A longtime pillar to the Findlay Market community has died at 63.
Mike Silverglade, owner of Silverglades Deli, was a third-generation merchant at the market. Two years ago, his family celebrated the centennial anniversary of the staple Findlay Market stand – the oldest family-owned and operated deli in Cincinnati.
Silverglade died on Saturday. He was 63.
Findlay Market commemorated his life in a Facebook post on Monday, saying the community will miss his big personality and presence at the market.
“Thousands of thousands of people got to know Mike over the years,” the post reads. “He was a staple at the market, making Silverglades a must-stop spot for generations of shoppers.”
Silverglades was founded by Al Silverglade Sr. in 1922 at its current location on the West Elder Street side of Findlay Market, then handed down to his son, Al Jr., and later to Mike. Silverglades also has a second location at Eighth and Sycamore streets.
The deli specializes in high-end fresh meat, poultry and seafood. Its chicken salad is hailed as its most famous dish, and other offerings like the home-roasted ham have been made under the same recipe for 50-plus years.
Silverglade served on the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade committee for more than 20 years, calling it an annual highlight during his time at the market.
Mike Silverglade told Findlay Market in a 2023 spotlight story he is proud of the endurance of his grandparents and father as they held down the business through hard times. The deli survived the 2001 Cincinnati protests as well as the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
“I wanted to make it to 100 years because of them,” he said at the time. “We’ve been really lucky through the years.”
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