A favourite of the community, a much-loved business by the staff, and the place that owners Vick and Jim created their legacy through.

Pepino Deli opened its’ doors in 2017, and over 5 years of business the little deli has garnered a large and loyal customer basis. Over the course of 5 years the deli has been run by owners Vick and Jim, who have worked with many employees to ensure Pepino Deli remained a staple of the Glossop food scene. 

But winding the clock back to before Pepino Deli was around, owner Vick was working at a deli on Whitworth Street in Manchester, and a stroke of luck ended up creating the Pepinos many know and love today. 

“I had always wanted to do something myself with food,” Vick said, “and I saw a coffee machine on Facebook. I have always thought that the best way to do something is to take a step towards it, so I got in touch with the seller Laura, who ran Lauras’ Coffee Lounge which was on the site of Pepino Deli for about 14 years. I went down to look at the machine and she asked me would I be interested in leasing somewhere, as they were leaving. I said OK, and then I was in touch with the landlord. So, it came from wanting to buy a coffee machine.”

Since then, a lot has happened at Pepino Deli. Coming off the back of Vicks’ musical background at university, jazz nights and live music were introduced. “It was really becoming the place that I wanted it to be,” Vick said, “where people could come meet up and talk.” The ticketed jazz nights offered the bespoke vegan menu, and a selection of beers all for £5. 

The world then came to a halt, with the COVID pandemic taking over everybody’s lives. This was a time that Vicky recalls as being a very memorable time for the business. “COVID was very memorable obviously. During COVID we had some amazing experiences. When COVID had initially hit and people weren’t allowed to go in, I took meals for nurses and doctors and that was a really poignant moment.”

Pepino Deli was able to remain open during the COVID pandemic and this meant that alongside delivering meals to the key workers on the frontlines of the pandemic, Vick was in a position to partner up with The Victoria Lounge, the popular gastropub in Glossop, to do more meals for people in need. 

“Working with the Victoria lounge around COVID was definitely quite a special time.” Vick said. “We were putting bags outside with food in and you could come and pick one up - you didn’t have to ask for one, you could retain your anonymity. Those times were so weird, but we met loads of amazing people and had the privilege of being open when other people decided to shut.” 

Through the admirable work Pepino Deli achieved during the pandemic, and the many times shared with customers both before and after the pandemic, the place holds many memories for owners Vick and Jim. Even with their Christmas Day openings, where Vick recalls “you could come in and get a brew and mince pie for free, we did that because some people might be alone or don’t celebrate”. 

 But some of the most memorable times that remain with them both are of the staff that have come and gone throughout the years. “They just become family, you see them grow up and move on. We have had so many young people grow up with us, like one of the girls Layla went through both college then university, and now she has a great job. It’s just nice really. It’s all of those little memories.”

This Sunday 13th August, the community of Glossop, owners Vick, Jim and the staff of Pepino Deli will be open for the last time, and Vick requested that people “come down at 1pm, have a drink, some food or a biscuit and hopefully we will see familiar faces there for the sendoff.”

Alongside the final farewell, Pepino Deli would also like to see more photos and memories from over the years that people have shared, as Vick said. “We will walk past soon and it won’t be here anymore and we won’t get to pop in and see people, so it would be nice to hear how it affected everyone. It has all gone past so fast, with COVID and everything it has been a real blur and when you’re on the other side of a counter you don’t really know how the customers have been impacted. So it would be nice for more people to reach out, to send us a message or email.”

Looking to the future, Vick talked about what will be next for the whole of the Pepino Deli family. “We have both (Vick and Jim) secured new jobs and are moving into our new lives, but when it’s gone it will really hit us. We have made sure everyone here has somewhere to go, and a lot will go back to university full time.”

“In a way it is good to close the chapter and that will be the end of the story for Pepino Deli. A lot of the team are going on to university and everything, so yeah that is the future. We will continue to do celebration cakes, though.”

 If you would like to get in touch with Pepinos Deli to share memories, you can reach them at info@pepinodeli.com or on Facebook and Instagram @Pepino Deli.