Chang Kim was brief in his explanation of the Korean New Year celebration this year.
"I was here," he said.
That has been the Springfield resident's alibi for the past two years since he opened the Yahoo Deli in the Landsdowne Center on Beulah Street just south of Kingstowne. The whole Kim family is behind the effort to operate the deli, which is open 6 a.m.-10 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, 6 a.m.-11:30 p.m. on Fridays, 8 a.m.-11:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and 9 a.m.-10 p.m. on Sundays. It’s a family store, and Chang or his wife, Kyung, is always there.
His wife admitted they broke the routine on Tuesday, Feb. 12, to celebrate the Korean New Year. Like every New Year, they stuck with Korean tradition and brought some food over to the cemetery where his father is buried, for a memorial service.
"We opened late that day," she said.
But day in, day out, the Kim family is there, behind the register and deli counter, fixing sandwiches and keeping the store going. Daughter Michelle, 13, brings her homework in and takes a place at the table along the window, sometimes ringing goods up when the rest of the family is busy. The family lives in West Springfield, but Chang Kim hasn't seen much of home since the store opened.
"I can't do anything at home but sleep. Who likes long hours?" he asked.
<mh>Road Closed
<bt>Their convenient location on the corner of Telegraph Road and Beulah Street hasn't been so convenient since Sept. 11, when the portion of Woodlawn Road through Fort Belvoir closed. Traffic in the area has slowed, and the lunch crowd has thinned, hurting sales substantially. Chang Kim even toyed with the idea of hiring a part-timer to give him some time away from the store, but not now.
"Maybe 25-30 percent [down], that's a lot," Kim said.
He has spoken to authorities about it but wasn't familiar with whom he spoke. He hopes the road will open soon.
"They said they're working on it, but I don't know," he said.
The area is on the western edge of the Mount Vernon District and Fort Belvoir, close to the Lee District. Don Carr, the Fort Belvoir spokesperson, said a committee has been focused on the closed access. The transportation resolution team, which consists of the Virginia Department of Transportation, law enforcement and the U.S. Army, is aware of the issues.
"There is a standing team of folks that meets at least once a week, they've considered the options," Carr said. These options include a gate as well as access for base-affiliated traffic only.
"We fully understand the stress, but no time line's been set," Carr said.
Joan Clark, a transportation representative with Supervisor Dana Kauffman's (D-Lee) office, is familiar with the situation.
"It's being addressed by a team, there's no decision at this point," she said.
<mh>On the Grill
<bt>The Kims are appreciated in the neighborhood, though, with the deli sandwiches being a hit among the regulars.
The tuna melts bring in Brendhan Thompson and Jessica Miller.
"This place is awesome," Thompson said.
Miller talks about discovering the deli.
"We came in for something convenient and noticed the deli," she said.
Kyung Kim worked at a deli in Old Town, Alexandria, as well and learned how to make sandwiches with a friend that owned the store on Cameron Street.
"If I don't open business, she said to stay there," she said.
They also have friends that own a deli in Crystal City. Kim swaps deli tips with his friend.
"We talk about it on the phone," she said.
Their sandwiches continue to be hits among the businesses in the shopping center as well. Marian Unterman of Mount Vernon frequents the Express Yourself Pottery a few doors down. Her favorite is the roast beef with jalapenos and horseradish.
"They have great sandwiches. I don't know of another deli in this area," she said.
Pottery owner Lynetta Cheatham likes the chicken cheese steak.
<mh>Track Record
<bt>The Kims are not new to food retail business and have weathered the adversity that accompanies it. Before opening Yahoo, they had a small supermarket in southeast Washington, D.C. The business was good, but the problems associated with it were not appealing to the Kims.
"People stealing, people fighting," Chang