The owner says he expected a busy week due to the heat, but instead has been shut down since Monday.
The owner, Johnny "Gabagool" Aubry, had to turn customers away when they approached the store on Wednesday.
Aubry said early Sunday morning, thieves stole the copper piping that supplies cold air to the walk-in refrigerator and deli case.
"$20 worth of copper for $20,000 worth of food, which is just a shame," he said.
Pounds of spoiled meat now sit in the trash outside the shop on North Warwick Road.
"We wrapped it all up in the bags because it will tend to blow up," Aubry said.
The closure has left about 10 employees without pay, including Ann Lafferty.
"This is our livelihood. We have senior citizens. We have young single moms. They really hurt us," she said.
Aubry said he worries about his staff.
"I really feel sorry for our employees. We all live paycheck to paycheck, and we want to get them working and we want to get them paid," he said.
Customers are also missing their weekly meals.
"Their Italian hoagies are out of this world," said Laura of Magnolia. "It is heartbreaking. They're all good people."
Aubry said insurance will cover a portion of the damage, but the business must wait for repairs and new inventory before reopening.
"When are we going to get up and running? That's the first thing on my mind," he said.
Employees say they are eager to return.
"We will be back. We will be strong like always. We look forward to seeing everyone come back," said Lafferty.
Aubry said police are investigating and searching for surveillance video. He said the deli does not have cameras but now plans to install them.