Westport is my home, and Oscar’s was my local deli. One of my most nostalgic memories is going to Oscar’s with my mom and enjoying an old-fashioned chocolate chip cookie. They were huge! It was such a treat. Even now as an adult, I would splurge on one every now and again to get a taste of my childhood.
Oscar’s deli was a place to congregate, meet up with friends, have a bite and, if owner Lee Papageorge was around, get some information on what was going on in the village. He always has his finger on the pulse of what is going on in town and in general. He’s a friend, a former business partner when I served as President of the Downtown Merchants Association, and a hometown hero, whose contributions to our community will last forever.
As of August 1, his downtown institution closed its doors after 42 years of being in business. I have known Lee since I was a child. During the filming of my TV show, he always hand-delivered our lunch orders. He loved keeping up with Life on Mar’s. I will miss that personalized service and dedication. We always saw eye-to-eye, and I consider him the ambassador of Main Street.
I was devastated when I found out that Lee is fighting a battle with a serious illness and had to close his business. I have never known Lee to fail at anything he has set his mind to, so I know he can beat this if anyone can. It is in honor of my beloved Oscar’s and friend Lee that I dedicate this blog post. We are with you, and we are sending positive, healing vibes. See you soon, my friend!
