When locals go to hang out at Rio Del Mar beach, they like to get some good eats at Pixie Deli! Whether it’s outdoor table or grab-and-go to eat on the sand, Pixie is a pretty sweet location with a tasty sandwiches, burritos and of course, cheeseburger & fries! Today’s Santa Cruz Doors feature is an interview with the owner of Pixie Deli, Dave Whiting:
Tell us how long you’ve been in business here?
We bought the Pixie Deli in January of 2019. As you know it has a rich history of being a favorite spot by the beach in Rio Del Mar for years. We just wanted to take what had already been created and build on it.
How did you get started?
I've been in different segments of the food industry in Santa Cruz County for most of my life. I have a large family located in town (I’m one of eight siblings that live here) and grew up in a family business where you learn all sorts of things about the food business. I also worked for a local food service distributor for over 20 years. There I dealt with many small business owners in the restaurant business and learned what their biggest needs and concerns are were when owning your own restaurant. I left that 2 years ago and was looking for my next “thing.” I found out that the owner of the Pixie Deli was looking to sell and retire. We went and looked at it and once I stood on the outside patio and looked out over the beach, I said - LET’S DO THIS! Where else can you get a deli 100 feet from the beach in California? The answer was obvious.
What do you love about Aptos/Santa Cruz?
I was born here and raised in Santa Cruz my whole life, as well as my family. Needless to say, we are extremely connected to this area and have always loved the beach environment. I was a junior lifeguard when Santa Cruz City was the only location and now they are all over the county. Beach and outdoor activity is important to me and my family. I must say that I love what is going on in the Aptos area. I live in Soquel currently, but Aptos has changed and is definitely different that what I remember when I was growing up. It’s becoming a little “foodie” town. What’s great about being at the Pixie are the locals I get to see and visit and talk with. I’ll go to other locations in Aptos and they’ll say “how come you aren’t at the Pixie?” I love the connection to the people in this community. I see great potential for what the Pixie is and what it can be.
How has your business been affected by the pandemic and shelter-in-place?
Like other food service locations, we’ve been hit pretty hard. With this being the Spring Break time of year, we are definitely taking a hit. With that said, I am encouraged by the business we are doing which is allowing us to maintain some of our staff and keep them employed as much as possible.
How have you made adjustments and how can we as a community support you?
We took advantage of the time and closed for the last 5 days for renovations and have re-opened today, April 19th. It’s during times like these that you learn different ways to adjust and move forward, and technology will definitely be a part of that. Pick up/delivery options have taken on much more importance than they used to and we’ll learn from this when the “Shelter-In-Place” policy comes to an end. The community has been so supportive. I’ve heard “thanks for being open” every day. That means a lot!
What are your favorite dishes that you serve? Or customer fave?
The food at the Pixie Deli is really good. Most of what we serve, we cook on site and smoke over mesquite charcoal. That means our roast beef, turkey, salmon, tri-tip, chicken, are all prepared that way. We are roasting 1/2 chickens every day and serve them with rice & beans, fries or salad. It’s one of the best kept secrets we have. We are well-known for our breakfast burritos as well. Local customers love that we partner with local suppliers. So for example, we have Marianne’s Ice Cream, Verve Coffee, Kelly’s Bakery Bread, Discretion and Uncommon Beer. We are grateful for the continued support of our customers!
Website: www.PixieGoodEats.com
Facebook: Pixie Deli & Good Eats
Instagram: Pixie Deli Aptos