History of Northwest Sausage & Deli

Northwest Sausage & Deli was started back in 1982, as a vision of Dick Young who wanted to offer everyone Old World Style smoked sausage with amazing flavor.

Prior to beginning construction of the building, Dick had operated Dick’s Meats, a custom slaughtering and custom cutting and wrapping business for 8 years across from Maple Lane School in Rochester. 

His interest in the meat business goes back much farther.  He became interested in the meat business when he was in high school and working at Midway Meats in Chehalis.

A longtime meat cutter by trade, Young decided to limit his new effort to making sausage, and to smoking various meats.  “I’d had a full service butcher, custom cutting and wrapping shop across from Maple Lane School” said Young.  “but it was so seasonal that when I got busy, I was too busy.  Little did I realize the sausage business was going to be even more so.”

Northwest Susage & Deli opened it’s doors on October 28th, 1982 by Dick & Marilyn Young.  Dick built the business from the ground up.  The business was a family project with Dick & Marilyn, their two children, Julie 7 & Jonathan 3 and Marilyn’s mom, Carol Ponder working parttime.

Shortly after the sausage factory was up and running, Dick put in a few tables and chairs and started selling sandwiches on the premises.  That is were it all began….

Today the deli continues to be a destination spot for many travelers between Seattle and Portland and also has many local regulars that stop in for lunch or a snack of their favorite pepperoni.  Through the years Dick has tried new recipes, some with great success, but many of the recipes have stayed the same, because why change something so good.  Since Dick’s passing in 2009, his daughter Julie has taken over the helm and with the same passion and creativity as her father you will see that all of Dick’s offerings haven’t changed a bit.