Deli Delays Opening 1st Anne Arundel County Location Due To Snag

ANNAPOLIS, MD — A new deli must wait a little longer to open its first Anne Arundel County restaurant in downtown Annapolis.

Capital Gazette reported Friday that Capo Deli is running into obstacles with permits from city planners, forcing the Italian sub shop to delay its opening. Once open, Capo Deli will replace Jimmy John's, which closed in January 2024.

Patch saw a stop-work order posted outside Capo Deli, soon to be located at 139 Main St., on Dec. 18, 2024.

The order, signed by the City of Annapolis Department of Planning and Zoning on Oct. 2, 2024, said builders were working without a permit. That stop-work order came two hours before Capo Deli announced its forthcoming Annapolis location on Facebook.

"There’s a whole bunch of items that need to be taken care of," Owner Brian Vasile told Capital Gazette, noting that he is securing the necessary permits. "Obviously, the holidays slow things down. You need architectural drawings, that takes time. So, it normally takes four to six weeks for [to get Planning and Zoning department] comments back, and then you kind of go back and forth with making corrections, and resubmitting, and things like that. So, you know, everyone’s doing the best that they can."

A property re-inspection is scheduled for Friday, city records say.

Vasile told Capital Gazette he hopes to obtain permits by Valentine's Day and open by St. Patrick's Day, but he noted that these tentative dates aren't set in stone.

Capo Deli has two locations in Washington, D.C. The chain also has Virginia restaurants in Alexandria and Tysons Corner. The only other Maryland Capo Deli is in Potomac.

To learn why Vasile thinks Annapolis has "that homey-hometown feeling" and is "super excited to work there," read Capital Gazette's story. Only Capital Gazette subscribers are able to access the article, however.

Anybody with an Anne Arundel County Public Library card number can read Capital Gazette's story at this link by searching "Capo Deli."

Related: New Restaurants, Closed Shops Among 2024 Business Turnover In Downtown Annapolis