Saturday, May 29, 2010
Verti Marte burns
Posted by Kevin Allman on Sat, May 29, 2010 at 4:51 PM
In a week that seemed to bring nothing but bad news comes this new sadness: The Verti Marte, the legendary grocery and takeout spot on Royal Street in the lower French Quarter, burned last night. (Pix of the destruction taken by French Quarter blogger Bigezbear here, here and here.)
"Real Food for Real People at Real Prices" was the motto, and that was the truth; if you lived in the Lower Quarter -- as I used to -- you depended on the Verti Marte for everything: take-out plate lunches and bags of chips, BC headache powders and Dr Pepper, Hubig's Pies and ice cream bars. It was the place you went to get a bottle of water on a hot day or a bottle of wine to carry across the street to Mona Lisa.
You never knew who you'd be pressed up against in the Verti Marte's impossibly crowded aisles: laborers and drag queens, wide-eyed visitors and crusty locals, rich folks and poor folks. Brad and Angelina bought smokes there and took their kids there for treats. I've waited on line there with Harry Shearer, Henri Schindler and Hoda Kotb (who was returning from a morning jog in pants so tight that every man in the store burst out laughing when she left). And behind the counter, nearly always, was Sam -- Sam, I've never learned your last name -- who had an Elvis quiff and the patience of a saint, no matter what was transpiring on the other side of his register.
And the food -- getting a butcher paper-and-masking taped po-boy or a Styrofoam container of entree-plus-two-sides from the deli workers was as quintessential a New Orleans experience as eating at Commander's or Dooky's. Who hasn't had an "All That Jazz" (ham, turkey AND shrimp, topped with "WOW" sauce) or my favorite, the "Royal Feast" ("cheese capped grilled and stacked roast beef, turkey & ham complimented with hot pepper cheese, black olives, grilled onions and our original "WOW Sauce")?
The phone at Verti Marte has been busy all morning, but one of our readers who's been over there sent us this Flickr photo set (it's heartbreaking). If there's any good news in this, it's this caption on one of his photos: "I talked to the owner and she said they will definitely rebuild. And she wouldn't give up the WOW sauce recipe."
Sam and our Verti Marte friends: if you need any help, you'll have hundreds of hungry friends waiting to lend a hand.
Comments (16)
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Really nice piece on one of my favorite New Orleans institutions. Thanks for linking to my Flickr pics - just one correction - I'm a chick, not a dude! And I just put a couple more pics up.
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When I still lived in Queens, I caught a snippet of the show American Routes on the radio there, and Nick Spitzer put in an order to the Verti-Marte, then interviewed the delivery guy when he came in with the food, and I was suddenly so homesick for New Orleans, it hurt. Here's to the Verti-Marte coming back stronger than ever. It better.
that place needed a deep cleaning anyhow LoL!!! It better return bigger and better! (let's hope there's a little more room between the cooler and the shelves this time
No worries, Kevin. But if this is indeed my 15 minutes, I don't want it to be marred by an inaccuracy such as that! ;) Thanks for the coverage.
Kevin, this is Sam Hatfield (that's the last name) with the Elvis quiff (my wife loved this and completely agrees with you LOL). Thank you for the kind note/write-up. Please let everyone know that WE WILL BE BACK! Hopefully no later than the end of July. We so apprecited all of our loyal custumer's support. In the meantime I will be VERY busy over the next 2 months bringing back your Verti Marte.
Hey. I was a frequent customer of the Verdi Marte up until Katrina... I will never forget you. As a vegetarian, and a 13 year resident of New Orleans, I worked in the Quarter and I will never forget the anticipation of calling up the Verti Marte and waiting for the delivery boy to bring one of the dressed veggieburger po'boys. You were the ONLY ones to have them. And not only that...just walking into the Verti Marte...4am, 7am, 10am, 4pm, 12 midnight...delivery..whatever, knowing that you could get the same awesome, consistantly great service, goods, food...(not to mention the rolls of duct tape, sharpies, and fifths of whisky you might want to order from delivery at 3 a.m.) Please don't stand by and let one of the last great remaining independant stores of the French Quarter die!!!
Hey...do you guys have a facebook/save verti marte page? Cause i could help you with that :)
I remember buying smokes in there when I visited New Orleans in 2008. It's a real shame—the atmosphere was pretty special, memorable for a convenience store, I mean. Here's to them rebuilding as soon as possible!
My best wishes go out to all the people at the Verti-Marte. Thirty years ago Danny Wilson, (owner of the Verti-Marte and the Golden Lantern bar), gave me the very first job I ever had--working the weekend late shift at the Verti-Marte. I didn't even know how to count change, and the cash register dated from the early Stone Age, so it was a baptism by fire. A gorgeous man, who always wore a cowboy hat and boots, ran the kitchen. He was very popular and had certain regular "clients" he would take into the cooler for counseling sessions. If anybody came in and wanted a sandwich, I told them the cook would be back in a few minutes. Sure enough, in a few, (sometimes 20 or 30!), minutes my colleague would emerge, looking refreshed and ready to construct another muffuletta.
Oh Sam, I'm so sorry to hear this sad news and hope you are able to get things back up and running soon. Good luck! I'll be waiting to order my Liver and Onions.
My long time friend Sam Hatfield was awakened by a phone call at 3:30 am Saturday Morning to the earthshaking, but sobering news that, Verti Marte was destroyed by fire. Verti Marte was Sam’s long time family owned Take out Deli and Grocery at 1201 Royal St., popular among French Quarter residents and tourist alike. His contagious smile and personality impacts and warms the hearts and lives of many. Sam has a passion and determination to rebuild. Verti Marte has building and contents insurance, but even that has its limitations and is subject to adjustors and the waiting process. Sam is officially unemployed for 4 to 5 months with no income. I truly feel in an event such as this, that friends will pull together and show their support for Sam and his family, Julie, Bronson and Braida. A donation account has been opened at Capital One Bank. If you are able to help Sam & Julie through this time, you can deposit into their DONATION ACCOUNT at any Capital One Bank location in the name of: Tennis Sam Hatfield Jr. and mark DONATION ACCOUNT on the check. You can also mail your check to: Capital One Bank 3840 Emerald Rd (Hwy 22) Mandeville, La 70471 Please remember to mark on the check - DONATION ACCOUNT and make the check Payable to TENNIS SAM HATFIELD JR. Or JULIE HATFIELD If you have any questions, please call my work number 504.279.6325 and ask for Brian. Thank You, Brian Vetter, Friend of Sam, Julie, Bronson & Braida Hatfield
We have a face-book page started. I will be adding photos this weekend. Spread the news. Facebook page is called Verti Marte
I am so glad to hear you will be rebuilding-well hell the place needed a good cleaning anyway, and if I know the Hatfields that is is exactly how they look at this...the hardest working bunch of folks I have ever seen. No matter what-there was Sam looking the same as he always has for at least 20 years-handsome and nice to everyone. I was part of the 1215-1217 Royal crew in the 1990's and the Verti Mart was just like home.
Benefit June 21, today? @ Dragon's Den for Verti Marte, starting 4:30 pm going 'til...
Oh no! Being sequestered out in the land of tofu and sandals(California)has let me miss this GIANT piece of important news. I've been out here in SF for 2 yrs or so, but as one of the Decatur St. posse, I've frequently dined at the mecca on the stoop with a beer. Life exists when Verti begins again.
