Exploring Cleveland's Culinary Deli and Bakery Gem: Lehman's in Westlake!

Dave interviews Baker Extraordinaire, Kayla and Owner George Bagsarian on the unique history of Lehman's Deli and Bakery. Lehman's began as a fruit orchard and farm market on Detroit Road in Westlake, Ohio, who served the community during World War II. Today, George and Kayla have turned Lehman's into a local "hot spot" for the entire west side community, serving fresh-baked foods, home-made soups and sandwiches (on artisan bread), along with unique bakery specialties while serving up coffee and espresso with a smile.

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Transcript

Exploring Cleveland's Culinary Deli and Bakery Gem: Lehman's in Westlake!

Greetings everyone. This is Dave with Mighty Line Minute. I've got a special guest today. I've got Kayla Wallace with Lehman's Deli on the West Side of Cleveland, in the town of Westlake, Ohio. She's the Manager for the Bakery that brings people in every day in great numbers. Thanks, Kayla for taking the time to be with us today!

Of course! 

So, let's talk a bit about what's so special about your bakery, because I run into everyone from all over Cleveland here, people that I haven't seen for years. What makes this place special? You've only been here five years? 

Yeah. So, the cool thing about Lehman's is we support a lot of local businesses. If you come in, you'll see that we have Rising Star Coffee. We have Storehouse Tea. Hartzler. We are just very big on supporting local businesses. A lot of our stuff is homemade. And we focus really on customer service. I've known you for probably 10 years just through coffee shops that I've worked at. At Lehman's we're really big on customer connections. I'm saying "Hi" to everyone. As soon as the door opens, "Hey!" We're right in your face (yes)! 

One of those friendly places in town for sure. Everyone's always in a good mood when they come here too. 

We try to be. We like to play good music. We're all about having fun, and definitely the customers really help us with that. So, it's really important especially in the world today, I think (yes). Talking to people is just something that's really nice to do. 

And you made it through Covid very nicely. I remember the little dots and the lines and the floor stickers. And of course, for those. Who don't know, Mighty Line makes floor signs, floor stickers, and floor tape. But fortunately, you were able to move beyond that and move through Covid quite well. 

Yes, we actually opened during Covid, so that was kind of a tough spot for us, but we made it through. George, the owner actually says all the time that he thinks Covid helped us in a way. There weren't many places open, and we just made it through all of that with coming outside to your car and bringing you out your coffee and your food. 

Fortunately, you're on the way to work for me. So that works out wonderful. What are some of your favorites here in the shop? When I look around I can certainly tell you from a gluten-free standpoint, what are my favorites because the pumpkin roll that you have now, the cookies, the bakery, and of course the special pies and unique things that are made back there. What are the .. top picks? 

As soon as I see Dave walk in, I always make sure that his cookies are out. Honestly, everything here's pretty good. Like I said, we make most of our stuff homemade. If not, we get it from different vendors. Everything is really good. I personally love the pumpkin roll here is really good. And I'm not really a big fan of pumpkin. Sorry. But (try it) yeah, we do offer gluten-free cheesecake now, gluten-free pumpkin rolls. So, [we're trying to get into all of the health needs for people. Vegan, gluten-free yeah. 

By the way, that also means all almond flour cheesecakes (Yes). With blueberries, with strawberries.

We have a pistachio gluten- free cheesecake that is amazing. Drink-wise, all of our coffee is good. If you love Rising Star, Rising Star's literally the best. The Best (Excellent)! Just, everything! We have Cleveland Bagel here. I love a good breakfast sandwich. Cream cheese. Everything really is good. 

And it's hard working here because you always want to eat. And I try not to eat while I'm here, but the second I go home, I'm craving like a brownie or a piece of our banana cake or something like that (Yeah). 

And I love the diversity of your customers. You've got all of the contractors that come here. Particularly on the deli side. And, but then you've got the families, the young ones that come in. The kids that are just eager and excited to pick out a donut. But what's really impressive is when the line forms, everyone's patient, everyone's happy. They know what's coming. 

Yes, that's very true. I've known customers that have come in that have had multiple kids. I've seen them change schools, do sports, go to high school. So, it's really nice. We, everyone comes in here, doctors from the University Hospital, construction workers. If you come during lunchtime, it is filled with so many different people.

Yes, police and fire. 

Oh, yeah. Oh yeah. Yes. 

You've done a wonderful business here for the community. It's really a place that I tell everyone to come and visit. And I'd like to just acknowledge some of the history because I'm one of those who can remember when there used to be apple cider and pressed juices here from back in high school. And when did the coffee shop and bakery come into play here, how long ago? 

So, that was right in 2019, right about the time Covid started (yeah). George was working on remodeling this before Covid started, and during Covid is when we opened. So, it was "I/we don't know what's gonna happen" type of thing. And we succeeded, and we've just been getting busier, and it's amazing. 

What's going to happen if you doubled the business, then what? 

