Authentic piece of Bloomfield’s Little Italy — Donatelli’s — to close by year’s end
In the 1930s, Frank Donatelli allowed customers to stop in and pick up grocery items they needed from Donatelli’s Italian Food Center on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield – without paying.
They could give him money later.
“My grandfather started accounts for Italian immigrants,” said his grandson Russell Donatelli. “They paid what they could when they could. I remember some accounts were still set up in the 1960s. My grandfather helped a lot of people in this community.”
The late Frank Donatelli started the business in 1932. His son, the late Paul Donatelli Sr., and his wife Doris – parents of Russell Donatelli, Paul Donatelli Jr., Alan Donatelli and daughters Darla Donatelli and Deborah Salac continued the legacy. They all worked there at one time.
Russell and Paul Jr. made the family business their full-time jobs working alongside their father for many years.
Paul Donatelli Sr. died six years ago. Paul Jr. died the following year.
“It’s been pretty rough,” Russell Donatelli said. “There was a time it was me and my father and my brother. Now, it’s just me. It’s time.”
It’s time to close the business after nearly 90 years. The plan is to finish out the year.
“It’s taken a toll on me,” Russell Donatelli said. “I have had to work longer and stay later. I physically can’t do it anymore.”
He said the pandemic added extra challenges with getting products. It’s also been tough to keep employees.
Russell Donatelli said he is open to someone taking over operations. He said he is willing to work a few days a week to make sausage and homemade ravioli and other pastas – all family recipes.
He learned to make meat, cheese, sausage, crab and lobster ravioli as well as angel hair, fettuccine, spaghetti and linguini from his mother – who didn’t measure ingredients because she just knew how much to add.
“It would be great to have someone continue the legacy,” said Russell Donatelli, who recalled walking from school at the age of 8 to help stock shelves to sweep the floor.
The store was expanded in the 1970s. It used to be open seven days a week.
The family’s roots are in Northern Italy. They settled in Bloomfield.
“The Bloomfield community has been great,” Russell Donatelli said. “You can only do so much. It has been a difficult decision. My family members understand that I gave it all I could. It’s going to be hard. I have had customers stop in and tell me they remember coming here a kid.”
“It hurts to say goodbye,” Russell Donatelli said as he closed the front door at the end of this day.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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