ST. LOUIS — The owner of Joe Fassi Sausage and Sandwich Factory is recovering and “doing good” after being stabbed at The Hill deli last Wednesday, according to the building manager.
Tom Coll, founder of Joe Fassi’s at , was attacked on May 28, according to police documents, by a man who entered the restaurant, walked behind the counter and stabbed him, causing serious injuries. Coll was stabbed in the throat and chest.
Police said the incident was caught on surveillance cameras. Terrance Bise, 44, who is listed as homeless in city records, was later arrested and charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and resisting arrest.
Joe Fassi’s has reopened on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays as Coll recovers. The restaurant is typically open seven days a week.
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Greg Schauman, the building manager, said Coll wanted the restaurant to remain open, and family members are running it in his absence.
Schauman said many customers and neighbors have come out in the past few days to show their support for Coll and the business.
“There’s just a lot of support in the neighborhood,” Schauman said. “The Hill is a very tight community.”
Schauman said Coll is doing “fine” but did not want to comment further because of the ongoing investigation.
Joe Fassi Sausage and Sandwich Factory was founded as a grocery store in 1926 by DZ’s great-grandfather, Paul Fassi. Coll took over the family business in 1992. According to a GoFundMe online fundraiser, Coll “is the most dedicated and hardworking person, working seven days a week with no days off for many years.”
Bise is being held at the ӣƵ city Justice Center without bond.
A tornado devastated the ӣƵ area on May 16, and much of the following week was spent picking up the pieces. Volunteers turned out and the road to recovery began. View the week in ӣƵ through the Post-Dispatch photographers' lenses. Edited by Jenna Jones.
