On Feb. 9, Sam Lerner saw his first Super Bowl kickoff in half a century. That’s because he has been working most days — even Sunday nights — for the past 50 years.
Lerner served as the general manager of the award-winning Attman’s Potomac Deli until his retirement on Feb. 6.
In 2017, Lerner sold his previous business, Potomac Village Deli, to Attman’s, the oldest delicatessen still owned by the same family in the United States. Tired of the responsibilities and “headache” of owning a business, Lerner joined Attman’s Deli in Park Potomac as its general manager. He has been in the industry since the age of 15.
“I love food service,” Lerner said. “It’s in my blood.”
Since opening in 1915, Attman’s has expanded to three Maryland locations: two in Baltimore and one in Potomac. Lerner brought an entourage of customers to Attman’s who knew him well from Potomac Village Deli, which he had owned since he was 25.
“I had my own following,” Lerner said of his longtime patrons, adding that he sees them as family rather than customers.
In fact, that’s one of the ways he tripled the sales at Attman’s.
“He had a great impact on different menu ideas,” owner Marc Attman said. “He was able to find people to make food from 40 years ago with recipes that my grandmother, my mother, my father gave me.”
Lerner managed the catering of countless Jewish communal events across a dozen local synagogues from brit milah to b’nai mitzvah, and now funerals.
“When I opened up at Potomac … all my customers were 10 to 20 years older than me, so [now] they’re hitting their mid-’80s and ’90s,” Lerner said. “Now I’m doing the funerals.
That part is not fun; it’s definitely weighing on me. That’s just part of the cycle, though.”
Attman said Lerner taught him much about catering from his decades of dedication to the job.
“He’s a classic mensch,” Attman said. “He cares about everyone he works with and every person that he serves and helps. He’s just one of those one-in-a-million guys.”
Attman added that Lerner worked hard and often to keep the business running smoothly.
“I treated it like my own store,” Lerner said of Attman’s. “I gave everything I had; no regrets about anything I did with that store.”
“I learned a lot from him,” Attman said. “For me to carry on going forward without him, it’s not going to happen. I’ve talked to him already every day this week, so that’s how it’s always been.”
The general manager was well-liked by his employees, whom Lerner said he never spoke to like a typical boss would.
“All his employees loved him,” Attman said of Lerner. “I was honored that he worked with me. I really love him like a brother.”
Lerner decided to retire when he did because that day marked exactly five decades from when he first opened Potomac Village Deli.
“Feb. 6 was the 50-year anniversary of when I opened up and that’s what I want to celebrate,” Lerner said.
On his last day as general manager, Attman’s employees brought in pizza from the neighboring Gregorio’s Trattoria and balloons to celebrate the milestone, and Lerner brought them a cake in appreciation.
“They’re all responsible for my success,” Lerner said of his employees. “They’re the ones who made it happen.”
One of the highlights of Lerner’s stint with Attman’s has to do with Washington Jewish Week — winning in multiple Readers’ Choice award categories consecutively from 2020 to 2024. In 2024, Attman’s received the title of best Jewish-style deli in Washington Jewish Week and Montgomery Magazine and Best Caterer in Potomac Lifestyle: “I’m going out on a high [note].”
Lerner’s retirement plans include a trip to Florida, keeping busy, enjoying life while he “still can” and, of course, attending sports games.
“I’m really looking forward to waking up in the morning with nothing on my mind,” Lerner said.
