Cool Guys Market on Ingleside's Holloway Avenue has more to offer the neighborhood now that Expert Pet’s Mike Sorrel’s opened Holloway Mike’s Deli & Ice Cream inside.
Sorrels partnered with Cool Guys owners Singh Sukhjinder and Dalwinder Dhillon to serve sweet treats in March. As the business ramped up, Sorrels then took on revamping the corner store's deli counter and created Holloway Mike’s Deli in May.
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“[It's been] very good,” Sukhjinder said. “We’ve been here for almost 30 years and the people know us personally, by name and now the neighborhood has totally changed. It’s changing every day so with that new community it’s hard for them to come and shop because they are used to their own community shopping.”
On the menu are signature sandwiches that are a nod to places and people throughout Ingleside’s history like the "Rev G," a toasted roasted chicken, garlic, pesto and cheese sandwich inspired by Ingleside Presbytarian’s Rev. Roland Gordon and the "Racetrack," a London broil roast beef sandwich with Vermont cheddar cheese and barbeque sauce which was inspired by the historic Ingleside Racetrack from the 19th century.
They also have classics like their take on a chicken club and a veggie lover’s and breakfast sandwiches but Sorrels said they can make just about any combination.
All sandwiches are made from Boar’s Head meats and cheese or house-made salads with bread from South San Francisco bakery Sweet Sue’s. Each comes with lettuce, tomato, mayo and pickles. Prices start at $14.99. In addition, they have a reach-in refrigerator for grab-and-go sandwiches.
Mike Sorrels opened Holloway Mike's Deli & Ice Cream in May. | Anne Marie Kristoff/Ingleside Light
As for ice cream, they serve a combination of brands like San Francisco favorite Mitchell’s and others. Single scoops in a cup or cake cone are $4 and doubles are $6. Single scoops in a waffle cone are $5.50 and doubles are $7.50.
“As the neighborhood has changed over the years, small businesses have struggled and struggled and struggled,” Sorrels said. “Without adding new things and without changing the environment of the store, it already had a deli. It already had things that were really easy to do. These guys are getting ready to transition into retirement soon so I got lucky enough to speak to them about bringing in ice cream. Me being me, I saw an opportunity to go okay I'm already here with the ice cream I might as well take over the deli and do both.”
Sorrels wants to take the ice cream on the road for events with a secondary freezer on wheels. Holloway Mike Deli & Ice Cream has also started catering and is available to order on third-party delivery apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats.
Sorrels isn’t done yet. He hopes to transform Cool Guys Market into one of the neighborhood’s go-to shops with fresh produce and has drawn inspiration from Mainstay Markets on 22nd Street in Dogpatch.
Changes within the convenience store have also been taken well by its long-time customers like Edie Helland.
“I’ve been coming here since 1995,” Helland said. “It’s cool.”
Anne Marie Kristoff (she/her) is a recent graduate from San Francisco State University's journalism program. She enjoys writing about the arts, entertainment and nature.
