Deli Diva Departing Largo

The post on the Deli Diva's Facebook page last week was short and cryptic. It read: "I think we just broke a record! Great news!"

Clicking the link on the post directed viewers to the whole story, sorta; it said the popular downtown Largo sandwich shop was closing after five years "due to our other committments taking us away from The Deli Diva," and that a new tenant would be taking over.

Patch immediately dispatched a correspondent to the First Avenue SW shop to find out what would make the owners of the home of arguably the area's best pastrami sandwich close down.

"We ran the Deli Diva for five years and we decided we were ready to slow down, lease the property and give someone else a chance," co-owner Chef Anne Buck said of her and her husband Robert's decision.

"It was time. We're ready to move on to other things."

The Bucks both have other interests outside of making killer sandwiches. Robert is an avid ironwork artist and Anne is a writer.

In fact, Robert's works dot the corner lot where the shop, and the Bucks' home, is located. 

They two plan to continue to be fixtures in the community. They just won't be doing it by selling sandwiches.

"We were only going to do this for a few more years at the most," Robert Buck said. "We were always thinking about devoting more time to our other interests."

The reason the transition happened so quickly was because no sooner had the Bucks put their place on the market, an entrepreneuring pair of chefs decided to snap it up.

In fact one of the two new partners, Kimberly Platt, is a former Deli Diva customer who was looking for a place to launch a new business.

According to the post, the pair plan to open a Charlie Tulum's Taco Shack on the property in October.

"Kimberly was a former customer who always wanted to open her own business," Anne Buck said.

"We announced on July 19 we were selling the business, and 13 days later they signed the lease. I think we set a record for the fastest turnaround ever!"

While the Buck's admit they will miss the camaraderie they enjoyed with their customers, they were quick to point out they are not leaving town.

Robert said he plans on adding to the collection of eclectic art pieces he has on the property, and they both want to be involved in the renaissance the downtown district is enjoying.

"We will use the property to showcase out work," Robert Buck said. We'd like this area to turn into another Dunedin or Gulfport."

"It is bittersweet, but we'll still be here for all our friends," Anne said. "We'll still be a part of the community."