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Steven Salamon, Owner
David Pike, Manager
Nicola Harwood, Deli Assistant
Lynne Bosanquet, Nicola Gainey and Mark Pask, Deli Assistants
Tricia Pike, St David’s 2 Manager |
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Ask any family run business what makes it so successful and the answer usually lies in the strenght of its team. Wally’s in Royal Arcade is real testament to this. Owner, Steven Salamon explained to City Life why the deli’s formidable success is totally down to team work.
THE WONDER OF WALLY’S
Wally’s is a family affair then?
Yes, I took over the deli from my father Wally Salamon in 1993. My wife Corrine and two of my children, Ben and Natalie, also work here on Saturdays. To date we are the only local independent business in St Davids 2.
Tell us about your team.
In my opinion having a good team on board is the key to success for any business. We train all our team on the job and we all get on extremely well. Three members of the team have worked at Wally’s since it started. David Pike, the shop manager has worked for us from the age of 14 and is still going strong. David’s wife Tricia and David Richards have also both been working here since 1981.
Why do you place so much importance on training?
Our customers expect our team to know exactly what they’re selling. The product knowledge they possess is second to none.
Has the shopping experience changed since you’ve
extended in the Royal Arcade?
Thankfully, for the better. We’ve been able to extend our range of products and customers still enjoy seeing familiar faces, being able to get the product knowledge that they can’t get elsewhere. They seem to like the hustle and bustle of jostling between the aisles finding products that they can’t find anywhere else.
Our customers aren’t the type of people who enjoy pushing a trolley up and down countless aisles. Most of all, they like the atmosphere and the banter that exists between myself and the team. There’s really nowhere else like it in Cardiff.
Tell us more about your new store in St David’s 2.
The new complex is definitely bringing more customers into the city and into the arcades. Our shop there stocks a variety of chocolates and old fashioned loose sweets such as bon bons, liquorice and all of the sweets that trigger those nostalgic memories. It also stocks other products. Tricia is the manager there.
What’s on offer at Christmas?
Christmas is a special time at Wally’s. Customers flock here to stock up on seasonal specialities, such as Italian Pannetone, the original variety and those infused with liquor. Also available is German Stollen, Spanish and Italian Torrone, German Lebkuchen, Ginger - bread houses, Spanish confectionary and Belgian Chocolates. I could go on but, seriously, we’d be here all day!
Throughout December we have regular samplings of meats, cheeses, biscuits and cakes to make shopping decisions easier. Customers can also order their bespoke Christmas hampers which are now quite infamous but I would suggest booking early, as when stock goes, it really goes!
Wally’s Delicatessen
38 - 46 Royal Arcade, Cardiff CF10 1AE also at First Floor, St David’s 2
029 2022 9265
steve@wallysdeli.co.uk
www.wallysdeli.co.uk
Open from 8am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday
Sundays 11am to 5pm. |
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