Sad, sad news for all sandwich-lovers of Knoxville: Frussie's Deli is no more. Owner James Dicks is leaving the business for extremely personal reasons.
This little deli in the Moody Complex in South Knoxville has been my favorite local sandwich shop of all time, with its own roasted meats and baked breads. (The Italian, warm, was a thing of culinary beauty.) When I noticed a for-lease sign in its window recently, I mentioned it to Rose Kennedy who phoned the sandwich artist at his home. Here's the item:
Loyal patrons were hoping the signs on the locked doors at Frussie's Deli in
South Knoxville just indicated a schedule change on owner James Dicks
traditional annual two-month sabbatical, but he's selling the deli for the
most wrenching reason: cancer. "I'm doing chemo, started last week, and I
don't have the energy to work the deli, too," he says. "I don't know how
long I'll be doing the chemo, and I can't just keeping paying the rent in
the meantime." Dicks, who's been home-baking bread and slicing New York
City-quality roasted cold cuts for 14 years in the Knoxville location, and
10 previously in Gatlinburg, will still live in the area. The deli's been
for sale two weeks, and had a couple of queries, which are being handled by
Bill Keck of Real Estate Associates. If all goes well for Dicks, he says,
he'll take up a different type of work later, one that doesn't require
12-hour days.
I am saddened beyond words with the discovery of this news. I have known James and Sam for over 20 years. I've eaten at Frussie's since the mid 80's and enjoyed the playful banter that they offer up free with every meal. For years I've jokingly referred to James as "The Sandwich Nazi". If you "knew" him, you know what I mean by that and if you never had a Frussie's sandwich you may never know the joy of perfection in food. Much more an artist than a nazi!
Good Luck James
Jimmie