Sunnyside Deli & Market in Santa Barbara has had what co-owner Nathan Lynn calls a “soft opening.”

He said the deli, at 436-B E. Gutierrez St., already has attracted more business than he and his wife, Leyla, expected.

“We made it a point not to advertise,” Leyla Lynn said. “We’re letting the cooks warm up and get to know the menu before they’re bombarded by customers. We handed out fliers to our neighbors.”

Having opened nearly three weeks ago, Leyla Lynn said she thought it would have been more difficult to open a deli amid a down economy. She links customer interest in their deli to the business industry picking up, the need for a deli in the area and a desire for healthy foods.

“Also, since we share the base with Kamran & Co., we’re kind of connected,” Leyla Lynn said.

Kamran & Co., 411 E. Montecito St., is a food-service equipment provider owned by Leyla Lynn’s father, Kamran Amiri. He moved to Santa Barbara and opened Xanadu Bakery in 1979. Realizing he needed equipment for his bakery, he began selling used equipment out of his home. Once he gained experience in the food service industry, he began selling food service equipment from a warehouse.

In the past 22 years, Kamran & Co.‘s business has branched out all over the country, with clients ranging from schools to hotels and prisons.

The company’s business was doing quite well until 2006, Amiri said. From 2006 to 2007, Kamran & Co. saw a reduction in orders. Until 2009, business has been slow. But this year, business has picked up a bit.

“If we judge by what we have seen recently, business will get better,” Amiri said.

Xanadu Bakery, Amiri’s former business at 1028 Coast Village Road, burned down in July. Amiri sold the bakery to his sister in 1988, and two of the cooks at Sunnyside Cafe previously worked for the bakery.

Part of the deli’s retail space houses a showroom for some of Kamran & Co.‘s small wares, including residential items such as pans and knives.

The Lynns said they’re keeping an open ear for reviews, both positive and negative, to cater to their neighbors.

“We really want to cater to local businesses,” Nathan Lynn said. “Our menu will be ever-changing, and we’ll be taking things away that aren’t popular and adding items our customers want to see.”

Sunnyside Cafe plans to host a grand opening in early January.

— Noozhawk business writer Taylor Orr can be reached at torr@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @NoozhawkBiz, @noozhawk or @NoozhawkNews. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.