Ernie’s Market : Spreading the Love!

By Ingrid Sjostrand
Photo by Bernie Laframboise

Love and community are the reasons that Ernie’s Market has been successful for the last 63 years, according to owner Ernie Hassan.

“It’s a community store, rather than an individual store. I don’t own this, the community does. I’m just doing my part and you’re doing your part by coming in,” Hassan says. “It’s not about money; it’s a love that we have for you. It’s the love that they have for me that makes me stay here.”

The sandwich shop, nestled between homes and businesses bordering Ferndale and Oak Park at 8500 Capital St., regularly sees lines of people waiting up to an hour for a famous Ernie’s sandwich and the charismatic energy of Hassan.

“Famous” isn’t an understatement, either. The list of accolades range from winning Channel 4 Click-On-Detroit’s Best Sandwich Shop for ten years in a row to being featured nationally on Travel Channel’s show, Food Paradise.

To ensure all ingredients are of the best quality, Hassan wakes at 5:30 A.M. to get the freshest meats, cheeses and vegetables, which are then sliced before opening. Sandwiches are customized into colossal sandwiches –one called the “monster” is comprised of seven different meats – and topped with Ernie’s signature “Love Spice.”

But, the sandwiches aren’t the only draw of Ernie’s Market. Many come as much for Hassan’s uplifting, caring personality as they do for the food. “Who loves ya’, Baby!” is affectionately uttered to every customer that comes through the door and is Hassan’s most famous phrase. It’s clear he genuinely cares about his customers and they care for him, too.

“It’s a very unique scenario. This is a safe haven. The mothers, when I was a kid, would come and sit on the bread rack and watch me when my father left. It’s not Ernie’s store, it’s everyone’s,” he says. “They were here as much as I was. It’s nice we’ve had a lot of friends and we still do.”

The sandwich shop started in 1955 with Hassan’s father, the namesake of the market. However, the business has been in the family since the 1920s when Hassan’s grandparents opened their grocery store and meat market. Currently, Hassan’s wife Lois and his daughter both help run the market.

Hassan says he couldn’t pick a better community than Oak Park either, he’s even the Goodwill Ambassador for the city.

“Basically, we are part of a community. I try to be every-thing within the community and, in return, the community helps us. The mayor, the police…everyone involved in the city is wonderful and helps us.”