By Cynthia Koons
He balances two very different jobs, one as a teacher at a private school in Connecticut and one as the owner of Ralph's Deli at 819 College Point Blvd. in College Point, with some help from his parents who are veterans of the business. “My family's been doing this for 15 years,” Kim, 29, said. “This was a good store, a good neighborhood.”Originally from Ohio, Kim's parents relocated to Flushing and ran a store in Brooklyn several years ago, but have since sold it.”They work with me, they pretty much run it when I'm not here,” he said.Diane, one of his two part-time employees, said Ralph's has been in the neighborhood for 35 years. “Ralph” himself sold the store in 1998, she said, and still lives above it. The store has since been run by a series of owners.Kim found the store through a broker who helps prospective business buyers find stores on the market.”It was already in good shape,” Kim said. “We just put a lot more stock in it than was here.”Kim said his first year of business last year was great for sales. But during the past few months he said business has slowed considerably.”At first there was an increase in sales but nowadays, it's a bad economy. This year's not so good,” he said.The family decided to keep Ralph's name on the sign in order to preserve its history in the neighborhood.”We could change the name, but people around the neighborhood know the place as 'Ralph's,' we even answer the phone 'Ralph's,'” Kim said.In stock, the store has a selection of cookies, bleach, canned goods, beans, soups and Boar's Head meats. Those meats are used for a variety of subs and sandwiches like bologna, pepperoni, liverwurst, chicken and egg salads.Diane, whose sister also works at the store, said the customers have eating habits that she has picked up on in her seven years of being at the store.”You get to know them, what they want, how they take their coffee,” she said.She originally worked for Ralph and said it was a big decision for him to sell the store.Since then, there has been a revolving door of owners with the Kims being the fifth family to operate to run the store.Kim said he and his parents don't worry about splitting profits.”We just try to stay afloat,” he said.As Diane made sandwiches for two customers last week, neighborhood people stopped by and waved to her and Kim.”Even the garbage guys know us,” she joked.Reach reporter Cynthia Koons by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 141.