I'm not sure, but I know one thing, we will never have a drive-through. A lot of people have asked that, and I am against that. Knowing I've worked in coffee for 15 years, and I've worked through corporate places with drive-throughs, and all they care about is getting everyone out as fast as they can. 

And here, I just like to be efficient. We want to make sure your drink is correct every single time. We want to make sure your pastry or your sandwich tastes the same way every single time. It's not given to you, sloppily, half warm, half cold. We take pride in that and we, like I said, focus on the customer connection (yeah). Customers are what keep you open, and customers are what keep you in business and I think that's really important. 

That customer connection, you do a wonderful job of that. I would hate to see a drive-through here (yeah, I would too). The personal connection is wonderful. And the consistency with your food is stellar! Yes, we're talking with a Baker Extraordinaire here. And we're really pleased with what you do here to keep everyone coming back again and again. Any final words for our customers with Mighty Line? 

Just keep supporting local businesses. It's super important to just help people around you, locally (yes). 

So, folks make sure stop by. And say hello to Kayla when she's here or her team, she's got a wonderful staff. They're all friendly, wonderful people to work with. You do a fine job of hiring people here, too. (Thank you.) So, thanks everyone. And we'll see you later on the rest of the story here on Lehman's Deli. Take care. 

Thank you. 

The portion of the show we're talking about right now, is with George Bagsarian, who's the Owner of Lehman's Deli and Bakery here in Westlake, Ohio. And we're honored to have him here, because he's the one who really launched the second phase of this business after its long history. Thanks for having us here, George! 

Oh, absolutely, thanks for coming to visit (yeah). It's a pleasure! 

Why don't you give us a little history about Lehman's, and how it started, and where you came into the picture. 

Lehman's was originally a little farm market. And I believe it was started around World War II time, and Norm and Margaret Lehman were the original owners. They planted apple trees. It was an orchard, and they made a little farm market. They sold it in the late seventies (yes). And I purchased it from the person that they sold it to in August of 1983. 41 years! 41 long years! 

It's amazing, because I remember coming by here as a child, and my dad would stop by for apple cider, apples and fruit. So there's some of us who still remember that day, but what an exciting time it's been since you took over. when you first launched, did you have a Bakery in mind, or was it principally a Deli? 

It was principally a Deli. We did bake cookies, and we had very talented people, and they baked different items, but it wasn't until the teens where we thought about doing something different or expanding. And it wasn't until right before Covid that we started the Bakery and, it's been a good journey ever since. 

Yeah, let's talk about the Deli side. So, what impresses me is how many people know about your Deli, your food your sandwiches, which are second-to-none! The breads. the cooler with everything you want in it. And then the soups are to die for here, too. How do you put all of that together? This is the best Deli I know for sure on the West Side of Cleveland, and maybe all around Cleveland! 

Thank you the kind words. It makes for long days. We probably, somebody walks in around three in the morning and we start cooking. When I first had the Deli, they did a limited sandwich and limited soups and over the years it's progressed where we have like over 140 soup recipes. And we make our own roast beef. We make our own corn beef. We smoke our own pastrami, our own brisket, and turkey. Most of the items are made from scratch. And I've always been blessed by having great people. And that's kind of the key to everything.

I agree on the people. You've got a wonderful team here that's second-to-none. Not a person here that's ever been an issue. Everyone's so happy to work here, and do what's best, which is to serve the customer. 

I've been blessed over the 41 years to have met the greatest people in the world. I could name dozens of people that have worked here over the years. Many of them worked here for 10 years, 15 years, 20 years. Tara who works at the Deli. She's been here since she was 15. She's been here a long time and, we've had lots of people that have worked here. 

You are blessed to have that situation. What are your top sellers, there's so many choices?

I always laugh, people think the menu's, I think it's overwhelming sometimes when we look at it. And then people say, well, this is the reason we come here, because there's such a great variety that everybody finds something that they like. 

Probably our most popular sandwich is a turkey club sub. Which is our own roasted turkey, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and bacon. And our most popular soups are, of course, chicken noodle, and chicken paprikash is a really good seller. 

We have a rustic mushroom soup, which Lisa is making as we speak. And that is delicious. Deb’s Hungarian, and she brings us some of her recipes. And one of the great things is that, pretty much everybody that works here has brought us recipes that they make at home. 

And so, we steal it, or they bring it to us (yes). And it works out really well. 

Okay. I'll have to look up a secret family recipe and pass it your way! Perfect! Hey, George, I want to thank you for taking the time to be with us. For those who are listening to this podcast for the first time, if you haven't been by Lehman's Deli, be sure you do, because it's an experience itself. I always seem to run into people that are excited to be here just as I am. George, thanks again. And we'll look forward to seeing you on many days ahead. (Perfect!) Any last words you'd like to give to the audience? 

I'd just like to thank all our customers in the past and all former employees and present employees for doing such a great job and making Lehman's what it is today. Thank you so much. 

Have a great day. 

Thanks. 

Thank you!