SOUTH TOMS RIVER - Carrying on a family business can be a challenging endeavor, but it’s a labor of love for father-daughter duo Luigi and Michelle DeRiggi, owners of South Toms River-based Luigi's Deli, Butcher Shop & Catering, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

“Before starting Luigi’s Deli, my father worked in a bakery and then helped my uncle at his retail butcher shop in Bloomfield,” said Toms River resident Luigi DeRiggi, 53. “But my father always wanted to own his own business, so he moved our family from Newark to Toms River when I was little and opened our store in February 1973.”

Though the store has remained in the same location since its founding, “it was smaller then — just 1,500 square feet — and was mainly a deli and butcher shop with some grocery items,” Luigi said. “When we were growing up, my siblings and I all helped out by stocking grocery shelves, cleaning floors and doing whatever else was needed, but I always knew I’d end up running the business someday because it was something I loved.”

That day came to pass right after Luigi’s high school graduation in 1991. “My father had recently passed away and my sister Fran and I were helping my mother run the store,” said Luigi, who ultimately purchased the business with Fran.

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Just 18 years old at the time and responsible for the shop’s five to six employees, “I was nervous,” Luigi recalled. “I felt pressure to do the right thing every day so that we could succeed.”

'A mini supermarket'

Succeed they have.

More than 30 years later and following a renovation in the 1980s that both expanded their retail area to 3,500 square feet and added another 1,500 square feet of warehouse space, “we’re still a premium deli and butcher shop but have broadened our offering to also include groceries, cigarettes, lottery tickets and a catering arm. We consider ourselves a mini supermarket,” Luigi said. “In addition, we recently opened a wholesale company that sells everything from sauce, flour, paper goods and more to pizzerias and restaurants.”

Sandwich lovers will enjoy the landmark deli’s range of popular options, from Boar’s Head turkey, ham or roast beef sandwiches with cheese (priced from $10 to $14) to the deli’s signature Luigi’s Special featuring ham, cheese, salami and capicola with lettuce, tomato, onions, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

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“We also offer prepared grab-and-go dishes like chicken française, chicken marsala, meatballs and spaghetti, and grouper as well as freshly butchered meats, including filets, rib eyes, chicken and hamburgers,” Luigi said. “We use all choice, prime and/or organic meat delivered fresh every day and we make our own roast beef and sausage right in the shop.”

Among trends, “everybody loves chicken — cutlets, cordon bleu, française, chicken legs and more,” Luigi said. “We used to sell a lot more veal, but now beef, pork and chicken have gotten more popular.

"At the same time, a lot of supermarkets aren’t butchering beef to order anymore — it’s shipped in and pre-packaged — which has sent many former supermarket customers our way," he continued. "We find that people still want to be served and have that relationship with a butcher, because the butcher knows the customer, gives them exactly what they want and offers advice on how to cook it.”

As for challenges, “the hours can be long,” Luigi said of running the shop, which is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. “In addition, food, labor and insurance costs have all gone up and we can’t always pass that on to our customers; we sometimes have to absorb those increases, which can be hard on a small business.”

On a positive note, however, “we’ve recently seen some prices coming down,” he said, “and certain foods that were hard to get during the pandemic, like chicken, are no longer a concern.”

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'Your whole life has made people smile'

With legions of loyal customers coming through their doors for decades, “we’re a staple in the area and take pride in supporting our community,” Luigi said of the role the deli plays locally. “We donate food to many first-responder organizations like the EMS, police and fire department, support local charitable causes and school events, and take care of customers at the holidays. From cooking for state troopers to serving as the caterer for Toms River-based River Lady Cruises, we always try to help.”

That desire to give back recently extended to the 50th-anniversary celebration Luigi’s Deli hosted for the community on May 7.

“We had about 1,000 people come through that day for free hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream and T-shirts,” Luigi said of the festivities his shop organized. “Local radio station WOBM broadcasted from our location and the mayor honored us with a proclamation recognizing our 50 years in business.”

“This community is very tight-knit — they call us the little town with the big heart,” agreed daughter Michelle DeRiggi, 24, who grew up working at the shop before and after school and now covers duties ranging from store management to product ordering and marketing.

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“People see what we’ve done in the community and appreciate our commitment to quality and customer service and they support us," she continued. "We have so many regular customers that we see every day and they’re like family to us; our employees are like members of the family as well.”

Supported by roughly 30 employees, including four to five butchers, “we’ll be adding more prepared meals to our menu — they’re very popular and are great for people who work or families on the go,” Luigi said of the latest opportunity the deli is pursuing. “We just hope to continue working hard, providing quality products and service, and remaining successful.”

“I love people, truly enjoy coming to work every day, and it feels great to hit 50!” Luigi added of celebrating the third-generation shop’s golden anniversary. “It’s great to know that what you did your whole life has made people smile.”

Michelle couldn’t agree more. “I love hearing the positive feedback about our sandwiches and catering and seeing our customers come back again and again,” she said. “It lets us know that we’re doing the right thing and that people enjoy and appreciate it.”

Luigi's Deli, Butcher Shop & Catering

Location: 424 Dover Road, South Toms River

Phone: 732-341-0630

Owners: The DeRiggi Family

Founded: 1973

Website: www.luigisdeliandcatering.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: South Toms River NJ: Luigi Deli Meat Market celebrates 50 years