Wasilewski’s Market to close doors

After 94 years as a community fixture, Wasilewski’s Market on South Jefferson Street will close tomorrow.

However, the store’s name and its most famous product will continue.

Wasilewski’s kielbasa will be available at Giant Eagle, said market owner Sherri Firmi, who has owned and operated Wasilewski’s for the past six years.

The Polish-style sausage has been available at Giant Eagle for the last two years, both locally and on South Avenue in the Youngstown area and the State Street Shop ’n’ Save in Hermitage.

Only a very limited amount of kielbasa will be available at the Sheep Hill store tomorrow.

Firmi said the decision to close the store for good at 4 p.m. tomorrow was difficult.

“We looked for a buyer. We considered relocating. But in the end, this is the way we had to go,” she said.

Reflecting on the store’s history, Firmi noted the business was begun by John Wasilewski in 1912. He operated it for 44 years before handing it off to his son, Walter Wasilewski, who ran it for another 44 years on his own.

Firmi and her husband Rodney purchased the store on Dec. 1, 2000.

“We were able to keep the business running for almost another six years,” she said.

On the opposite end of town, the North Hill, Rick “Sarge” McCool will expand his selling talents.

Not only will the Preston Motors salesman continue to sell cars, he also will start selling heroes.

McCool, his wife, Gwen, his sister Edith “Cookie” McCullough and friend Cassie Fullwood will open Sarge’s Sub and Deli Sept. 18. The shop will be in Neshannock Plaza, on Wilmington Road, across from Call’s Plaza.

The business, which will feature Boar’s Head cold cuts, Mancini bread from McKees Rocks, homemade soups and sandwiches — including New York-style sandwiches with four to six ounces of meat — baked and sweet potatoes and other specials. They also will do catering.

The shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

“Sunday is a day of rest,” said the former Marine.

A 13-year veteran of the Marine Corps, McCool will continue the military lingo on his menu.

“We’ll have the full bird colonel turkey sub, down to the recruit — a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for kids,” he said.

He added he and his wife incorporated as MACSS Inc., which stands for Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, Soldiers and Sailors. His logo features a sub-eating bulldog — Sarge.

In addition to being handy to his other place of employment, the sub shop is “in a central location in the heart of the North Hill on the most-traveled highway in Lawrence County,” McCool noted.

New Castle is ready for a new sub shop, he said.

“I didn’t want to compete with the good Italian foods and the pizza shops,” he said. “They’re established and they have good food. I believe we’ll offer something new, different and we’ll succeed.”

Sarge’s Subs and Deli can be reached at (724) 652-9200.