A workday eatery popular with Downtown employees is leaving its home of 13 years — but its next move is unclear.
Operating since 2013 out of a first-floor restaurant space at Old National Bank’s headquarters at One Main St., The Deli is closing July 30 after the bank declined to renew its lease agreement this spring. Owned by longtime restaurateur Scott Nickens and operated with his wife, Patti, and son, Ian, The Deli originated in 2001 as the Old Market Deli on North First Avenue, then spent 10 years on Northwest First Street in a space next door to the Old Post Office.
“A banker headhunted us and asked if we wanted to move in here,” Ian says. Scott adds, “The bank’s vision in the beginning was to use it for more than just an employee cafeteria. They always wanted this to bring in people from outside the bank. And people followed us here.”
The Deli regularly fills the bellies of between 100 and 125 customers a day. Regulars know to arrive early on Tuesdays to beat the long line ordering savory taco salads. The salad bar is a big hit, and fish specials are a Friday tradition even outside of Lent. Many Downtown business workers have followed the Nickens family for years, craving the homestyle cooking as much as the company.
“The Deli became my lunch staple when I was a young professional,” says City Council President Ben Trockman, who began his career as an outreach and employment specialist at Old National. “It has been the setting for meaningful introductions, great conversations, plenty of sarcastic humor from the Nickens family, and so many delicious meals.”
Patti has worked with Scott on and off for 25 years. Their daughter Grayson, 36, and sons Ian, 34, and Grant, 31, helped mop floors and clean bathrooms when they were growing up. Ian says he chose to join his father full time in 2010 because “he’s not a chef who’s sitting back in the office. He’s on the line, and I respect that.”
That family atmosphere also attracted customers. “I’ve always loved The Deli because the Nickens family and staff had an incredible gift for making everyone feel welcome, often greeting customers by name with a smile,” says Erika Taylor, the outgoing CEO of YWCA Evansville. “My favorite order is the salad trio, and I could never leave without one of their delicious peanut butter cookies.”
Now, those regulars are expressing their gratitude with increased orders, heartfelt hugs — and cash. “Tips have gone through the roof,” Scott remarks. “One lady gave a $50 tip on a $32 lunch.”
He says a new location for The Deli isn’t secured yet, and with each order, he’s jotting down customers’ phone numbers so he can notify them when and where The Deli reopens. “We’ve looked all over. Most places are bigger than we need. We’re looking for 1,600-1,700 square feet. Someplace already built out for a restaurant would be ideal, but that’s hard to come by,” Scott says, adding that location, too, is key: “We want to stay Downtown.”
Customers have already expressed willingness to follow The Deli to its next home. “They’ll certainly be missed at ONB headquarters, and I’m excited to hear if they’ll be reopening in a new location,” Taylor says. “I know many of us will be looking forward to visiting them again.”
“The Deli is more than a truly delicious restaurant — it is a truly good family serving our community,” Trockman adds.
In a statement shared with Evansville Business, an Old National spokesperson said, “For more than a decade, the team at The Deli has been a part of daily life at ONPlace, serving our team members and visitors with dedication and care. We are thankful for their partnership and deeply appreciate the role they have played in our workplace community.”
The move, Scott says, was initiated after Old National expressed the desire to move in a different direction, and the bank is joining forces with a nearby business owner to both operate the restaurant and cater its events. That new partner is Randy Hobson, owner of Downtown eateries Pangea Pizzeria and 2nd Language in addition to Pangea Kitchen on the East Side and Sazón y Fuego in Newburgh. A rep from Pangea Restaurant Group says Hobson’s new venture, Global Exchange, will continue breakfast and lunch service, offer an elevated coffee program, and serve a menu focused on locally sourced ingredients, made-from-scratch dishes, and flavors inspired by cultures around the world. It is slated to open Aug. 10.
Until then, diners have only a few more days to order their favorite dishes before The Deli shuts down operations July 30.
“I’m not retiring,” Scott says emphatically. “I want to keep working. What that looks like, I don’t know.”
