After 62 years in the business of corned beef, Goodman’s Sandwich Inn (5164 Pearl Rd., Parma, 216-398-6885) is closing for good, says owner Dennis Goodman.
“We’re going out of business,” he told me, while slicing corned beef by hand in the front window, just as he always has. “I’m locking the doors and I’m going to retire. It’s a wonderful thing.”
Goodman says that he has had multiple offers to buy the business, which was started by his father on the East Side of Cleveland. That is not going to happen, he promises.
“I don’t want to ruin my name or reputation,” he explains. “We’ve been doing this for 62 years — why kill the business now? I’d rather have people say, ‘Boy, that was a good sandwich’ than have them say, ‘The last time I as there, it was real crap.'”
He says his regulars are extremely disappointed.
Goodman estimates that over the course of his deli’s 62-year run, the shop has sliced its way through 7,700,000 pounds of beef, an estimate based on 400 pounds per day. On St. Patrick’s Day, the shop devours 2,300 pounds of corned beef.
If you have never been to Goodman’s — the best or second-best corned beef deli in town, depending on the day — you have less than a week left. Goodman says that his last day will be some day next week.
“As soon as I run out of beef, I’m done.”
This article appears in Aug 3-9, 2011.
Goodman’s is easily the best in Cleveland imo. You will be missed, enjoy your retirement
oh this makes me so sad. had my first ever corned beef sandwich here….best wishes and thanks for all the amazing food!
I have been a Goodmans customer since they were on Kinsman, over 50 years. In that time I have lived in California, Florida and North Carolina. I have traveled in 42 states. Goodmans has the best corned beef sandwich in the USA, period. In 1983 I was sitting across from daviid and his father eating breakfast at the Bahia resort in Mission Bay California. I did not bother them as I assumed they were on a well earned vacation. Enjoy your retirement, you have earned it. I will miss your food and smile.
OMG, My Husband and I are devastated at the news of Goodman’s closing! It is the the only Corned Beef Sanwich we will eat. We travel from Chatham Ohio, South of Medina, just to get that Fantastic Sandwich!! I applaud Dennis for not selling the Business, You are definitely going out on a high, Dennis, I would say, just short of HEAVEN!!! I know where we are going today, just hope we aren’t too late!!! Happy Retirement Dennis, well deserved, but you will be missed dearly by so many!!!
stopped by today for lunch. Huge crowd today and that is a great tribute to Goodmans. As usual, another great sandwich. My kids are the 4th generation in my family to eat at Goodmans. It will be missed. Sad day, but happy for Denny as he has brought much joy to my belly over the years.
Listen, goodmans has never ever been second best. Its the best, hands down any day of the week and always will be. Kelly Waddell a Clevelander
Sad to hear about Goodman’s closing, but if anyone is in need of a GREAT corned beef sandwich try Bert’s Brooklyn Deli. It’s located at 6102 Memphis Ave (just a few short miles past Goodman’s). The food is amazing, and there is a lunch special! The hours currently are M-F 10:30-7pm and Saturday 11:00-6pm. If you’d like to call ahead for an order the number is 216-351-4700.
You can also find us on Facebook!!!
Thanks for all the GREAT sandwiches……I travel home from my work in Afghanistan once a year and everytime I return overseas I stop at Goodman’s and take atleast 2 sandwiches with me to the airport and halfway to Amsterdam I have the Flight attendants heat up a sandwich and the aroma wakes everyone on the plane…yes I am bad!
When I return home for Good it will be very depressing not being able to run to Goodmans for the Best……I guess we’ll have to settle for second and third best when he’s gone!
Thanks to you and your Father Dennis for all the wonderful years…I am sure he is looking down and smiling!
Thanks……………….
If you have eaten a Goodman’s sandwich, you will agree that pic above is Not a Goodman’s sandwich!
I ate me first corned beef Sandwich at Goodmans on Kinsman Road in 1953 and Denny was a baby and Saul and his lovely wife ran the business and it was the best Corned Beef then and it has continued to be the best to this day…There will never,ever be another Goodman,even if Denny had sold the business and the secret of the brine!! Good Luck to you Denny and Bob
and the lovely lady that worked with you.. I will miss you and your sensationally delicious corned beef sandwiches the very best on this planet,nay this galaxy!!!!!
Thanks for the memories!!
