Join Tune-Up Man as he sits down with the legendary Ernie of Ernie’s Market in Oak Park, Michigan. From stories of love-filled sandwiches to decades of community service, this is more than food—it’s family. Presented by Faygo. Come hungry, leave inspired.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Hey Detroit, what's up? Welcome to another edition At The Table with Tune Up Man
00:03being brought to you by Faygo and try the new flavors, the super pop and the bubble pop.
00:08Faygo, the real true pop.
00:13Next, we're going to put some of this on here.
00:16Yeah, you're going to say, jump back, baby.
00:20Yeah, you're going to like this.
00:22Hey, today we're hanging out at Ernie's, y'all.
00:24Yep, Ernie's, Oak Park, Ferndale area, Royal Oak Township area.
00:28Everybody knows about Ernie's sandwiches.
00:30This guy here, man, he's a legend.
00:32Yeah, baby, come on over here, baby.
00:35This guy's a legend.
00:37Ernie, you know what?
00:37You always talk about how it's not about you, it's about the people.
00:41So tell me about the longevity, man.
00:42You've been over here with your dad over 100 years in the same building.
00:46In the same building.
00:47Now, for example, you said this is sponsored with Faygo.
00:50Yeah.
00:51Correct?
00:51Mm-hmm.
00:52Faygo in the day, the guys would come in and put the pop in.
00:56They would put it in the coolers.
00:58They would, they're wonderful.
01:00Yeah, the glass, the glass pop?
01:01Glass bottles.
01:02Oh, yes.
01:02Yeah, the glass bagel.
01:04Right, right.
01:05But, you know, as time changes, we all change.
01:09Yeah.
01:09And they came and they bring it in now and they put it on the shelves.
01:14And we have the chips of Detroit.
01:17The better made.
01:18Yeah, the better made.
01:19Yeah, yeah.
01:19You know, and I'm apple pie Chevrolet in Detroit.
01:22Yeah, but you are Detroit, Ernie.
01:25Well, I try to be.
01:26Yeah, some chicken.
01:28Oh, you're going to like the chicken.
01:29Nice roasted chicken.
01:30Yeah, down here.
01:31Ernie, you can go heavy on that chicken if you want.
01:33Oh, hell yeah.
01:34I got a question.
01:36What sandwich did the newlyweds buy?
01:39Let us alone.
01:40Hey, baby.
01:42Oh, my God.
01:43He's amazing.
01:44He's amazing.
01:45So tell me, Ernie.
01:46Ernie, everybody's baby.
01:48Everybody's baby, right?
01:49Yeah, right.
01:49So, Ernie, you got to tell me, what separates your sandwiches?
01:52What makes them so good?
01:54Have people just lines of people coming for lunch?
01:56Because we put the love in it.
01:59They're fresh.
02:00They're nice.
02:00Every day, they cut fresh vegetables, fresh meat, fresh, you name it, it's going to be fresh.
02:08When you go home, your mother makes you a sandwich or makes you spaghetti.
02:14That's the best spaghetti you ever had because you haven't had it for years.
02:19Right.
02:19And Mom made it.
02:20Well, this is, I have kids coming back after 20 years for an Ernie sandwich that when they
02:27were in school, they want to taste it.
02:30They want to taste it back now.
02:32Yeah.
02:32Best rapper, isn't it?
02:33Yes, he is.
02:33He's an old school rapper.
02:35He's an old school rapper.
02:36I have to use these big ones.
02:39Can nobody rap like that, man?
02:40Yeah, nobody raps like Ernie.
02:41No, look at that.
02:42Yes.
02:43Yes.
02:43All right, baby.
02:44Yes.
02:45All right.
02:46There you go, baby.
02:47Yes.
02:47All right.
02:49This guy can do this in his sleep, man.
02:51That's why he's the number one sandwich place in Michigan, Ernie's.
02:56Yeah, baby.
02:57Yeah, baby.
02:58Now you're talking.
02:59You've touched generations of people.
03:00Right.
03:01You've touched the sons, the moms, the grandmas.
03:04Everybody's being touched by this sandwich.
03:06How do you feel?
03:06Does it make you feel special?
03:09Not only the sandwich, but it's a family thing.
03:13As you go, when people need something, I've carried people from the basement that fell
03:20and go to the hospital.
03:22They come to the store.
03:24I've had people, just about anything you say, come in and have me do it.
03:28Yeah.
03:28Because they're by themselves in the neighborhood and they needed help.
03:33And, for example, I need help.
03:35I need that fire extinguisher up.
03:37They put it up.
03:38You are a people's person, Ernie.
03:40How long do you think you'll keep doing it and making sandwiches?
03:42You made me a sandwich today, me and my cameraman.
03:44So you can still make sandwiches.
03:46I got a story for you.
03:48Yeah.
03:48I fell and broke my hip.
03:52Not my hip.
03:52Pelvis.
03:53Yeah.
03:53So they take me to Providence.
03:56I was out.
03:58And they take me to Providence and they put me in a bed.
04:02You walked?
04:03A bed.
04:03No.
04:04A bed.
04:04A bed.
04:05I was on a bed.
04:06Okay.
04:06And they put me in emergency.
04:08Okay.
04:09The fellow walks up and says, Ernie.
04:13I says, yes.
04:15He says, I'm so-and-so.
04:16You don't remember me.
04:17And I didn't as much as I wish I did.
04:21Right.
04:21He said, I was the kid that you fed when I was hungry.
04:26And he was the doctor.
04:27The doctor.
04:28Look at the guy working.
04:29He's a doctor.
04:29Wow.
04:30And did he take care of me?
04:31Hell, baby.
04:32Hell, baby.
04:33Free room.
04:35I was dancing, baby.
04:37Because I have to pay for all that.
04:39Yeah.
04:39Yeah.
04:39You know, and it was just lovely.
04:41You see how authentic he is?
04:42So when you come in, man, you may see Ernie or you may not see Ernie, but you will see the
04:46family.
04:46Oh, yeah.
04:47Once you work for Ernie, you become family, y'all.
04:49So come on by.
04:50The location again, Ernie, on Capitol.
04:528,500.
04:538,500 Capitol.
04:54Oak Park, Michigan.
04:55Oak Park, Michigan, man.
04:56Number one sandwich man in Michigan.
04:59Ernie's, because you made it that way.
05:01At the table, being brought to you by Faygo.
05:03You got to try the new pop.
05:05You got the new bubble pop.
05:07The bubble pop.
05:07And the super pop.
05:08And the super pop.
05:09Plus, you got the old school favorite, the red pop.
05:11Oh, yeah.
05:12Come on now, red pop.
05:13Come on now, Ernie, right?
05:15Here's one of my favorites right here too, the orange, man, Faygo.
05:18We're about to down some of this, eat some of the good Ernie sandwiches.
05:21We'll see you next time.
05:22At the table with TuneUp, man.
05:24Peace.
05:25All right, Ernie.
05:25Thank you, baby.
05:27Thank you for coming in.
05:28Yes, sir.
05:29Yes, we love you, man.
05:30Love y'all.
05:31See ya.
05:31See ya, baby.
05:33Welcome back.
05:34You later.
05:34Okay.