Islanders Themed Deli Opening Second Location In East Islip

EAST ISLIP, NY — A beloved hockey-themed deli is coming to East Islip.

Blue Line Deli-Bagels, a Huntington-based establishment, will be opening its second location at 217 Carleton Avenue in East Islip on Saturday.

Owner Donald Rosner, 40, grew up in the food industry, and worked for his family's business, Bagel Boss, most of his life.

But two years ago, Rosner said he wanted to do something different.

"I always wanted to do something involving hockey, but I was never really a good hockey player growing up or smart enough to become a coach," he said. "So I just thought the best way to do that would be to do what I was good at, which is deli and bagels."

Rosner first opened up his Huntington location in March 2020 — the same week coronavirus hit the county. But while the world went into lockdown, Rosner attempted to make lemonade out of lemons.

Through a partnership with the Islanders and YesMen Outfitters, Blue Line Deli donated food to hospitals throughout Long Island and raised money for the community during the first wave of the coronavirus.

"That was probably one of the scariest two months I've ever seen in business because there was nobody going into business," said Rosner. "But we were able to feed 150 to 300 people every single day Monday through Friday for two months. It was incredible."

Blue Line Deli's success only continued. Just last month, the deli opened a kiosk at the new UBS Area. In a collaboration with the Islanders and Shaquille O'Neil, Blue Line Deli also debuted a sandwich called "The Islander."

"Just being such a big fan of the team, it was just would be a dream for me to be able to get a brand that I created in there," said Rosner.

Rosner told Patch that his favorite thing about Blue Line Deli is its atmosphere, as they often hold fun events and giveaways for the community.

"Islander fans have kept me alive," he said. "People recognize it, and they want to be a part of it in some way. It's just surreal for me."

This August, Rosner's mother passed away from cancer. To honor her life, Blue Line Deli held a fundraising event, and raised more than $12,000 by raffling off Islanders memorabilia. The proceeds were donated to Jam Kancer In the Kan, a non-profit organization that assists those fighting cancer.

"We just get amazing participation from the community when we do that kind of stuff," said Rosner. "Opening up in (East) Islip, it's just another community that's going to get more of that."