Rudy and Eric Petzold have their heart set on a Second Street location for what they hope will be a prosperous delicatessen. Their first application was denied, but the Petzolds hope that their second and better prepared proposal will provide them a chance to open up shop in Mineola.

Last Nov. 19, the Petzolds appeared before the board of trustees requesting permission to establish a deli at 211 Second Street in Mineola. At that meeting Rudy Petzold, owner of a similar store in Flushing, appeared before the board representing his son Eric.

This time around on June 10, the Petzolds were represented by attorney Alan Stein who had engineer Bert Nelson and a group of Winthrop employees speak in support of the Petzolds.

This was all in an effort to represent the application in the "proper way" according to Stein.

The store which has been vacant for about 10 months has been leased by the Petzolds since December of 1997. They would turn the two story structure into a takeout delicatessen serving coffee, sandwiches and muffins that had been prepared at a different site and delivered to the deli by van.

There would be no deliveries originating from this deli.

This store would be operated by two people from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and would be able to serve approximately 10 to 12 people at a time in strictly a cash and carry fashion; there would be no eating at the deli.

Since the store will rely heavily on pedestrian traffic from nearby Winthrop-University Hospital for customers, two people appeared at the meeting representing some of the names on a petition signed by hospital employees in favor of the delicatessen.

Time is precious for Debra Kleinschmidt who works in the Cardio Thoracic Surgery Department at the hospital, and the limited hours of the Winthrop cafeteria often times do not work in concert with the time she has free to eat.

She and Vincent Ditucci who works on the elevators at Winthrop both petitioned the board on behalf of the delicatessen. "It is in everybody's best interest," explained Stein of the show of support.

In opposition to the plan at the first hearing, many local food business owners appeared before the board explaining that in their opinion the business for restaurants is highly competitive as it is and an additional delicatessen would not help.

"Isn't competition the spirit of America?" rhetorically asked Stein reflecting Rudy Petzold's request at the first hearing to keep in mind the spirit of free enterprise when the board makes their decision.