Today we’d like to introduce you to Rosie Blosser.
Rosie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I moved from Oklahoma to Burbank, California, in 2014 with my husband and two dogs. I had lived in Oklahoma my entire life and was ready to chase my dreams as a dancer and actor. The crazy thing about LA is that you seem to blink and years fly by! I had this idea that within one year, I had to achieve all of my goals and “make it.” I laugh to myself as I think back to those goals today. In reality, it is a marathon and you never know what path you will venture down along the way. I was training at Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio and taking improv classes at The Groundlings. It was such an exciting thing to pursue advanced arts past high school and college because there weren’t nearly as many opportunities for that in Oklahoma. I had always loved the arts but never had the chance to do it as my fulltime career. I would work in offices and business settings doing payroll/banking and used the arts as my escape.
After working for companies our entire careers, my husband and I were getting the entrepreneurial bug. We decided we wanted to run our own business but weren’t sure exactly what kind of business. Would we start something of our own or purchase an existing business? We lived right around the corner from a cute little hole-in-the-wall deli. I remember walking in and being greeted warmly. It felt like home. Something I had missed about Oklahoma was the hospitality. I was pleasantly surprised to see this level of service and loved the food as well. I came back a few days later and the team member remembered exactly what I had ordered. My husband, always on the lookout for our future business, came across a listing for a small restaurant for sale. It turns out it was for Kings Deli. I vividly remember him calling me and saying, “Kings Deli is for sale… do you want to buy it?” and me being completely blindsided by the question and trying to process the idea of just “casually” buying a deli. After much deliberation, we decided it would be an amazing opportunity and started the journey to becoming restaurant owners. We are grateful that the founders, a husband and wife team, chose us to carry on the wonderful place that they started! Everything about it felt right, and we are proud to have a place where people can feel welcomed and at home to share a good meal.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I have learned so much along the way. Being a business owner is a huge responsibility. You have to wear many hats. Not only am I playing the role as the owner, many times, I have to be IT, HR, maintenance, customer service, housekeeping, the manager, an employee, and the list goes on. We work well beyond the operating hours and sometimes have more to do than we could ever accomplish in 24 hours. It hasn’t been an easy road especially after getting hit by the pandemic. People were so afraid of the uncertainty of their jobs, finances and health that they weren’t eating out. We ended up closing for two months. It was tough not knowing when things would pick back up, but we pulled through and are still truckin’ along. We have the most amazing and supportive regulars that keep us going and for that, I am truly grateful.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Kings Deli story. Tell us more about the business.
Kings Deli is a small mom and pop deli located in Burbank, CA. We are an East Coast style deli with an LA twist, best known for our Pastrami on Rye Bread with yellow mustard, Russian dressing and Swiss cheese. We specialize in sandwiches, meat by the pound, salads and bagels. Some of our popular menu items include the Brisket Melt, Kings Rueben with Corned Beef, Turkey Melt, King’s Club with turkey, ham and bacon and our Lox Bagel.
I am most proud of the customer service we provide. I believe it sets us apart from other places. I don’t like to just take orders and give out food. I love to get to know my customers, make them feel at home and give them a good experience. You never know what someone may be going through. A little bit of kindness can go a long way and provide a breath of fresh air. Some of our regulars have become my friends and chosen family outside of the deli. I think it’s so important to get to know people in your community and build up your tribe. Life is so much better with people that love and care about you by your side.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think the luck was in the timing. It really is when preparation meets opportunity. I did not realize at the time that all of my past work experience would help prepare me for being a business owner. The banking jobs, payroll experience, teaching dance, waiting tables and even briefly doing telemarking contributed to the skill set needed to handle all the moving parts of a business. Everything aligned perfectly- from living near the deli, going to experience it’s magic as a customer, to purchasing it. When I really think about it, if any of those things didn’t happen, I very easily could be on a completely different path. I still have a passion for the arts and am able to do them while being a business owner. The amazing thing about Los Angeles is that you do not have to fit into one box. You can do many things, wear lots of hats and feel fulfilled doing all the things that make you happy. At the end of the day, I’m very glad it all fell into place. We hope that more people will find out about Kings Deli and give us a try. Once you visit, we consider you part of our family!
Contact Info:
- Address: 109 North Pass Ave
Burbank, CA 91505 - Website: www.kingsdeli.co
- Phone: (818) 561-4405
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Headshot: Steve Rood @aroodphoto
Lox Bagel: Audrey Prado
Turkey Sandwich: Audrey Prado
Building Photo: Em Roumain @emroumainphoto
Brisket Melt: Audrey Prado
Veggie Sandwich: Em Roumain @emroumainphoto
Pastrami Sandwich: @onlybigbites
BLT: Em Roumain @emroumainphoto
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