Joanie Holwadel died late last month at the age of 90. She was a beloved figure on the East Side of town, where she was the long-time owner of Carl's Deli in Hyde Park.
Born in Batavia in 1932, Holwadel and her ex-husband, William Arnold, purchased Carl's in 1968, from the previous owners, who had bought it from Carl Kraushar himself, who opened the deli (originally a modest pony keg) in 1938.
After Holwadel and Arnold divorced in the 1980s, she decided to put her own stamp on the deli, clearing the front windows, consolidating the canned goods into a smaller area and getting rid of a frozen food section that took up far too much space.
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According to a 1991 article in the Cincinnati Post, Arnold put a lot of thought into how she wanted Carl's to look. She toured New York City for four days, looking for inspiration at Manhattan's storied delis. After visiting Paris, she decided to turn Carl's storefront into something that resembled a Parisian cafe, with bistro tables, flowers and a colorful awning. She also put a greater emphasis on the deli's wine selection and added new, more gourmet-style soup and salad.
Joanie ran Carl's until 1998 before selling it to a new owner. But, about six years later, her daughter, Anne McManus, bought the deli back and ran it until earlier this year when she sold Carl's to sisters Cameron Kurz and Sydney Turnbull, who grew up in the neighborhood and spent many afternoons at Carl's when they were younger.
Along with McManus, Holwadel is survived by her daughters, Lynn Arnold and Nancy Arnold Jones, and four grandchildren.
"She was a wonderful Mom and grandmother; a courageous and strong willed woman," Holwadel's official obituary read. "She loved her family, friends and life. We will miss her!"
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