Piedmont Delicatessen Opening in Downtown Gastonia
A deli and hidden speakeasy inspired by vintage baseball history is coming to Gastonia.
GASTONIA, NC — Jacinda Jacobs, her husband, Derrick Jacobs, and their business partners Preston Wilson and Somer Wilson are preparing to open Piedmont Delicatessen at 125 E. Main Ave., Gastonia, NC 28052, with a grand opening targeted for June 22. Jacinda Jacobs told Business Debut the team is also considering a soft opening a few days before the official launch.
The downtown Gastonia project will combine a daytime deli, a hidden evening speakeasy and a vintage baseball-inspired experience built around the history uncovered inside the building.
What to Expect
Piedmont Delicatessen will operate as a daytime deli with a hidden evening speakeasy. The deli side will focus on sandwiches, chips and drinks to start, with soups, salads and smoothies planned as the business grows, Jacobs told Business Debut.
The concept grew out of the building itself. After the partners purchased the downtown building in early 2025, they began renovating the space with the original goal of restoring it and bringing in another business owner. That plan changed when crews pulled plaster from the wall and uncovered a large, preserved ghost mural advertising Piedmont cigarettes from the early 1900s.
“We found a huge ghost mural that was beautifully kept in pristine condition,” Jacobs told Business Debut. “There is no way we could have covered it back up.”
From there, the team built the concept around the mural, the Piedmont cigarette history and the brand’s connection to early baseball trading cards.
Pictures courtesy of Piedmont Delicatessen.
Menu and Vision
The opening menu will include four signature sandwiches, along with build-your-own options. Jacobs said the Piedmont sandwich will feature a pretzel bun with pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, ground mustard and beer cheese sauce.
Other signature sandwiches include the Barnstormer, with rosemary, salami, prosciutto and provolone, and the Partner, made with brioche, smoked turkey, brie, apple slices, ground mustard and hot honey, Jacobs told Business Debut.
Jacobs said sandwiches have long been part of her family story. She and her mother have joked for years about being “the queen of sandwiches,” and she said making sandwiches was one of the ways she won over her husband when they were dating.
The speakeasy side also connects to Jacinda and Derrick Jacobs’ story. Jacobs said the couple spent date nights seeking out hidden bars, craft cocktails and small, cozy spaces long before Piedmont Delicatessen became a real project.
“We never thought for a million years getting that building would lead us here,” Jacobs told Business Debut. “That mural changed everything for us.”
The Story Behind the Space
The building was in poor condition when the team took it on, Jacobs told Business Debut. She said it had been vacant for years, with mud, rocks, gaps in the roof and unsafe conditions inside.
The partners ultimately combined two divided spaces into one address and restored the building without adding a hood system. The deli will focus on items that do not require one, while the evening speakeasy will serve elevated charcuterie to pair with cocktails, Jacobs told Business Debut.
The uncovered Piedmont cigarette mural became the foundation for the entire concept. Jacobs said Piedmont cigarettes were once distributed through Virginia and the Piedmont region, and the team’s research led them to the brand’s connection to early baseball trading cards.
According to Jacobs, Piedmont cigarette boxes once included baseball cards, including a Honus Wagner card tied to the Pittsburgh Pirates. That history inspired the team to build a vintage baseball theme throughout the space.
Piedmont Delicatessen will feature Pittsburgh Pirates memorabilia, Major League Baseball collectibles, signed game balls and bats, and other items connected to the early 1900s. Some pieces have been donated by friends and collectors who wanted their items to be seen rather than stored away, Jacobs told Business Debut.
“It’s more than just a deli,” Jacobs told Business Debut. “It’s more than just getting a cool sandwich. It’s a full-on experience.”
The speakeasy entrance will be hidden behind an old cigarette machine from the early 1900s. Jacobs said the team is also building in mysteries and interactive details throughout the space, including collectible-style baseball trading cards that guests can use to uncover parts of the story over multiple visits.
Downtown Gastonia Connection
Jacinda and Derrick Jacobs already own Christian Jacobs Salon Suites and Art Gallery across the street from Piedmont Delicatessen. Jacobs said that experience shaped how they think about downtown Gastonia.
She said the goal is not just to open one business, but to help build the block with concepts that encourage people to come downtown with their families, dogs and friends. The partners are also involved with another nearby building where an ice cream parlor is expected to open around the same time, Jacobs told Business Debut.
Jacobs said she and the team have been talking with other business owners about downtown Gastonia’s potential and the importance of filling vacant buildings with strong concepts.
“I am not going to be successful in my own little business unless I lock arms with other business owners,” Jacobs told Business Debut. “We really started looking into a lot of vacant buildings and saying, what can we do with this?”
The partners also plan to preserve details from other local spaces. Jacobs said the ceiling from Christian Jacobs is being reused as part of the bar at Piedmont Delicatessen, and other items from nearby churches and buildings have been restored or repurposed across their projects.
Opening Timeline
Piedmont Delicatessen is targeting a June 22 grand opening, with a possible soft launch a few days earlier.
Hours
Piedmont Delicatessen is expected to open from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday for deli service.
The speakeasy is expected to open at 5 p.m.
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Visit Piedmont Delicatessen on their Website and Instagram
Ross McWaters