I would like to dedicate The Otto Archive research project to my dear friend James Nelson, who pushed me to start it and encouraged me to keep going. May he rest in peace.
A bit of background on why I'm doing this project. London is changing. Not only is it growing, with new developments appearing everywhere, but areas and businesses that people once overlooked are now being bought up and transformed. Rents are going up, people are being pushed out, and the places that are still here start to feel more valuable because there's always the feeling that one day they might not be.
That is exactly why I wanted to start this project. Every time I walk past certain streets, shops or businesses, I tell myself I'll come back and visit them properly. Sometimes I do, but more often than not I forget. Then, before I know it, they've closed down. I didn't want to keep doing that, so I decided to commit to documenting these places properly.
The project will be a series of interviews and short films focused on small independent businesses, homeowners, and people with a strong connection to the spaces they occupy or someone just like me who is simply a very curious person and has a story to share so please do let me know! As first step though I want to share the stories of the owners and celebrate the places that have managed to survive while everything around them changes so quickly. Rather than reading about these places years from now, I'd rather experience them while they're still here. Hopefully, once I've gathered enough material, I'd love to turn it into an exhibition where the owners, their families and the wider community can come together and celebrate their work.
Today's story is about Red Tomato Sandwich Bar, opened by Mo in 2003. For me, it's one of the best sandwich bars in Leyton, if not London.
For this interview series, I wanted to start somewhere personal. I was born and raised in East London and have lived in Leyton my whole life, so it felt right to begin here. Red Tomato Sandwich Bar is a place I've walked past countless times growing up, but somehow I never actually went inside. I partly blame my Turkish household for that. My mum always insisted on breakfast at home, while my dad would occasionally grab a sandwich on his way to work. Maybe it was a working class habit, stretching every penny where possible, or maybe it was simply the belief that a proper Turkish breakfast should be eaten at home. Either way, stopping off for a sandwich wasn't really part of my routine growing up.
My time finally came last year. Even though it's only a fifteen minute walk from my house, I went in for the first time and ordered a chicken escalope sandwich. It was brilliant. Melted cheese, chicken, lettuce and tomato. Ten out of ten. There's not much more I can say without sounding repetitive. You'll just have to try one yourself. And honestly, nobody is convincing me there's a better sandwich elsewhere. I won't even entertain the debate.
Over the following weeks, Rachel, a close friend who's helping me with the filming, and I visited a few times to capture the place properly and get a feel for it.
One of the first things you notice when you walk in is a painting of a red tomato hanging on the freshly painted red wall. The red column beside the entrance matches it perfectly. There's something about the colour that just makes the place feel cheerful. When I asked Mo about the painting, he told me it was made by a customer who comes in quite often and later gave it to him as a gift. It says a lot about the relationship he has with the people who come through the door.
The sandwich bar itself is quite unique. Tucked away at 47 Hainault Road in Leyton, near the railway bridge, the space has an almost triangular floor plan. Combined with the black and white tiled floor, it gives off a subtle Art Deco feel. It's the sort of place that has real character without trying too hard.
Mo also wears Red Tomato T shirts while he's working. They're actually really nice. I'd happily buy one myself. Unfortunately, he doesn't sell them, at least not yet, but hopefully that changes one day.
During the interview there was a constant flow of customers coming and going. Some were ordering BLTs, which happens to be my sister's favourite. Recently I took her and my mum there for lunch. Considering my mum is such a strong supporter of Turkish breakfasts, that felt like quite an achievement. She ordered a tuna and sweetcorn sandwich and loved it. Now she asks me time to time to reorder so she can enjoy it again.
I usually visit on weekends because of work, but last time I went was one of the rare occasions I was there during the week. It was busy. Very busy. Mo seemed to know most of the customers by name and it was clear that many of them had been coming for years. There was a genuine sense of familiarity between him and the people he serves.
The portions are very generous, the ingredients are fresh and everything feels properly made. If you want avocado, he'll add avocado. It's not just sandwiches either. He also does jacket potatoes, pasta and salads, although I haven't tried those yet. Once I find something I like, I tend to stick with it.
At one point during the interview, Mo said that he enjoys what he does and enjoys seeing people leave satisfied with their food. Spending even a short amount of time there, you can tell that's true.
Towards the end of our conversation, we spoke about how the area has changed since he opened the shop. He said Leyton has become much more residential. When he first arrived, it was far more industrial, but over the last twenty years different groups of people have moved into the area. Despite that, he still feels that a lot of what makes the area special remains the same. As he put it, it's a lovely area and not somewhere that needs to change too much.
Before we finished, I asked him what advice he'd give to someone wanting to start a business of their own.
His answer was simple.
"Work hard."
That was it.
And honestly, I think that says everything.
Credits:
Writing/Editing: Su Demir
Filming Credits: Rachel Fonseca Burtt