Neighborhood staple Martin's Deli serves up sandwiches and a little support

Kip takes pride in running one of the oldest family-owned businesses on Kensington Avenue. Behind the counter, where he spends his days slicing, grilling and serving up sandwiches for his customers, he keeps a framed photo of the family that owned and operated the deli nearly a century ago.

According to family accounts, Morris Bender immigrated to the United States from Ukraine in the 1920s, as Joseph Stalin began consolidating control of the Soviet Union. Still a teenager at the time, Bender fled Ukraine in the middle of the night with a close friend, traveling by boat to Romania before continuing to the United States.

Morris met Clara, married, and moved to Philadelphia—where Morris’ cousin lived at the time. He soon purchased Martin’s Deli.

The Bender family was part of a wave of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who made an impression on the commerce, culture, and cuisine of Philadelphia in the early-to-mid-20th century. The family took pride in running a quality business and being part of the close-knit community in Kensington. 

According to her grandchildren, Clara was a tough, hardworking woman who would rise every morning at 4 a.m. to begin prepping and cooking food for the day. The Benders were also known for their generosity,offering free sandwiches to local police officers and firemen as well as those in need, the family said.

That sentiment has held true even as the business has changed hands. The deli’s current owners bought the business in the 1990s. Kip, who asked to be identified by first name only for privacy reasons, is their son-in-law and now manages the deli.

Customers stop in daily to grab snacks and drinks, while behind the counter Kip makes breakfast sandwiches, cheesesteaks, hoagies, and burgers for breakfast and lunch. Kip and his staff know many of their customers by name, and there’s always a conversation going.

“They come here everyday, they spend money, buy a Tastykake or a beer. And everyday when you see people, you get to know them,” he said. “ I can tell them to be easy. I can joke with people, I can have a conversation.”

Kip was born in Korea and immigrated to the United States as a teenager to live with his parents in Delaware. After graduating high school, he came to Philadelphia to study illustration at the University of the Arts, later finding work in the field of medical equipment and sales. Through that work, he met his wife – the daughter of the current owners of Martin’s Deli.

But by his early 30s, Kip realized there was limited room for growth in the medical industry. Despite the hard work it would demand, he saw opportunity in supporting his in-laws with the deli and eventually stepping in to take over the business.

But learning the deli business and getting to know Kensington wasn't easy.

For one, the work was tough.

“I would work every day from 5 a.m. until closing time late at night. And I was young, so I was able to hustle hard and grind.”

On top of that, customers caused disruptions in the store and sometimes stole things. At times, his emotions got the better of him, occasionally leading to confrontations and fights.

“But it wasn’t working,” he said. “Year after year in Kensington, my point of view changed.”

Kip has now worked in Martin’s Deli for over a decade. In that time, he has shifted his focus towards building relationships with his customers. For him, that means treating every person who walks through the door as a human being —sharing a joke, making conversation, or simply offering to listen.

“It doesn’t matter who comes into my business,” he said. “Whether they’re struggling with addiction or whatever. I respect the customers that come here. They’re my customers and they’re coming in here to spend their money.” 

He also thinks often about the young people he sees drawn into drug dealing.

“I’ve been here for enough years that I knew a lot of them when they were in middle school and used to come in here to order a sausage, egg and cheese every day,” he said.

Next door to Martin’s Deli is Sunshine House, a drop-in center for people in need of food, shelter or treatment. Case manager Daniel Sheehan said the deli is a huge help with Sunshine’s lunch program.

“We buy prepared meals or we give people a card,” Sheehan said.

Sheehan, a Kensington resident, is also a big fan of the cheesesteak and the breakfast sandwiches. 

“Martin’s Deli is a part of the fabric of the neighborhood," he said. "It’s a member of the community itself.”

When Kip serves people who use or sell drugs, he tries to offer guidance and remind them that they still have choices, he said. He is the first to admit he isn’t a social worker, but as a storeowner he believes he can still make a difference

“At least I can talk to young kids who get into drug dealing and ask them to chill,” Kip said. “I can have a conversation with them and try to let them know that they have options.”

Last year, muralists Tommy McShane and Janice Kim, with help from John C. Zerbe, painted a mural outside Martin’s Deli. 

The artwork depicts the old photo of the Bender family inside their deli, with Kip standing behind the cash register. It serves as a tribute to the deli’s role as a neighborhood staple in Kensington across generations. 

For Kip, it’s always humbling to be reminded of that history. 

“People come in and tell me, ‘When I was four years old, I used to come in here and buy Reubens,’” he said. 

Running the deli is demanding, and the challenges are often unpredictable. Still, knowing the shop has endured for a century—and thinking of all the families who have managed it over the years—keeps Kip grounded. 

But when asked about the legacy of owning a 100-year-old business, Kip laughed. 

“There’s no legacy, buddy,” he said. “I take it day by day.”