Accurso’s
Accurso’s
When Joe Accurso and his sister Cathy purchased The Main Street Delicatessen in 1985, theirs was the sixth delicatessen located at 5044 Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri.
Joe Cohen opened the first in 1935. Barnett Cohen took ownership of Barnett’s Delicatessen in 1939. Mauser’s Delicatessen opened in 1943. J. David Pittell and Milton Neuman opened Main Street Delicatessen in 1947, which became Pittell’s Main Street Delicatessen in 1955 when J. David and Bertha, along with Morris and Ruth Pittell took joint ownership. Paul and Pam Sorisso renamed it Paul’s Main Street Delicatessen in 1975. Joe and Cathy shortened delicatessen to deli, which seems fitting for a small eatery of six booths and three bar stools, with a seating capacity of 27.
Born and raised in south Kansas City, Joe Accurso got his introduction to food service while attending UMKC and working at Joe’s Barbeque on State Line Road. But with two grandfathers from Italy, two Italian grandmothers from America, and an uncle, Joe LaSalle of LaSalle’s on 5th, Accurso’s deli was a melting pot of Italian family cooking. One grandfather taught Joe how to make Italian sausage. Grandmother Lucy Charmello, a.k.a. Mamma Lou of Gaetano’s restaurant, provided her always-sold-out cheesecake recipe. Famous for his Poor Boy and Rich Boy sandwiches, Uncle Joe emphasized the importance of Roma bread for sandwich making. And taking the lead of prior owners Paul and Pam Sorriso, Joe always served beer and root beer in chilled mugs. Meatball and Italian sausage sandwiches were very popular. According to attorney, friend and deli regular Roger Hoyt, Accurso’s also had the best potato soup in town.
Down the street from Kansas City dinner theater Tiffany’s Attic, Accurso’s saw its share of celebrities, including Kiefer Sutherland, a.k.a. Jack Bauer of the TV drama, 24; Gary Burghoff, better known as Radar O’Reilly in the hit movie and TV series, Mash; and Lou Ferrigno, body builder turned television actor of The Incredible Hulk.
After six years in business, Joe bought out Cathy who wanted to move to Italy. He added a new counter to accommodate 10 more guests. Tearing out sheetrock in a storage room released an avalanche of 1500 beer bottle caps, the personal back room, beer break stash of former owners Paul and Pam. One small remodel led to further expansion, adding a kitchen, and opening for dinner. Accurso’s now called itself an Italian restaurant and offered catering.
DST purchased the building in 2008 and in 2009 offered Joe an opportunity to move to a nice space at 4980 Main. The Accurso’s neon sign that had shined light for many decades of delicatessen’s was left behind. When asked by Roger Hoyt what he was going to do with the sign, Joe answered “Throw it away.” Roger said, “I want that piece of trash.” An iron worker lowered the sign, and it remained on Roger’s back porch until he saw an article in The Kansas City Star about LUMI’s Nick Vedros rescuing the Crick’s Camera neon sign for Save the Kansas City Neon, Inc., a.k.a. the LUMI Neon Museum, Kansas City. Roger donated the sign to LUMI.
In 2011, Anthony Accurso purchased the successful restaurant, but new development in the 50th and Main Street corridor presented numerous obstacles to Accurso’s continued success. Ultimately, Anthony negotiated with developers and sold the restaurant in 2013. Delivering the sad new to his staff just before the Christmas holiday was a miserable experience Anthony will never forget.
LUMI is always entertained by the stories behind the signs that come into our collection. In addition to the well-worn Accurso’s neon sign, LUMI was gifted 30-40 hand painted signs once posted on the walls of the deli. These clever commentaries on everything from the deli’s food to local Kansas City progress, politics and even various U.S. presidents, are a historical treasure all their own.
LUMI is indebted to the foresight and generosity of Roger Hoyt and the Accurso family.
When Joe Accurso and his sister Cathy purchased The Main Street Delicatessen in 1985, theirs was the sixth delicatessen located at 5044 Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri.
Joe Cohen opened the first in 1935. Barnett Cohen took ownership of Barnett’s Delicatessen in 1939. Mauser’s Delicatessen opened in 1943. J. David Pittell and Milton Neuman opened Main Street Delicatessen in 1947, which became Pittell’s Main Street Delicatessen in 1955 when J. David and Bertha, along with Morris and Ruth Pittell took joint ownership. Paul and Pam Sorisso renamed it Paul’s Main Street Delicatessen in 1975. Joe and Cathy shortened delicatessen to deli, which seems fitting for a small eatery of six booths and three bar stools, with a seating capacity of 27.
Born and raised in south Kansas City, Joe Accurso got his introduction to food service while attending UMKC and working at Joe’s Barbeque on State Line Road. But with two grandfathers from Italy, two Italian grandmothers from America, and an uncle, Joe LaSalle of LaSalle’s on 5th, Accurso’s deli was a melting pot of Italian family cooking. One grandfather taught Joe how to make Italian sausage. Grandmother Lucy Charmello, a.k.a. Mamma Lou of Gaetano’s restaurant, provided her always-sold-out cheesecake recipe. Famous for his Poor Boy and Rich Boy sandwiches, Uncle Joe emphasized the importance of Roma bread for sandwich making. And taking the lead of prior owners Paul and Pam Sorriso, Joe always served beer and root beer in chilled mugs. Meatball and Italian sausage sandwiches were very popular. According to attorney, friend and deli regular Roger Hoyt, Accurso’s also had the best potato soup in town.
Down the street from Kansas City dinner theater Tiffany’s Attic, Accurso’s saw its share of celebrities, including Kiefer Sutherland, a.k.a. Jack Bauer of the TV drama, 24; Gary Burghoff, better known as Radar O’Reilly in the hit movie and TV series, Mash; and Lou Ferrigno, body builder turned television actor of The Incredible Hulk.
After six years in business, Joe bought out Cathy who wanted to move to Italy. He added a new counter to accommodate 10 more guests. Tearing out sheetrock in a storage room released an avalanche of 1500 beer bottle caps, the personal back room, beer break stash of former owners Paul and Pam. One small remodel led to further expansion, adding a kitchen, and opening for dinner. Accurso’s now called itself an Italian restaurant and offered catering.
DST purchased the building in 2008 and in 2009 offered Joe an opportunity to move to a nice space at 4980 Main. The Accurso’s neon sign that had shined light for many decades of delicatessen’s was left behind. When asked by Roger Hoyt what he was going to do with the sign, Joe answered “Throw it away.” Roger said, “I want that piece of trash.” An iron worker lowered the sign, and it remained on Roger’s back porch until he saw an article in The Kansas City Star about LUMI’s Nick Vedros rescuing the Crick’s Camera neon sign for Save the Kansas City Neon, Inc., a.k.a. the LUMI Neon Museum, Kansas City. Roger donated the sign to LUMI.
In 2011, Anthony Accurso purchased the successful restaurant, but new development in the 50th and Main Street corridor presented numerous obstacles to Accurso’s continued success. Ultimately, Anthony negotiated with developers and sold the restaurant in 2013. Delivering the sad new to his staff just before the Christmas holiday was a miserable experience Anthony will never forget.
LUMI is always entertained by the stories behind the signs that come into our collection. In addition to the well-worn Accurso’s neon sign, LUMI was gifted 30-40 hand painted signs once posted on the walls of the deli. These clever commentaries on everything from the deli’s food to local Kansas City progress, politics and even various U.S. presidents, are a historical treasure all their own.
LUMI is indebted to the foresight and generosity of Roger Hoyt and the Accurso family.
