SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – While having a business discussion over lunch regarding a separate company he owns, Leo Grover, new owner of the Beach Hut Deli in South Lake Tahoe said the topic of the popular franchise came up. He was, after all, talking with the person who also handles franchise business development for Beach Hut Deli who expressed that they would love to have an owner/operator in South Lake Tahoe.

The previous Beach Hut Deli closed in late 2023 and was still sitting vacant as Grover was thinking about his lunch discussion.

“I’ve always enjoyed Beach Hut Deli and their sandwiches,” said Grover. “My wheels started turning … Then I had this big meeting at this construction site, and they catered in all these Beach Hut Deli sandwiches, and I saw these boxes, and like, I mean, somebody’s talking to me.”

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It was then that Grover called back and started the conversation about re-opening in the same location. And after going through the franchise vetting process, Grover bought into the business and went to work on the remodel.

“We gutted the whole place,” added Grover. “Every table in here is brand new, and all these surfboards are made specifically for here.”

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And while Beach Hut Deli has a small handful of contractors they use for specific items, it was very important for Grover to use local contractors on any item that he could – from the signage to the flooring.

With construction in full swing, it was also time for Grover to think about staffing and management. Coincidentally, right around the same he was working through the process, the Pizza Hut in town was closing and Grover was familiar with the location and service.

“I hired three of their best people that I’ve known for years. It was like all the stars amazingly aligned.”

Officially, the new Beach Hut Deli opened its doors on November 11, 2024, which also happened to be Veteran’s Day – another example of the stars aligning for Grover.

“11-11 are my numbers. When I see 11-11 on my phone or 1-11, those are my angel numbers – they’re home,” added Grover.

“I love veterans. That day we gave free sandwiches. So, every Veteran’s Day, I’ll give free sandwiches to every veteran. I would help out any vet that did anything for this country. I don’t care if they’re admin or on the front line, they’re beautiful. That’ll be a great day all the time for as long as we’re gonna be here.”

Opening in early November also gave the restaurant an opportunity to grab back the local audience during shoulder season – something that was also important to Grover.

He added, “I did start in the shoulder season because I wanted to get the belief of the community first and the regulars. And so far, I think it’s been remarkable. The community has been great.”

As part of the community integration, Grover also implemented a self-imposed 90 trays in 90 days, giving away 90 free trays of sandwiches in the first three months of business, which he is currently on track to deliver. From Barton to Grocery Outlet, his goal is to let the community know that they are back in business, and it seems to be working.

Grover shared comparisons of the same month to the last time the restaurant was open, and if the early returns hold, there are positive indicators that this iteration of the Beach Hut Deli should remain in the community for a long time to come.

And as the restaurant continues its efforts to rebrand and grow further community support, Grover says to be on the lookout around April for fun identification for locals’ discount – something that will surely go a long way when it comes to longevity in South Lake Tahoe.

Beach Hut Deli is located at 1072 Emerald Bay Rd in South Lake Tahoe, CA. For more information you can reach them by phone at (530) 600-0288 or visit them online at beachhutdeli.com/store/south-lake-tahoe/.