Carrying on the family tradition

Tariq Malik

Bill Refice loves food.

For 30 years, that love has gone into every facet of Lucci’s Deli at

8911 Adams Ave., an Italian deli and bakery with deep roots in Huntington

Beach and an anniversary party that is in the works.

“We’re planning a little two-day celebration right now for later this

year,” said Refice, the 52-year-old Fountain Valley resident who owns the

deli.

And from the look of things, Refice and his family have much to

celebrate.

Although Lucci’s is celebrating its third decade in Huntington Beach,

2001 marks the Refice family’s 55th year in the deli business.

“The whole thing started in Gardena in 1946,” Refice said, “when my

grandmother Lena Lucci decided to open a mom-and-pop candy store near

what used to be the intersection of Compton Boulevard and Gramercy

Place.”

Lucci and her husband Carl had transplanted from Pittsburgh where Carl

Lucci ran a grocery store. The candy store grew into the deli, and soon

became a family effort with Refice’s late father, Bill Refice Sr., mother

Jean and other family members pitching in.

In 1971, the deli expanded into Huntington Beach, headed up by Bill

Sr. and Jean Refice.

“It was a struggle but we made it,” Jean Refice said.

The family has gone up against large chain grocery stores -- there are

five them within a one-mile radius of the deli -- and has managed to not

only keep business booming, but has grown into a bakery and restaurant on

the weekends as well.

The family atmosphere is still crucial at Lucci’s Deli.

Since his father’s death five years ago, Bill Refice has been at the

helm of Lucci’s, his brother Rick makes the purchases and his mother

helps out as well. His daughter Tasha, 27, comes in on weekends too.

Employees said the family and teamwork atmosphere does not go

unnoticed by workers. The shop’s two bakers started out as cleanup boys,

and later grew in to their positions.

Ed Heyden and his wife Marta, who have been working at Lucci’s for the

last two years, said they feel the place drew them to the Refice family.

“We don’t look at this as a job, it’s a way to help the family here

grow” Ed Heyden said.

The entire family, Jean Refice added, lives close to the business. She

and Rick live in Huntington Beach and Bill lives in Fountain Valley,

which stems from the long-running philosophy that in case something goes

wrong, the family can respond quickly.

Throughout the years, the deli has gained acclaim with its famous

torpedo sandwich -- a 17-inch meat icon wrapped in wax paper. The

Refice’s credit their adherence to quality and service that keeps

customers coming back.

“It’s not at all typical for a business to hit 30 years in the city,”

said Chamber of Commerce President Joyce Riddell, adding that only a

handful of Surf City’s 14,000 business hit that mark. “And Lucci’s really

has been a tremendous community supporter.”

Resident John Johnson, a 15-year patron of Lucci’s, said he visits the

shop at least three or four times a week, if not daily, and there’s no

mystery about his visits.

“There’s the excellent food, the excellent service, what more can you

ask for,” he said, adding that his favorite dish is soup and a turkey and

avocado sandwich.

Fourth, fifth and sixth generation customers from Lucci’s Gardena

location, which closed down in 1986, still pick up cakes and sandwiches

from the family, Bill Refice said.

“Our tradition has become their tradition,” he added.