Photo by Kathy DeMarco
Memory by Mick Viniski
I met long time neighbor Kathy DeMarco at my 50th class reunion 2 wks ago (June 2016). She was the daughter of Daniel DeMarco who along with his wife owned Danny’s Superette in Sodus Point. Their store was on the first floor of what is currently the Post Office, they lived upstairs. I was able to get Kathy to send me a copy of the only picture she has of the old store.
I lived next door in the little house across the street from the Bay Street Hotel. The store was at least operating in the 1950’s because I lived there in 1950 to around 1957 (it closed in 1965). If memory serves, across the street from their store was another grocery store, a Red and White. Living upstairs were friends of mine, the Smiths.
Tom Knapp has a humorous memory of Danny’s: “Danny called all women, Honey, Sweetheart, Darling. After one visit with my Mom I asked her “how well do you know Danny?”
Memorial Day ad, circa 1954 Photo courtesy of Ned Ludd
A picture of the Rexall Drug Store. The store was across the street from what is now the showroom of Krenzers Photo courtesy of Daniel Underhill
More Memories of Danny’s Superette by Kathy DeMarco Glitzer
My parents would always talk about how their “season” in the store officially started on Memorial Day. Weather played an important part, as storms would deter families coming out for the holiday and buying picnic fare. The ad above is something I have never seen, but my parents’ marketing endeavors do not surprise me.
The picture above is not of my parents’ store. I think it may have been taken in the drugstore that was open downtown in the 1950’s and 60’s.
My parents had ideas for their store that were really ahead of trend. My mom would make macaroni and potato salads for their deli case that were delicious. Patrons would be upset if mom hadn’t had time to prepare (or if we ran out of) these picnic food staples. The store provided all kinds of items from produce to canned gourmet foods to dairy products. Having a sweet tooth, I especially remember the delivery of fresh cake doughnuts several times a week. The doughnuts were kept in the vicinity of the cash register to tempt customers as they checked out. My dad was a great meat cutter and sold the best steaks. The beef he prepared for burgers would be ground three times resulting in the incredibly tender hamburgers.
Good customer service was important to my parents. One night after the store had closed, a customer knocked at our side door. My dad accommodated the man who needed ice cream. Many of our customers traveled east from Rochester to enjoy the lake breezes at homes and cottages. One customer brought his dogs along. My parents would stock a special frozen dog food just for him.
These are a few of the memories I have of my parent’s store and my home in a beautiful little town that is still near and dear to my heart.
