Six months after a stolen van destroyed the store, Lee’s Deli reopens in West Philly

Scott Lee was numb from shock.

No one was injured when a stolen van destroyed his Cedar Park deli in an overnight crash last November. But the damage to Lee’s Deli, at 47th and Baltimore, was devastating.

Lee’s corner sandwich shop, beloved for its sweet Korean barbecue and delicious cheesesteaks, was in ruins. And Lee, always a smiling fixture at the counter, didn’t know if he could ever rebuild it.

“Should I even come back?” Lee, who immigrated from South Korea in 1989 with his wife and three sons, and opened his shop in 1993, remembers despairing.

He did not have to wait long for an answer.

Within days of the crash, and despite Lee’s reluctance, neighbors and customers started a Go Fund Me campaign. The drive eventually raised over $40,000 toward restorations. The Merchants Fund, which offers grants and resources to neighborhood businesses citywide, provided matching funds and the University City District provided other resources. The city Commerce Department provided a loan, Lee said.

On Tuesday, with work completed, and with little fanfare, Lee switched back on the lights. “A soft opening,” he called it.

By Wednesday, Lee’s Deli was back in full swing. At lunchtime, customers streamed in to order the signature sandwiches they hungered for since the crash. Like the Game Over chicken cheesesteak heaped with spicy shrimp and grilled spinach. And the Korean barbecue cheesesteak, bursting with thinly sliced rib-eye.

“The shrimp burger is so good — I love it so much, it’s my favorite thing,” said Jamere Harris, sitting with a friend at the shiny new window countertop.

In the freshly painted dining area, Jake Orbell and his girlfriend, Aiden Wilhelm, were joined by their friend Ben Mooney, who makes sure to stop at Lee’s Deli when visiting from Chicago.

“The Korean barbecue cheesesteak is out of this world,” he said.

Meanwhile, residents greeted a neighbor they missed.

“It’s almost like having a family member back on the street,” said Fred Wolfe, who has lived across the street for 50 years and loves the Italian hoagie.

The crash was devastating, he said. For Lee. And for the neighbors who have come to respect Lee for far more than his sandwiches, but as a kind and caring presence on the block. Someone who dishes out food to the hungry — and watches out for neighbors.

“He’s kind to people,” Wolfe said. “And the kindness spreads to his customers.”

But even with all the community help and encouragement, and with neighbors sweeping up debris or sharing resources, it was a tough road back. The costs were steep. (Lee said he is being reimbursed by insurance.) Lee had originally hoped to be up and running by March 1, the 30-year anniversary of when he opened up at the intersection, now known for its restaurants and bar hot spots at night.

The shop has been his life’s work, Lee said, beaming behind the counter, as the grill sizzled and the soothing jazz he prefers played on the speakers. The shop put his kids through college. And he has found fulfillment in a life of sandwiches. Food is love, he said. Food is culture. Food is connection.

“It’s not just about selling food and making money,” he said. “It’s about what this little spot can do for the community.”

And when it mattered, he said, the neighborhood was there for him.

”The community came together and held my hand,” he said. “They all came together to help us stand up after we were knocked down.”

Then, Lee excused himself. There were orders to take.