By Krystle J Bailey
Tucked away on the corner of Porter Avenue in Atlantic City, a cozy, family-owned deli has been serving mouthwatering subs with a side of life advice and love for over 40 years. Brian and Carmen Lowe, better known as Spanky and Mrs. Spank, are often referred to as the grandparents of the Chelsea Heights neighborhood.
Carmen, who moved to South Jersey from Puerto Rico in the 1960s, reminisces about the heyday of Atlantic City. She tells stories of a time when they’d close the deli then dance the rest of the night away at the old Teddy’s West End, or Spanky would sweep the billiards table clean at McGettigan’s. The neighborhood has since been developed, and old nightclubs have been replaced by car dealerships and new bars, but Spanky & Son Subs and Deli has stood the test of time.
Walking into Spanky & Son deli is like coming home. Whether you’ve been eating cheesesteaks on the corner for years or you’re new to the neighborhood, you get the same experience. Spanky and Carmen welcome guests with open arms, offering them a warm meal and great conversation. They light up as they share news about the neighbors and their new babies, career accomplishments, marriage proposals, and more. Locals have described their trips to Spanky’s as “a therapy session and a sandwich” and “like hanging out in the barbershop.”
Rick Haney, who has been eating at Spanky’s for decades, says, “this is where you come to get your news.”
Nothing lights up Spanky and Carmen’s lives as much as their 10-year-old pug, Tin Tin, who you can find painted on the wall outside of Spanky & Son. Tin Tin’s personal dinner menu spans well beyond what is served at Spanky’s. Carmen, who is smitten with her pug, serves up veal and lamb chop for the family pup, along with other delicacies. As she flips through hundreds of pictures of her beloved Tin Tin, Carmen beams with pride at her fur baby.
“Dogs make you a better person,” shares Carmen, who never enjoyed four-legged pets until her son gave her Tin Tin as a gift a decade ago. Now Tin Tin and his neighborhood pals are celebrated in a mural outside of Spanky & Son. What began as a painting to celebrate their family pup quickly evolved to incorporate neighborhood dogs, including Atlantic City Councilman George Tibbitt’s dog.
In case the food, love, and community being served at Spanky & Son weren’t enough, visitors can also enjoy a dose of nostalgia with the dozens of memorabilia items from The Little Rascals plastered along the walls. Spanky and Tin Tin have often been asked for photos and autographs, as many have believed that he was the original Spanky from the timeless movie.
The community is what makes Spanky & Son such a local’s favorite. Spanky and Carmen don’t take that lightly. They are known for serving everyone, from the Chief of Police to the neighborhood kid with $3 in his pocket. When the casinos were originally being built, Spanky and Carmen worked day and night feeding the construction workers all of their meals. On Christmas, everyone who walks through the door gets a free sandwich and a soda, and the tips that are collected throughout the year are used to buy local kids Christmas gifts. Spanky and Carmen don’t blink at the opportunity to serve a family in need. Just this month, they raised $2,500 for a young girl in the neighborhood who needed corrective eye surgery.
“We serve everyone, no matter how much they have. Nobody leaves without food,” explains Carmen.
When asked what keeps them going, they both agree that they have no plans to retire. Spanky, who is nearing 80 years old, looks forward to waking up each morning to cook and serve. He buffs the floors himself and enjoys sneaking a little extra meat into the highly-regarded Spanky’s cheesesteak. The deli is open four days per week and is closed on the weekends.
“I don’t want to retire,” shares Spanky. “We do well in life, but it’s only the two of us. It gets us out of the house. Carmen puts on her makeup, and we go enjoy serving our customers.”
Visit Spanky & Son at 3719 Porter Ave, Atlantic City. Open Tuesday-Thursday from 10 AM-5 PM.
Krystle J Bailey. Multimedia journalist, Author, Poet.
Connect with Krystle on Instagram @thedailybailey5
