For those who partake in a holiday meal — a sheet of bronze turkey skin, billowing piles of mashed potatoes or brussel sprouts roasted to perfection — the Dilly Deli is the place to be on Christmas Day.
Co-owners Rachel and Jefe Branham will take a break from their weekly routine of flaky apple turnovers, creamy tomato bisque and “Mushroom Sally” sandwiches to cook a holiday-themed meal on Christmas Day. Starting at 4 p.m., anyone can drop into the eatery on Main Street for a meal. The Branhams are only asking that patrons “pay what you can.”
“The intention is to reach people who need something wholesome and filling, not just for the belly,” Rachel said. “I know that the holidays are a mixed bag for folks, and so I want the Dilly Deli to be a welcoming space for anybody.”
This “pay what you can” model, in use in restaurants and cafes around the country, allows those who usually can’t afford a meal out to enjoy one. It also asks that those who can pay more do so, to support the business as it offers subsidized meals to those in need.
As children in Arizona, Rachel and her brother visited soup kitchens and served community meals around the holidays. The seasonal outing was an early lesson that the spirit of giving is not limited to gift-wrapping and fir trees, she said.
“I consider this a venue for community generosity … [Pay what you can] allows people to pay $1 because that's what's available to them, or to pay $100 because they think it's a really great idea,” Rachel said.
For example, Denver restaurant and nonprofit SAME, or “So all may eat,” uses this model. Patrons can donate 30 minutes of work, money (the average contribution is $5) or fresh produce in exchange for a meal. In 2023, the restaurant served over 20,000 meals and garnered nearly 7,500 volunteer hours. The nonprofit stays afloat by collecting donations and grants, which fund over 80% of its operations, according it’s 2023 tax return.
But the Branhams, who don’t run the Dilly as a nonprofit, can’t subsidize charitable events (like the coming meal) with grants. In general, state and federal subsidies for commercial businesses pale in comparison to those available to nonprofits like SAME. Nonetheless, “showing up” for the community, especially during the holidays, is important, she said.
Rachel and Jefe opened the Dilly last winter, and are approaching one year in business. The pair opened doors following the closure of the building’s former tenant and longtime deli, Firebrand.
Behind Branham, a corkboard is peppered with receipts from locals who have pre-paid for another’s meal, redeemable at any time. Above the collection of paper, a sign announces, “so all may eat.” In a recent Facebook post announcing the meal, many commented that they’d like to pay it forward, and instead of attending the Christmas Day event, asked to pre-purchase a meal for someone else.
A few feet away, a black board lists the deli’s local producers, including Paonia-based Mountain Oven and Gunnison-area Jitter Juice, Calder Farms and Gunnison Gardens. On a glacial Thursday afternoon last week, Sherry Redden, the Dilly’s egg lady, arrived on a gust of cold air from outside. She unpacked 10 dozen eggs into Jefe’s waiting hands.
“I really believe that food made with whole ingredients is the answer to a lot of the world's problems,” Rachel said.
Rachel wants the Dilly to be a space for all in the community, even burgeoning writers. The second Wednesday of each month, she hosts a poetry night from 5:30 to 7 p.m., open to all acolytes of Keats, Wordsworth, Plath or Angelou, among others. Participants can also bring their own poems to share, and Rachel will offer word exercises to inspire some creativity.
She hopes to offer similar community meals in the future, possibly around holidays.
“Taking up space on Main Street is a privilege that I don't take lightly,” she said. “I take pride in being a place where people want to come, that represents what's good about Gunnison that gives to people and the community.”
(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@gunnisontimes.com.)
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here