Kellie’s Deli, is slated to open Monday, October 7th, at 516 Tennessee Street, Suite 127.
“It’s going to be a full-service deli,” says owner Kellie Barksdale. “We have seating — 36 seats inside, about 12 seats outside.”
Barksdale says she knows what people like. “It’s the South, so I’ve got to have some ‘tater salad,” she says. In addition, she says she’s got everything from “brown sugar spicy bacon” to loaded potato soup.
It’s a big menu: “I have Cajun turkey, ham, chicken, bologna,” she says. “We have pepperoni, salami, and barbecue chicken that I’m making.” Barksdale says she’ll also serve a Cuban pork tenderloin sandwich, Greek, chicken, and veggie heroes, Italian subs, meatball subs with house-made meatballs, and a spicy “kickin’ chicken” sandwich. Appetizers include barbecue nachos and cheese and sausage trays.
Barksdale, who is from Arkansas and now lives downtown, has been in the food business for 40 years. “I had not had a restaurant before,” she says, “only fast food training. I worked for Burger King for 20 plus years.” She also worked for Arby’s for seven years. “I know the food business in and out,” she says.
Her daughter, Ashley Barksdale, and her brother, Jessie Alls, will be helping her out.They’ve revamped the space, which used to be a grocery store. The walls have been painted green to go with the green decor that was already there, Barksdale says. “We just leaned into the green.”
The wall hangings for Kellie’s Deli are already in place. “B.B. King is up. Elvis is up. We even have Libertyland, Grizzlies, 901, all of those things,” she says. “It’s very Memphis.”