Deli known for its sandwiches and generosity to the community

    BROOKLINE, Massachusetts (WBZ) -- A deli in Brookline, Massachusetts is known for more than just its sandwiches - they're also beloved for their generosity to the community.

Serving sandwiches since 1977

Since 1977, Michael's Deli has been serving up sandwiches in the heart of Brookline's Coolidge Corner.

"We get to be who we are, this business gets to be an extension of my personality," said owner Steven Peljovich, who bought the deli 13 years ago. "So I tell everybody that we're going to treat you like family. We're going to take care of you, we're going to love you, we're going to hate you, we might cuss you out."

Peljovich can be found behind the counter just about every day with his children, slicing, stacking and serving up delicious sandwiches to their customers.

"It's a lot of fun, I tease him, he teases me, we keep each other in check," said Peljovich's youngest son, who's been helping at the deli since he was 5 years old.

Do Good Mondays

Michael's Deli is also well-known in Brookline for their generosity.

"We used to be closed on Mondays," said Peljovich. "And I was like, you know what? I'm going to be open on Mondays again, I'm going to do just a short little four-hour day and we're going to call it Do Good Mondays."

Every Monday, for four hours, a portion of their sales is donated to a specific charity like the Brookline Food Pantry.

"We serve over 700 families a week at our food pantry," said Elizabeth Bowen of the Brookline Food Pantry. "And honestly, his donations could take care of 100 of those people in a week."

The small business has made a big impact in helping the less fortunate in the community.

"When someone like Steven makes this really a priority for his business, it really helps us to be able to raise the funds needed to stay consistent," said Bowen.