Smithtown lost a beloved business owner on April 27, and family members, friends and fellow business owners have put together a memorial outside of his former store.
Arthur Weinisch of Weinisch's Delicatessen was 63 years old.
After the memorial was erected emails were sent to Smithtown Patch regarding Weinisch and the impact he had on the community.
Smithtown Patch reader Debra Hickey, a 24-year customer of the deli, said Smithtown lost an icon when Weinisch passed.
"Artie had a real knack, a love for people," Hickey said. "Always interested in you – how’s the family, how work was going for my husband, how come I was working so early on a Sunday morning. Artie cared and he wore his heart on his sleeve. He called himself a lover not a fighter."
Hickey also said Weinisch gave back endlessly to the community, donating to the Smithtown Elks, local little league organizations, the elementary schools and more.
"There’s not a kid or now grown up in Smithtown who hasn’t received a lollipop from Artie for the past 25 years," she added.
Locals shared numerous memories and stories of the late deli owner through cards and letters, specifically regarding the colorful Hawaiian shirts he would wear. One local even left a Hawaiian shirt on a hanger next to the door.
Weinisch's Delicatessen is located at 306 Maple Avenue, and the memorial sits next to the entrance.
