Murray's Deli, on Montgomery Avenue in Bala for about 35 years, was sold Thursday (5/15) by the Teti family to the Wakim brothers, who own Al Dar next door, as well as Evivva in Narberth.
Joseph and George Wakim didn't return calls seeking info on their plans for the deli, which was functioning normally Friday.
Options seem to be: (1) spruce up the deli and spice up that age-old ongoing corned-beef rivalry with Hymie's across the street, or (2) close the deli, expand Al Dar and sell Murray's beer license.
Hymie's aside, Option 2 seems to make the most sense. I'll go out on a limb here to venture that there are not too many Jewish delis in the United States owned by Lebanese Americans.
The Murray's name still flies over the Murray's operation in Berwyn, run by Bob Teti and his wife, Gayle. They have a walk-in deli on one side, and a sweet little BYOB called bistro M on the other.
Bob Teti is one of five sons of Bill Teti, who took it over in 1985. Founder Murray Chudakoff had it previously nearby at 54th and City Line and before that, from 1941, on 60th Street near Locust in West Philly.
The Wakims over the years also owned Marbles (later Citron) in Bryn Mawr, now John Mims' Carmine's Creole Cafe. For nine weeks in 1995, Joseph Wakim was part-owner of an African American-themed restaurant called Heritage at Broad and Chestnut Streets, where Capital Grille is now.