"Breakfast with Friends" Featuring Phil Kidd of Defend Youngstown

     Today launches my first, 'Breakfast with Friends' blog, and features Defender of Youngstown, Phil Kidd.  It was my pleasure to welcome Phil into the Breakfast Club for the day, as we met at his favorite breakfast spot, Kravitz Deli in Liberty.  Everybody has their own 'go to' breakfast and location, and Kravitz, with their Corned Beef Hash is Phil's.  The 'Breakfast with Friends' series will be with me meeting some of my friends and those that I want to get to know in the Mahoning Valley, and find our their favorite breakfast spots and what they are currently passionate about.  For those that don't know Phil, since the Winter of 2005, when he created his first 25, "Defend Youngstown" T-shirts, Phil has supported and championed Youngstown, and to some extent, the entire Mahoning Valley.  You can find out more about how Phil's journey started here, by checking out this article from our own Valley Vindicator newspaper.  I had the pleasure of meeting Phil and getting to know him, during the three years I worked downtown at 20 Federal Place.

     It was great to talk to Phil at Kravitz, as even though I chose their Corned Beef Hash as one of my Best Breakfast's of 2013, I really don't get the chance to get there for breakfast that often.  Phil is such a regular at the deli, they have named one of their signature sandwiches from the, 'Liberty Wall of Honor,' for him, the "Philly the Kidd."  Along with their signature Corned Beef Hash, the deli serves up fresh from scratch Potato Latkes, and has a fantastic selection of Egg Creations, Bagel Breakfast Sandwiches, and of course, Lox and Cream Cheese.  As Youngstown's first deli, established by Rose Kravitz in 1939, and under son's Jack Kravitz's watchful eye currently, the deli continues to thrive and grow, adding space at the Poland Library branch a few years ago, and 2014 bringing the possibility of a liquor license to the establishment, making Bloody Mary's a not too far off breakfast possibility.  Kravitz Deli serves breakfast Monday thru Friday from 9am to 11:30 and all day on the weekends.  Kravitz's is located at 3135 Belmont Avenue in Liberty, where it has been since moved from Youngstown's North Side in the 70's.

      My conversation with Phil started over a fresh cup of coffee, that our waitress was great with refilling before it reached the bottom of our mugs.  I asked about Youngstown Nation, the gift shop on 8 N. Phelps Street he opened downtown about 18 months ago, and Phil has been very satisfied with the store's growth and especially the recently passed holiday shopping season.  Phil has had a large Facebook following that continues growing, (way over 8,000 'likes' on his business page and over 3,000 personal friends at last look.)  Over the holidays, Phil experimented with Facebook's 'promoted' postings, finding many current and former Youngstown citizens who had not yet heard of his shop who spread the news to their local friends and families, or stopped by while they were in town to see it for themselves.  Phil was even asked to be a speaker in Sarasota, Florida, where a Youngstown State University alumni group has many alumni living in the Sarasota area.  They meet yearly around March, and recently opened the group up to anybody from Youngstown and turned the gathering into a city reunion of sorts.  Phil was honored to be asked, but had to turn the invitation down due a scheduling conflict.  He is very excited however, seeing and hearing about these dedicated Y-towner's across the country.  

     As breakfast was served, I dived into my potato latkes that were grilled perfectly and served with sour cream and chunky appleasauce on the side.  I asked Phil what was happening in Youngstown from his birds-eye view, working and living in downtown.  A lot of new businesses that have opened recently all look very promising for the their staying potential, says Phil.  He is looking forward to the completion of the Wick Building and the development of the Wells Building, and especially a great hot dog or two, as a new restaurant specializing in the product gets set to open just a few doors down in the near future.  You can always keep up to date on local happenings in Youngstown and around on Phil's 'Weekly Round-Up' of articles on his blog, which I really enjoy reading to keep in touch what is happening in our city.

                                                      

     Over our entree's of Corned Beef Hash, served with an egg served your style on top, and a warm freshly toasted bagel and cream cheese, Phil told me about the current project he is working on.  I was excited to learn that he is putting together a list of "50 Things To Do and See in Youngstown Before You Die."  Based on other lists of this kind that you find in bigger cities like Cleveland and Pittsburgh, in the near future Phil will be creating the list that will feature not only some of the best and favorite landmarks around our town, but it will specifically include things to do, see or try in that particular place.  An example is heading to arguably one of the first bars in Youngstown established back in 1934, the Royal Oaks, and not only soaking up the atmosphere, but also not leaving until you try their baby back ribs with their signature rasberry barbeque sauce.  I am definitely hoping a breakfast spot makes the list, lol.  

     I really want to thank Phil Kidd for a great conversation over a fantastic breakfast at the extraordinary Kravitz Deli in Liberty.  You can read more about my 'Breakfast with Friends' in the upcoming year of blog posts.  I hope to have one every one to two weeks.  If you are up for a great conversation over breakfast, drop me a note and join my Breakfast Club if only for an hour or two.  If you have a suggestion on who to interview, or where to go to eat breakfast in the Valley, let me know here on the blog or drop me an email.  You can also follow me on Twitter, and like me on Facebook.................Scott