Corsun, popular owner of deli, dies

Monday, Sept. 9, 2002 | 9:43 a.m.

There were few deli operators in Las Vegas who could serve a pastrami or brisket sandwich as mouth-wateringly tender as Max Corsun.

Corsun, on the other hand, often came across as tough as boiled beef. On a bad day at Max C's Deli, he would chew out a customer for ordering just a Pepsi. And he did not care what anyone thought of him for doing it. But that, friends and family said, was part of Corsun's endearing charm.

"The real Max Corsun was a pussycat, while the public Max Corsun was a curmudgeon," said Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, a customer of the original Max C's in Philadelphia when he was a law student there. "Max cared not only about his customers but also would ask about how members of their families were doing. And he never compromised on the quality of his food."

Max Corsun, who for more than 30 years operated Max C's Deli at 221 Bridger Ave. in the shadow of the Clark County Courthouse and at three other Las Vegas locations, died Friday at University Medical Center of complications from an auto accident seven weeks ago. He was 77.

Graveside services for the Las Vegas resident of 39 years were scheduled earlier today. King David Memorial Chapel, 2697 Eldorado Lane, handled the arrangements.

Frances "Fran" Corsun said her husband loved being a character.

"What he did worked because he had such a wonderful clientele of attorneys, judges and politicians," she said. "My husband loved politics, but when he finally decided to run for office, it was more of a joke and it didn't last very long."

Max Corsun threw his hat into the ring for Assembly District 22 in 1994, losing in the primary to fellow Democrat and incumbent Gene Segerblom.

The first Las Vegas Max C's opened in 1968 on Casino Center Boulevard, then moved to Bridger, then to 603 Las Vegas Blvd. South, and more recently to 1006 E. Charleston Blvd. He was days shy of opening the latest Max C's at 510 Las Vegas Blvd. South when he was hit by a car on July 21.

The original Max C's opened in the 1950s near the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.

Born July 2, 1925, in Philadelphia, Corsun was a World War II Army veteran who came to Las Vegas in 1963.

At his eateries he honored his best customers in various ways, including recording their names on the wall next to his counter at one establishment and naming sandwiches after them at another. For instance an "Oscar Goodman" is corned beef with cole slaw and Russian dressing on rye -- the sandwich Goodman started ordering in Philadelphia in the 1960s.

Throughout his career Corsun's goal was to provide quality, tasty food at reasonable prices. He served a five-ounce pastrami sandwich on a poppy-seed Kaiser roll for $5.25. He chose a fatty, salty pastrami from Yenem's of Los Angeles for a more true-to-Philadelphia flavor.

He served his meaty sandwiches with sides of spicy brown mustard, sour pickles and a scoop of potato salad garnished with red bell peppers.

Corsun tried to retire in the late 1990s, but couldn't.

"He told me that after sitting around for a year, he just had to go back to running a deli," said friend and landlord Basil Kosa. "He loved to work. His pastrami sandwich was my favorite. And his brisket was just so soft and so mellow."

Corsun was a member of the Jewish War Veterans of Las Vegas, Jewish War Veterans of Philadelphia and the American Legion.

In addition to his wife, Corsun is survived by a son, Mike Corsun of Las Vegas; and a daughter, Ethel Hoffman of Philadelphia.