Norm Cooney
@Lance I was thinking the same thing. Where is a picture of the handcut goodness piled high. Part of the joy of this place was watching him cut the meat & pile it on the sandwich, there would always be a cut piece that seemed to run off but Denny would gather it pile it on top and secretly you would say YES !! @ Norm I was never sure of the familial connections. Who was the younger girl that used to work there was that someones daughter? Here’s my story. Lived in California for 2 yrs and decided to drive back when my father was diagnosed with cancer. After 3 days on the road when I got back to the Cleveland area the 1st thing I did even before going home or the hospital was go to Goodmans and get me a corned beef sandwich. Nobody sells corned beef the way we do in Cleveland & nobody made it the way Denny does. Happy Retirement Denny you were loved and you will be missed.
I also had my first corned beef here!….The best hands down ANYWHERE!…Happy retirement to Denny and the whole gang…you will be missed!
I also will miss Denny and his staff. I have been going there since I was a kid. I grew up in Parma and you could almost smell that beef from our house! I too would wait in line there for the BEST corned beef sandwich in town. Yes, the BEST! I know there are other places that sell the same thing, but NOT like Goodman’s Sandwich Shop! Denny, enjoy your long deserved retirement, you will be missed. I don’t know where to go now!
I have eaten there myself but stopped because once when I was parked in front of his window I saw him scratch/pick at his nose and go back to cutting and touching the meat and he was wearing no gloves which is a health department must. Wearing the gloves wouldnt have helped in this case anyways but still its law to wear them.
I never commented on this story yet, even though it was a while ago. Goodman’s was always amazing, and I have been going there for years and years and years. Denny is a classy guy, always nice to you and giving you a ton of corned beef for the price. Nothing better than standing shoulder to shoulder, squeezed inside, while people try to shuffle past to get to their spot in line. Always an experience, always amazing. Goodman’s was the best in my opinion and will be sorely missed. Glad I have the memories though.
I just came across this article, how sad, Goodman’s was a mainstay in the area! Great sandwiches, great people, get a sandwich to go, or eat in. Seem’s like we keep losing legends and intuitions that cannot be replaced in Cleveland, how sad.
I feel like im experiencing a great loss. . Where do I get an amazing corned beef sandwich now?:(
Go to slymans at e 40th and st clair.. i always thought they were the best and even the presedents have stopped there.. i have for over 50 years..
My Dad took me there when I was a little girl and I continued to take my children.Everyone was always so…nice and the corned beef was the Best.Ill miss you guys.It won’t be the same without you.Best Wishes to you always.
Francheska,from Medina,Ohio
Wow, it’s been almost three and a half years since Goodman’s closed. It seems like it’s been an eternity, so much longer than 3.5 years. I think I still mention every other week about how I miss Goodman’s and the way Denny would slice up everything. Hopefully he’s enjoying his retirement, it’s well-deserved.
Since I was a kid I have been a customer ….Its just so hard to believe the closed after all these years ….I have lived in Texas for the last 15 yrs and returned home to Old Brooklyn ..!! to find out you were gone …Truly heart breaking ….I have been returning every year just for the sandwiches ….No One makes them like Goodman’s No One ….I have traveled the world and sampled quite a few Deli and none compare ….!!! Almost brings me to tears ….I have been going there so long ….Dennis we truly will miss you and your place …!! You and your family are always in our prayers and thoughts ….!!!
Dennis, It’s been almost 4 years. I miss you and your Dad and your wonderful corned beef sandwiches. I hope you are enjoying your retirement. You deserve it, bit I still miss you.
Over the years, we’ve lost Purkels(sp?), Sol’s and now I see Goodman’s is gone and the quality has declined at another one of the better delis which I’ve I’ve also sworn by over the years. I’ll miss all those delis. Living in the Washington DC area, you are Very hard-pressed to find a Kosher deli or any deli that does corned beef as well as the Cleveland delis have over the years.
RIP
The old Goodmans was on my corner E 151 st and Kinsman. My mother would give me a buck which bought a corned beef and chocolate phos . That would be around 1955. There were three delis a block apart. Sam and Jerrys was one.
Goodmans was the best sandwich, corn beef or otherwise that Ive ever had! Their roast beef was good too. Sometimes I would get each to go!! Dennis and his dad were always so nice and remembered me each time I came in. We always talked about his Harley and Z06! When I lived in Washington, D.C. Id come back home to get one or two sandwiches to take back. Id always buy my mom and dad one as they loved them as well!! I was heartbroken when I moved back here and discovered that theyd closed! Heartbroken!! Not to disparage anyone elses establishment, but Goodmans was the BEST, Slymans isnt even close! Not even close!