Immigrant musician took a chance opening International Food & Deli

International Food & Deli, opened with the slimmest of resources.

Sozanski, a violinist who once played for the philharmonic orchestra of Lviv, Ukraine, runs one of the busiest enterprises in the Ukrainian Village section of Parma. His grocery store and adjacent party center attract a multilingual crowd to offerings of Ukrainian pastas, German sausages, Polish polkas and, occasionally, rousing Cossack dances.

Regulars come in for the sausages and kielbasa draped from racks behind the counter, for the rich European-style cakes and tortes in the bakery case and for the mineral waters that spring from cherished fonts back home in eastern Europe.

Most members of the staff speak several languages, certainly Ukrainian. But English is common, too. Many of the customers are first- and second-generation Americans rediscovering the foods of their childhood.

International Food & Deli is located at 5850 State Road in Parma’s Ukrainian Village.

Read on at: http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/12/risk_takers_immigrants_took_a.html

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Published by Stefan P. Stefaniuk

I’ve proudly called the Greater Cleveland area home for most of my life and have always appreciated the character, energy, and strong sense of community that make this region special. After serving five years in the U.S. Navy while stationed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, I returned to my hometown of Parma in 2009. In 2020, my wife and I made Strongsville our home, where we are now raising our four children. Throughout the years, I have remained actively involved in neighborhood revitalization efforts and community-focused initiatives across Northeast Ohio. Combined with my legal studies at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and graduate studies at the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, these experiences have strengthened my commitment to creating meaningful, lasting improvements within the communities I serve. I’m always grateful to work alongside dedicated residents, community leaders, and organizations who share a passion for positive progress. Together, we continue building a stronger community for current and future generations.

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