A local favorite, The Grand Deli, has disappeared from downtown Carlsbad forever. After 28 years of creating food for the community, Mike Downs and his family have closed the doors to the popular eatery.

Downs realized it was time for the deli to close after hearing about the rent increase due to the new buyers of the multi-tenant building. The Grand Deli had successfully made it through the recession, but had to increase prices on the menu by 15 percent to stay in business. The restaurant on the corner of Grand Avenue and Roosevelt Street lost its lease and had to make way for the new tenant, Cicciotti’s Trattoria Italiana and Seafood.

“I had been going to The Grand Deli since I was a child,” junior Alana Snow said. “I went every Sunday morning with my family, godparents and any other friends and relatives we could bring along.”

The Grand Deli drew in hundreds of tourists every year but was a frequent local spot in Carlsbad. It was a family-oriented place and attracted customers of all ages.

“It was so nice to have such a strong connection to the community and the regulars that went there,” Snow said. “It’s a great people watching place too; seeing grandchildren running around, dogs outside, cyclist walking in, firemen getting their coffee.”

As for Downs’s future, he has decided to backpack the Pacific Crest Trail in the Sierras by himself.

“I found out The Grand Deli had closed two weeks ago and it made me very sad,” senior Nicole Mendrala said. “I had been going there ever since I was four and went every Thursday after pre-school.”

The Grand Deli closed its doors for the last time on Aug. 28. The community came together to give it a final farewell.

“The whole vibe of The Grand Deli made me feel a part of the community, it was almost like a second family,” Snow said. “The Grand Deli was a family owned business that can never be replaced and it will be missed.”