Jerry¹s is newest special on Village menu

By Karen Duryea

Summer Bruin Senior Staff

It was all bagels and Broadway at last Tuesday’s grand opening
of Jerry’s Famous Deli in Westwood Village.

June 18 marked the first day of business for the 24-hour deli,
destined to become a new stomping ground for UCLA students and
neighboring residents alike.

"We’ve only been open a few hours and it has already picked up
energy," said Isaac Starkman, CEO for Jerry’s Famous Deli, Inc.,
referring to the almost-packed restaurant which had opened
officially for business at around 2 p.m. that afternoon.

Starkman and his son Guy, were present at the Grand Opening,
held on the second floor overlooking the brand new customers. The
invite-only party was packed with guests to help celebrate the new
location on 10925 Weyburn Avenue.

Celebrities such as Elizabeth Berkley and Mayor Richard Riordan
appeared at the opening, as well as faithful customers of the
deli.

Claiming he visits at least one of four Jerry’s restaurants
virtually every day, Michael Olivestone says that he will frequent
the new location since it is closer to where he lives.

"Westwood needs a 24-hour restaurant," Olivestone said, "There
have been many times that I’ve been in Westwood for business or
entertainment and there simply hasn’t been a place I’ve wanted to
go."

The Westwood Jerry’s is the latest location of a seven-deli
chain in the surrounding Los Angeles area. The deli is well-known
for its theme of New York Broadway shows, revealed by its colorful
lighting and posters of such long-running musicals and plays like
"Gypsy," "Evita" and "Anything Goes."

Old black-and-white photos of favorite actors Audrey Hepburn and
James Dean, among others, also line the walls, adding to the
nostalgic atmosphere.

In addition to its original interior, Jerry’s has a unique menu
of over 700 items provided for 24 hours, seven days a week.

"You can come here so many times and still not have had
everything on the menu," Isaac Starkman said.

And Jerry’s will cater to the student population by opening its
second floor as an all night study lounge.

"The whole concept of a second floor will be a study hall," Guy
Starkman said. "I’ve seen kids at coffee shops and on regular
business nights, they close around midnight. Here they can stay all
night and not be bothered."

Downstairs, UCLA students were already sampling some of Jerry’s
menu items, but noted that the prices may be too high for a
student’s pocketbook.

"But they give a lot of food so it’s worth it," said Linda Tang,
a second-year student. She thinks the 24-hour aspect of Jerry’s
will help to revitalize the area.

"There’s not much to do (in Westwood) besides see movies," Tang
said. "Now people can come in after 2 a.m., when all the bars and
clubs are closed."

Currently, many students leave the village to seek entertainment
elsewhere, such as Century City and West Los Angeles, said Tang and
friend Jennifer Chuang. But Guy Starkman hopes that Jerry’s will
recentralize the students back into Westwood.

"I want it to be the UCLA place to hang out," he said. "I want
the UCLA basketball team to come here for parties."

Area merchants said they feel optimistic about the recent
opening of the deli, stating that it will have an effect on the
current liveliness, or lack thereof, in the village.

"I’ve noticed a little bit of an increase (of customers) in the
area," said Angela Austin, associate manager of The Gap on Westwood
Boulevard, days after the deli’s opening. "Any new business in the
area will help Westwood."

Austin added that she senses Westwood may be recovering, however
slowly, from its recent downtrend.

"The retail people in the area are excited," Guy Starkman said.
"It will help to increase traffic so it’s pretty much a positive
thing."

So who is Jerry, anyway? That is often the question that many
frequenters of the deli might ask, quickly answered by Ruth
Hladky’s knowledge of the deli’s history.

Hladky, Isaac Starkman’s administrative assistant, said that
when Jerry’s was established in 1978, the original "Jerry" was the
sole owner. Later that year, Isaac Starkman went into partnership
and eventually acquired the entire business.

Isaac Starkman liked the name of the deli, and so retained the
name of "Jerry’s Famous Deli," now commonly referred to as JFD.
Prior to last year, the deli continued to be a family-owned
restaurant, but now it has gone public, hence the openings of
Jerry’s in Westwood and Old Pasadena earlier this year.

But the opening of Jerry’s in Westwood won’t only serve as a
corporate expansion, but will also revitalize the surrounding
area.

"I hope it will re-energize Westwood and bring it back to its
glory days," Isaac Starkman said.

GENEVIEVE LIANG

Guests of Jerry’s Famous Deli enjoy their food at last week’s
crowded Grand Opening.