History of the Stage Deli Stage Deli owner Steve Goldberg is a true “child of the deli,” beginning in 1962 at the original Stage Deli opened by his parents in Oak Park, Michigan. At age 7 Steve started helping his late father, Jack Goldberg, in the family deli washing dishes while standing on a wooden soda pop case for 50-cents an hour. At 9, Steve was bussing tables, at 10 he was a cashier, and by 12 he was a seasoned counter-man. Taking a break from brisket and lox, Steve went to law school. After more than a decade as a business tax attorney in Los Angeles, Steve returned to Detroit and took over management of The Stage Deli.