Deli attracts patrons despite rumors
Katherine Smalley
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: Editorial
Commentary
By Katherine Smalley
features editor
Music drifts up toward Oak Street from the quaint little deli that now occupies a lot near the corner of McCallie Avenue and Palmetto.
Though the deli has been missing from Chattanooga's eatery offerings for quite some time, this is not its debut on the local scene.
The Yellow Deli community left Chattanooga on a bad note after their teachings were challenged during the anti-cult movement of the '70s. Their recent return has been met with responses varying from excitement to concern, and since the "Yellow Deli" sign first went up on the side of an empty, run-down building near campus, I've heard students sharing what they know about the "cult" and its peculiar establishment.
The Yellow Deli community associates itself with the teachings of the Twelve Tribes, and their interpretation of biblical principles is the subject of much debate. Namely, their child-rearing practices, which their Web site describes as "simple old-fashioned child discipline," have been challenged as abusive.
One unfounded rumor I have heard circulating around the UTC student body is that a former member of the Yellow Deli community managed to "escape the cult" and was then stalked by other members who tried to make her join them again.
The root of that rumor seems to be a May 2006 entry in the opinion section of chattanoogan.com submitted by a former Yellow Deli community member.
She expressed strong concern about the Yellow Deli's return to Chattanooga and described her separation from the community as an "escape."
However, her account does not support the rumor that she was harassed by community members after leaving their commune.
Although the critics of the Yellow Deli are numerous, so are the glowing comments posted on the guestbook section of the deli's Web site.
Many Chattanooga locals wrote about their fond memories of the deli of the '70s and expressed excitement about its return. Others posted testimonials about how the acceptance they found among the Yellow Deli community changed their lives and led them to salvation through Jesus Christ.
Despite the mixed messages students have received regarding their new neighbors, the Yellow Deli's business does not seem to be suffering in the least. Even residents of Lockmiller Apartments, who have expressed frustration throughout the semester because of sleepless nights listening to jackhammers pounding in their backyard at 4 a.m., are quickly making the Yellow Deli their new favorite hangout.
Editor's Note: Look for more information on the Yellow Deli in next week's Features.
By Katherine Smalley
features editor
Music drifts up toward Oak Street from the quaint little deli that now occupies a lot near the corner of McCallie Avenue and Palmetto.
Though the deli has been missing from Chattanooga's eatery offerings for quite some time, this is not its debut on the local scene.
The Yellow Deli community left Chattanooga on a bad note after their teachings were challenged during the anti-cult movement of the '70s. Their recent return has been met with responses varying from excitement to concern, and since the "Yellow Deli" sign first went up on the side of an empty, run-down building near campus, I've heard students sharing what they know about the "cult" and its peculiar establishment.
The Yellow Deli community associates itself with the teachings of the Twelve Tribes, and their interpretation of biblical principles is the subject of much debate. Namely, their child-rearing practices, which their Web site describes as "simple old-fashioned child discipline," have been challenged as abusive.
One unfounded rumor I have heard circulating around the UTC student body is that a former member of the Yellow Deli community managed to "escape the cult" and was then stalked by other members who tried to make her join them again.
The root of that rumor seems to be a May 2006 entry in the opinion section of chattanoogan.com submitted by a former Yellow Deli community member.
She expressed strong concern about the Yellow Deli's return to Chattanooga and described her separation from the community as an "escape."
However, her account does not support the rumor that she was harassed by community members after leaving their commune.
Although the critics of the Yellow Deli are numerous, so are the glowing comments posted on the guestbook section of the deli's Web site.
Many Chattanooga locals wrote about their fond memories of the deli of the '70s and expressed excitement about its return. Others posted testimonials about how the acceptance they found among the Yellow Deli community changed their lives and led them to salvation through Jesus Christ.
Despite the mixed messages students have received regarding their new neighbors, the Yellow Deli's business does not seem to be suffering in the least. Even residents of Lockmiller Apartments, who have expressed frustration throughout the semester because of sleepless nights listening to jackhammers pounding in their backyard at 4 a.m., are quickly making the Yellow Deli their new favorite hangout.
Editor's Note: Look for more information on the Yellow Deli in next week's Features.
