Just Pumpernickle's: New Owner At Longtime Creve Coeur Deli

The sign in front hasn't been changed yet, but there's new blood running one of the only remaining kosher deli outlets in the St. Louis area.

Harlan Levin closed on the purchase of two weeks ago Monday. Levin worked in a deli in high school and college before a decades-long career in the shoe business. Until February, he sold children's shoes for Brown Shoe to big chain retailers, including Wal-Mart.

When Brown Shoe got out of the kid's shoe business, Levin said he and his sons looked at getting into the HVAC business, but were deterred by what could have amounted to a learning curve of at least six years. Now in charge of Pumpernickle Deli, he'll be competing with a former fraternity brother in Lenny Kohn, of

Levin told Patch last week that while he is making changes inside the deli, with remodeled bathrooms, tabletops and chairs, he won't do much with menu for a few months besides adding meat, double-slicing bread and eventually adding a free side with sandwiches.

Levin will soon have help from his sons, in addition to the staff he inherited. Richard graduates from the University of Missouri May 11 (and starts May 13), while Bryan will soon graduate from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Levin says his sons will be invaluable because they will free up time for him to care for his wife Lynne, who is battling a recurrence of breast cancer.

"I took care of Wal-Mart for 30 years, and I have a wife that’s dying, there is nobody that’s going to phase me, ok? If somebody has a bad sandwich, I will give them their money back or another one. I’m there to make people happy. Life’s too short. Nothing’s going to phase me," he said.