Upon entering Michael’s Deli in Coolidge Corner, any customer is met with a warm greeting from the staff – oftentimes from the owner himself, Steven Pejlovich. For nearly 14 years, Pejlovich has been feeding loyal customers and newcomers a variety of sandwiches, knishes and cold cuts.
But on Mondays Pejlovich feeds more than just regulars.
For over a year now, Michael’s Deli has given a portion of its Monday earnings to community organizations. He calls them “Do Good Mondays.”
“I do it because it’s the right thing to do,” Peljovich said. “I feel good about what I do, and I believe in the organizations that I’m giving money to.”
On the first Monday of each month, Do Good Mondays pairs with the Brookline Teen Center, which helps prepare teens for life after high school.
“We do rely a lot on donations, sponsorships, people in businesses like Michael’s Deli to help us, because our kids and community need it, no matter what town they’re from,” said Nardege Joseph, the center’s community engagement and facilities manager.
The second Monday of the month from now until the Boston Marathon is dedicated to Team Brookline, the town’s official marathon team. Other partners include the Brookline Food Pantry, the Brookline Fire Department and the Coolidge Corner Theatre.
“If you’re gonna say you’re a part of the community, then you have to find a way to actually contribute to that community, whether it’s in your time, whether it’s in your energy, whether it’s in your message, whether it’s monetarily,” Peljovich said, “just being a part of something bigger than you.”
In addition to Do Good Mondays, Michael’s Deli contributes food to its partner organizations to cater events. Joseph said Peljovich just donated to the Halloween party at the Brookline Teen Center last month and that he’s always willing to help out.
Michael’s Deli used to be open seven days a week, but Peljovich said the pressure of the pandemic called for one day off to decompress – Mondays. Simultaneously, Michael’s Deli had a longstanding partnership with the Fisher House of Boston, an organization that helps military families find housing, in which the deli donated a portion of its earnings from Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day to the organization.
Last year Veteran’s Day fell on a Monday. Instead of rain-checking, Peljovich decided to transform Mondays into a day of giving. Michael’s is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. most days and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays.
“It really was just organic in that sense,” he said, shrugging. “From a standpoint of, we do stuff with charities on a regular basis. How about we just do it every Monday?”
Christopher Mutty, executive director of the Brookline Chamber of Commerce and regular Michael’s Deli customer, noticed the initiative and said he hopes other businesses will do the same. The more that businesses engage with the nonprofit community, he said, “the better Brookline will be.”
Steps to Success, a Brookline organization dedicated to educational equity for low-income families, has partnered with Michael’s Deli for their Do Good Mondays initiative three times so far.
“He is taking care of not just us and everybody else eating that day, but he’s also taking care of this next generation of Brookline young people,” said Nia Jacobs, executive director of Steps to Success.
At Michael’s Deli, customers are greeted by employees behind the counter, no matter how busy the hour is. Peljovich said he always asks customers how they are doing and has known some of them for many years.
“We want to create an environment where people come in here and it doesn’t feel like you’re a number,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like it’s a transaction.”
With every week kicking off with giving back, Peljovich said it’s hard not to carry that positive mindset with him.
“I’m a foolish person. I like to enjoy my day. I will enjoy my day, regardless of the people that are coming in or how the day goes, because it’s like,” Peljovich said, then paused, thinking, “if I didn’t love what I was doing, then I’m doing the wrong thing.”
This story is part of a partnership between Brookline.News and the Boston University Department of Journalism.