

NEWARK — It's hard to miss the signs of patriotism when you walk into Hobby's Delicatessen and Restaurant.

That’s because the heart and soul behind the famed corned beef and pastrami sandwiches that beckon celebrities and locals alike is WWII Army veteran Samuel Brummer, who bought the eatery in 1962.

American flags hang inside and outside the landmark kosher-style deli on Branford Place and Halsey Street. Stacks of boxes stamped "Operation Salami Drop" line the back of the dining area. Those mark a project that’s shipped 30 tons of salami to armed service members deployed overseas since 2005.

Wednesday, the man behind Hobby’s was honored at Essex County’s annual Veterans Day event.

Brummer, 89, was presented with a ceremonial key to the county before a crowd of about 150 people at the county’s Veterans Memorial Park.

"We are proud to stand with our veterans at this important occasion, give them our respect and thank them for representing our county with valor and bravery," said county executive Joseph DiVincenzo.

Drafted into the Army, Brummer told of fighting on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. His voice filled with emotion, the white-haired North Caldwell resident recalled memories of fighting on a blood-soaked beach.

nj.com-phone-app-pic3.jpg

STAY CONNECTED 24/7

Download our

free NJ.com mobile and tablet apps

to keep up with the latest New Jersey news, sports and entertainment.

"Somehow, I survived," he said.

Brummer, with his mother and sister, had emigrated five years earlier from his birthplace, Graziowa, Poland, to flee the rise of Nazi Germany.

Even after three open-heart surgeries and a devastating fire in 1992 that shuttered the deli for nine months, Brummer can still be found there several days a week greeting patrons while his wife Rona handles payroll.

Their two sons Michael and Marc, co-own Hobby’s and manage its daily operations.

Follow @starledger

More Essex County news