Mickey’s Italian Deli & Pizzeria celebrates 70 years of serving customers in the community on April 8, 2023. When the doors were first opened to the community in 1953, serving Italian food was a revolutionary idea.
“There was nothing around in Hermosa Beach at the time,” says Paul Mance, Mickey’s son, and the current president of the deli. “My family loved the ocean and the beach. They knew it would become a popular place one day.”
When Mickey’s Deli served its first customers, no one in the area knew what pizza or spaghetti were. It was uncommon to have Italian food.
“People from all over the area would come for our Italian bread back then,” said Paul. “My family could sell over 150 dozen rolls on a Sunday because it was so popular.”
One of the first items on the deli’s menu that became popular was the Sauce Sandwich. When it was first introduced, customers paid a nickel for it. The surfers who came to the beach loved it.
“My father knew how to cater to the needs of his community,” Paul says. “He would come up with ideas and run with them. Everything he seemed to do worked because his goal was to put people first and create organic relationships. He wanted people to feel special when they ordered something.”
To celebrate 70 years, Mickey’s Deli is offering some incredible deals on popular items. The first 70 people in line will receive a special raffle ticket to win a 65-inch television free! As well as a FREE Sauce Sandwich or Mickey’s combo. After that, customers can enjoy those items for only $0.70 on a limited roll-back menu.
Additional raffle tickets will be given out until 3pm. These prizes include a $300 catering order, a $200 gift certificate, a free pizza per week for an entire year, and a weekly free sandwich for a year. Additional items include Limited Edition Mickey’s 70th Year Anniversary merch that will also be available only for purchase throughout the month of April!
Paul’s son is named after his father, becoming the third generation to work in this family business. “We love the old-school approach for our deli and don’t want to lose that as we grow,” said Mickey. “We’re working with courier services and promoting on social media to reach out to those customers that love incredible Italian food and the beach, just like us.”
One of the best things about the deli is that some team members have been there for over three decades. They’re seeing kids that came in all grown up, becoming adults, and then bringing their kids to experience the magic of a Sauce Sandwich or another menu favorite.
“Families gather over meals each day to chat, check-in with each other, and experience the love that binds them together,” Paul said. “We want people to feel like we’re an extension of their table at home when they visit our deli. It’s more than just a friendly feeling. We need each other.”
