With a name like The Sandwich Ladies of Boulder, it’s not surprising Lindsay Shaw and Marcy Miller have come up with a creative, tasty, and altruistic way to make and sell their handheld delights. Enter the official battle of the sandwiches, a friendly competition between the Organic Sandwich Company and Lindsay’s Boulder Deli where local charities win and the two shops get extra traffic during the slower winter months.
“Since it’s not as busy as normal we thought, ‘let’s get creative’, something we both had to do during COVID. So we put on our creative hats to find a way to incorporate the community and highlight non-profits,” said Miller, who launched her first Organic Sandwich Company at the farmers’ market in 2014, then the Pearl Street spot in 2015, followed by a Louisville location in 2017.
Once the idea sparked, the two ladies started planning and sharing ideas with locals, including the Downtown Boulder Partnership. Everyone they spoke to got excited, so Miller and Shaw decided to make it happen.
Soon, chef Brian Pierce from High Country and Gemini signed on. He collaborated with Lindsay’s Boulder Deli, Shaw’s 20-year-old shop that’s on the same block as his restaurants. They made a Meatball Sub with homemade beef and pork meatballs, homemade marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, and provolone cheese. Be warned, you will want to sit down to eat this one. Shaw started her sub at $11.99, but after making it for a weekend she realized it’s a lot of work and a lot of food, so expect the price to change a little.
Meanwhile, chef Kevin Grossi of River and Wood worked with Miller to create the BIFFwich. This special sandwich features locally-raised bison pastrami, ginger-turmeric sauerkraut, aged white cheddar, and spicy horseradish aioli. All that comes on grilled French country bread. It’s $16, which, said Miller, is the most expensive sandwich she has ever served.
Keep in mind 25-percent of sales from both specialty sandwiches benefit the Boulder International Film Festival, Miller’s choice, and The Museum of Boulder, Shaw’s pick. The museum was so tickled by the idea, it offered space for a tasting and the “award” ceremony.
Now, normally one would think two sandwich shops less than half a mile apart would be fierce competitors. But for Shaw and Miller it actually helped them connect and become friends.
“Marcy and I are buddies,” said Shaw. “We are two woman-owned sandwich shops, we have been friends for like 10 years, and are always asking, ‘do you have a plumber, do you have a paper person…’ It helped us form a relationship.”
The sandwich battle is just another friendly way the women are promoting theirs and each other’s shops, while raising money for the arts.
“Restaurants are coming and going and people are constantly [complaining] about minimum wage, the tip credit, cost of goods…So it’s been really fun to just do this thing and give [the community] something positive restaurants are doing,” said Shaw. “It also forces us to come up with new ideas and try something different, while bringing some excitement to the locals.”
Try both dishes to decide the winner. The contest goes until April 7, and all you need to do is buy a sandwich and enjoy.
Visit Lindsay’s Boulder Deli at Häagen-Dazs every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. 1148 Pearl St., Boulder, lindsaysboulderdeli.com
Visit Organic Sandwich Company in Boulder every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 1500 Pearl St. F, Boulder, organicsandwichco.com
