Famous American Actors Flock to Korean Stores... Owner Couple in Tears Saying "It's Time to Retire"

Donation and Retirement Commemorative Frame Presented

When a sandwich shop run by a Korean owner in Times Square, New York, closed down, famous Broadway musical actors gathered in one place. They presented a donation to honor the retirement of the owner who had run the shop for decades.

According to US broadcasters Fox 5 and CBS, the sandwich shop "Starlite Deli" located on West 44th Street in New York closed on the 28th of last month (local time).

On that day, a video was posted on the video-sharing platform TikTok showing Broadway actors gathered in front of the shop preparing to close, celebrating the owner's retirement.

Broadway actors delivering donations and a framed picture to Mr. Kim, the owner of a sandwich shop.
[Image source=TikTok]

Together, they sang songs to honor the retirement of the owner and his wife, and presented a donation of $17,839 along with a commemorative frame. The owner and his wife, upon receiving the frame and donation, were seen with tears in their eyes.

According to CBS, the Korean-American Mr. Kim, who founded Starlite Deli, was born in Seoul in 1952. He moved to New York in 1981 and opened the shop in Times Square three years later.

Mr. Kim worked 14 hours a day, seven days a week without rest, running the shop for an impressive 39 years. Thanks to his efforts, the shop became famous even in New York’s theater district, Broadway, and soon earned the nickname "a Broadway landmark." It is said that many actors relied on Mr. Kim’s sandwiches for their meals.

James Monroe Iglehart, who played Genie in the Disney musical "Aladdin," also spoke of Mr. Kim’s shop as "a must-visit place," telling CBS, "I came here before my first Broadway performance. While getting my makeup done, Mr. Kim’s shop would deliver food to us."

However, due to the high rent in New York, Mr. Kim decided to close the shop. Also, being already in his 70s was a burden. Mr. Kim stated, "It’s time to retire," and said he plans to spend more time with his family going forward.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.