Sandwiches - New York style

By Miranda Wycoff
The Journal Staff

For one reason or another, the food business has always interested Blue Springs business owner Chris Mancini.
Even after a career as a Grain Valley police officer for seven years, Mancini felt the business calling his name.
"I've always wanted to open my own business," Mancini said. "I've always liked this stuff."
In high school Mancini worked in the restaurant business and, after graduation, he said he participated in the Jackson County Chef's Apprenticeship program.
Years later, Mancini's brother owned and operated a few restaurants in the Mr. Goodcents chain. His brother has since sold the stores - but that's what revived Mancini's interest in the restaurant business.
So after careful consideration of different franchises and what the Blue Springs area was missing as far as food businesses, Mancini found the New York NY Fresh Deli.
"This was the closest franchise to what I wanted to do," he said.
And what interested him most was a sandwich shop with a "fast-casual" style.
"I've always liked the concept that Panera Bread had," Mancini said. "The nicer, but casual places. Customers can come in and be relaxed and get taken care of. You get a little moreout of it than fast food."
So, in November 2007, Mancini opened New York NY Fresh Deli at 719 N. Missouri 7 in Blue Springs.
"I grew up in Independence, been living in Blue Springs and have been a cop in Grain Valley for seven years," Mancini said. "(The deli) was something Blue Springs needed."
But don't mistake New York NY for a Subway-style sandwich shop. Mancini said its much more than that.
"It's a little more service-oriented," he said.
The customers come in and place their order at the register like a typical fast-food restaurant - but that's where the similarities end.
"We take it from there," Mancini said.
While the customers go and sit down, Mancini and his crew at New York NY are hard at work.
"We make the sandwich fresh right there," he said. "We steam the meats so the cheese is melted, nothing is pre-made. It takes us a little longer to get the sandwich out, but its made fresh to order."
And although the deli has only been open in Blue Springs for a few months, Mancini said customers are already claiming some sandwiches as the best in town.
"Word's getting around about our Rueben," Mancini said. "And we have some of the best corned beef in town."
He said 30 to 40 percent of all the sales at New York NY are from the Rueben.
Other popular sandwiches is the Bronc's Bomber - made with corned beef and pastrami - and the Tuscan Chicken Panini.
"We've been getting a lot of good response from Blue Springs," Mancini said. "It took a while for people to realize we weren't a Subway, but once that started happening, we've gotten a lot of good, positive feedback."
For more information on the New York NY Fresh Deli, call 816-229-4449 or visit the corporate Web site at www.newyorknyfreshdeli.com.