The owners of the legendary Starlite Deli, at the heart of New York’s Theater District, had no idea what they meant to the Broadway community until last week, when performers surprised them by singing Roy Rogers’ “Happy Trails” in front of the spot’s longstanding neon sign.
The sendoff, marking Jung Min and Jahee Kim’s retirement after 39 years in business, went viral on TikTok, garnering over 2.2 million views. The performers also surprised the married couple with a gift of $17,839.
“I was shocked,” Jahee Kim, 63, told NBC News in Korean. “I thought it was going to be just a few people coming to say something, but it was a huge crowd. My heart became heavy. I was so overwhelmed, I was so thankful.”
Posted by Broadway performer Preston Mui, the video attracted viewers from all over the world who flooded the comment section, offering messages of love and support.
“The best thing about owning Starlite was having a good relationship with the community,” Jung Min Kim, 71, told NBC News in Korean.
The Seoul-raised couple moved to New York in the early 80s after getting married in Korea — Jung Min Kim moved first and Jahee Kim followed shortly after. He opened Starlite in June 1984 after learning the ropes of the business from his brother, who also ran a deli. They searched several places to start their business but found that Broadway was the best location.
“There were way more people back then because Broadway tickets were cheaper than they are now,” he said.
Since the deli opened, the store has seen a steady stream of Broadway’s workforce, thanks to its proximity to highly frequented theaters like Majestic Theatre, Broadhurst Theatre, The Hayes Theater and St. James Theatre. But the Kims were unfamiliar with musicals in general prior to opening their shop.
“When we started, we weren’t familiar with Broadway shows at all,” they said. “Now, we’re fans. ‘Phantom of the Opera’ is the best, of course. ‘Chorus Line,’…
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