The term “party store,” as we call it in Michigan, is a catch-all phrase for a small neighborhood joint that sells liquor, beer, wine, candy, and random groceries and often features a small deli counter, much like Leucadia Liquor.
As kids, we spent whatever loose change we had or our paper route money there on various candies or soda (pop, as we called it). I never really paid much attention to the ethnicity of the owners; they were part of the neighborhood, and we got to know them by name as they were integrated into our daily lives.
That experience instilled in me a desire to have a similar type of store in my neighborhood wherever I lived, where the owners and employees become friends and part of my routine. This is why I was excited to discover Leucadia Liquor years ago.
I also attended Catholic school and noticed my local store owner’s kids did as well, but I never realized until later in life that they were Chaldeans or Catholic Iraqis and that the Detroit area is home to one of the largest populations in the country, with San Diego, namely the El Cajon area, being another.
They were initially lured to the Detroit area by Henry Ford’s famous $5-a-day working wage, but their entrepreneurial endeavors quickly took hold — particularly mom-and-pop food markets. Today, nearly two-thirds of Chaldean households are business owners.
The San Diego-Detroit Chaldean connection became evident on my regular flights back and forth over the past 20 years, then again when I met Kamil Mansoor, who has owned Leucadia Liquor for the past 33 years.
While not from Detroit, Kamil has plenty of connections there, and we soon bonded over Detroit sports. Because he usually has the PBS show “Travel with Rick Steves” on the TV, whatever location Rick happens to be visiting can be a topic for discussion, along with a plethora of other interesting conversations — some leading to friendly debates.
Leucadia Liquor became my local party store and part of my daily bike ride for whatever items I may need at the time, providing a local neighborhood option much better than driving.
My research on Leucadia Liquor, based mainly on feedback from old-school locals, is that it’s been around for over 60 years, although I was unable to nail down an exact age. Let’s just say it’s as old-school as we have around here, and there is something to be said for that longevity.
Kamil grew up near Baghdad, Iraq. His parents were initially farmers, growing grains and hunting wild pigs that sometimes made their way to their dinner table. Rice, veggie, and lamb-based stews, along with shish kabob, were staples in his home growing up.
Being Catholics in a predominantly Muslim country, Kamil said they were treated like second-class citizens but did not recall it ever being dangerous. He obtained a degree in geology from the University of Mosul but ended up working with his brothers as a tailor as the money was better.
His family owned a travel agency that he took over and built into a successful endeavor. He was drafted into the Iraqi army, where he served eight years. Kamil then married, and his wife’s family lived in San Diego, so he applied for an immigration visa, was approved, and moved to La Mesa in 1991, purchasing Leucadia Liquor from his brother-in-law Lee Salem in 1992.
Kamil has seen the changes in Leucadia happening around him while forming tight relationships with the families in the surrounding neighborhoods over the years.
I see these relationships firsthand daily as most folks entering the store shout out a friendly, “Hey, Kamil,” and he replies back by name. He tells a great story of a local boy who, upon turning 21, came in and handed Kamil a $20 bill. He told him it was for the candy he stole from him growing up, and it had been weighing on him all this time.
Of course, as the neighborhood has gentrified and beverage trends have evolved, the offerings at Leucadia Liquor have reflected those more discerning tastes. Tito’s still dominates the vodka category, but Kamil has also seen the vodka and tequila segments explode with new brands trying to capture market share.
IPAs are still selling in the beer segment, but Mexican-style lagers are proving more popular than ever, given the beach location, and they offer a more drinkable option.
While less expensive, mass-market wine used to dominate, I’ve noticed his selection of more niche, upscale offerings lately. The Elk Cove Pinot Gris from Oregon is a personal favorite, along with the Campuget French Rosé, which, at $12.95, is a solid value.
Should you have a last-minute celebration and want to go big, Kamil has you covered as well with Dom Pérignon, Veuve Clicquot, and, at the very high end, an $800 bottle of Don Julio Ultima. I’m sure there are some high rollers among the new arrivals in Leucadia that will throw down for that at some point.
And then there is the iconic Leucadia Liquor sign that, in itself, is a local landmark. Even better is the fact that, for as long as I’ve been around, it’s always had a letter not lit up at night, leading to all kinds of fun mispronunciations of the word Liquor.
Kamil’s crew of employees includes Tony, an Orlando Bloom lookalike with whom I’ve developed a fun rapport over the years, along with Henry and Paco. Tony usually watches European fútbol or tennis on TV and has strong opinions on both sports.
So, what we have with Leucadia Liquor is a slice of the funky Leucadia that drew many of us to the area and has, for 60-plus years, provided a family-owned, non-chain atmosphere that is fast disappearing.
It’s probably inevitable that this prime real estate is going to change hands and quite possibly become our next local treasure, like Captain Keno’s, to be built into something more reflective of the changing times. Let’s hope that if that happens, the new ownership has a sense of history and vision to mix a slice of the old in with the new and keep Leucadia Liquor alive…missing letter and all!
In the meantime, if you haven’t been, stop in and say hi to Kamil or Tony and tell them Lick the Plate sent you.
