a master and taught me well. After High school I went out on my own and did other things

My Father had opened a new store in Bayshore I was 19 and he said I need you to come to work for me and help me out, I ran that store for a few years and than went to a new store in Plainview. I got married in 1963 and was raising a family My Father at this time of his life decided to start retiring and started selling his stores. I was crushed and didn't know what I was goiny to do not knowing my Father had a plan. He loved the Westbury IGA and the Deli dept was great. He found an old store that was for sale and bought it, completeley remodeled it. We opened Renata Deli in 1966 and he handed me the payment book of notes and said good luck. Thanks Dad.

I was their for 21 years and very successful, I loved my business that was very Italian oriented , but had a great Lunch business, I like making sandwiches better than cutting Romano & Provolone chesse. I got an offer and sold Renata's in early 1987

A friend of mine knew someone that wanted a Deli in Ronkonkoma in his Industrial area building. we tied up and I opened Pond Deli in 1987 it was a home run, no Sunday's wow that was great.

In 1994 I was approached by a business man that wanted me to open a Deli in his Industrial building on Lincoln Ave and Church Street, Bohemia. I absolutely loved the location and we struck up a deal and opened Cooky's Deli (named after my wife} which was an instant success and still is to today at the time of this writing 2019.

I'm 77 years old now and my daughter Phyllis is with me and has been back when she was probably 13 years old. She is a master Chef and basically runs Cooky's and hope will continue for many years.

I'm Basically retired now and hellp out with all the financial stuff from home

I hope you enjoyed reading this

Marty (Martino)




		HISTORY My name is Marty (actually Martino) My Grandfather Martino Marino was in the Olive Oil business selling by horse & wagon in the early 1900's. He eventually opened a grocery store in Brooklyn. My Father worked for an Italian store chain named Spinners who opened across the street from my Grandfather. My Father who saw my Mother across the street asked her out and the rest is History. He eventually came to work for my Grandfather. He became friends with a salesman for Italian Tomato products and talked about opening their own place,they eventually opened a small Supermarked in Ozone Park, Queens and were very successful. They both wound up moving out to Long Island and opened another IGA Supermarket in Westbury, The stores did very well but The Deli departments were the best part of the stores.they decided to go into the Deli busuness and opened their first store in West Islip, they named it Renata and it was very heavy into Italian. They expanded and had 6 stores by 1958. Now might I step back a bit, when they had IGA in Westbury I was 13 and my Father dragged me to work on wekends and also during the summer, I wasn't happy but he put me to work in the Deli department, John Cicione the Deli Mgr taught me everything, he was a master and taught me well. After High school I went out on my own and did other things My Father had opened a new store in Bayshore I was 19 and he said I need you to come to work for me and help me out, I ran that store for a few years and than went to a new store in Plainview. I got married in 1963 and was raising a family My Father at this time of his life decided to start retiring and started selling his stores. I was crushed and didn't know what I was goiny to do not knowing my Father had a plan. He loved the Westbury IGA and the Deli dept was great. He found an old store that was for sale and bought it, completeley remodeled it. We opened Renata Deli in 1966 and he handed me the payment book of notes and said good luck. Thanks Dad. I was their for 21 years and very successful, I loved my business that was very Italian oriented , but had a great Lunch business, I like making sandwiches better than cutting Romano & Provolone chesse. I got an offer and sold Renata's in early 1987 A friend of mine knew someone that wanted a Deli in Ronkonkoma in his Industrial area building. we tied up and I opened Pond Deli in 1987 it was a home run, no Sunday's wow that was great. In 1994 I was approached by a business man that wanted me to open a Deli in his Industrial building on Lincoln Ave and Church Street, Bohemia. I absolutely loved the location and we struck up a deal and opened Cooky's Deli (named after my wife} which was an instant success and still is to today at the time of this writing 2019. I'm 77 years old now and my daughter Phyllis is with me and has been back when she was probably 13 years old. She is a master Chef and basically runs Cooky's and hope will continue for many years. I'm Basically retired now and hellp out with all the financial stuff from home I hope you enjoyed reading this Marty (Martino)