Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Reminder Assistant Editor EAST LONGMEADOW Joe Frigo expected his new restaurant and deli to be open by late December, but due to delays with equipment, the grand opening of Frigo's in East Longmeadow had to wait until Martin Luther King Jr. Day. That delay hasn't affected the new business negatively, however. "We see a lot of prosperity in East Longmeadow, with a lot of new businesses on Shaker Road," Frigo, owner of the Frigo's restaurants, located at 159 Shaker Rd. and 90 William St. in Springfield, said. "We've had several customers from East Longmeadow visit our Springfield store and ask for a satellite store here. There was enough opportunity for us to expand." The business has been "awesome" during the shop's first week, according to Frigo. "We've seen more customers than we expected our first couple days. We had a line out of the door on Monday. It was a huge boost of confidence for us the town has accepted us." Frigo's first opened in Springfield in 1950, selling a wide variety of prepared gourmet foods and imported groceries along with hosting a full deli. "There is no magic to our success," the business' Web site, www.frigofoods.com, stated. "We simply make it our business; to emphasize friendly service, to meet our customers' exact specifications, to trade with the best purveyors and to deliver promptly and reliably." Last Tuesday afternoon, those promises were being practiced as dozens of customers came through the deli to order lunch. Patsy D'Arco, an East Longmeadow resident, enjoyed a roast beef grinder with fresh roast beef, "nice and rare." "I know the owners and the employees here," D'Arco said, "and the food is awesome. The people are great and the food is great." Barbara and Doug Blake were also enjoying lunch with their grandson Blake Harris that afternoon. Barbara declared her chicken salad to be "excellent." She and Doug both had chicken salad, while Harris feasted on chicken parmigiana. "We came by to try it out," Barbara explained. When asked if she would be returning to order again, she said she would probably visit the restaurant "a couple times a month." The menu at Frigo's includes a wide variety of both vegetarian and meat-filled sandwiches and salads. One customer could not find his perfect sandwich on the board, however, so the staff made him a unique sandwich to order. "We serve heavier foods in the winter, lighter foods in the summer," Frigo explained. "Our cooks all have specials everyday, plus we have our staples. The menu we have is made up of what people like the most." In addition to sandwiches and salads, Frigo's sells gift baskets, cheeses, oils, vinegars, pastas and desserts. The restaurant is also available for catering. "The biggest compliment we've received so far is people saying 'We're glad to see you here,'" Frigo told Reminder Publications. "We're providing a good product and a good price in their backyards. Having a local store here has been our biggest praise." Frigo's, which shares a building with the Greater Springfield Credit Union, is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | ||||||
