Date: Fri 11-Dec-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

Paolian-John's-Quality-Meats

Full Text:

End Of A Long Run At The Meat Counter

(with photo)

John Paolian says he is looking around for part-time work -- maybe 35 or 40

hours a week. Just something interesting to keep him busy in his retirement.

John and his wife, Joyce, closed down their South Main Street business, known

locally as John's Quality Meats and Deli, the weekend after Thanksgiving, and

for the first time in 45 years, John didn't have to work a 115-hour week.

"Last Saturday was the first Saturday in 30 years that I didn't work," John

said this week.

So what did he do?

"I spent time with the grandchildren," he said.

While Joyce is still working full-time at Grolier in Danbury, the Paolians say

their family will be a big part of their future plans. The they have two sons

living close by: Thomas and his wife, Suzanne, and their three children live

in Sandy Hook, as does Richard and his wife, Karen.

Two other sons -- John, Jr, and Mark -- live in Tennessee and California,

respectively, with their families.

While John Paolian says he is enjoying his new relaxed schedule, Joyce knows

he is going to miss all the people he served every day. These were people who

were customers, but who quickly became more than that for the Paolians. "We've

developed a lot of friends over the years," Joyce said.

John Paolian has worked ever since he was a child. He learned his trade,

meatcutting, at the apron strings of his uncle. He brought his skill and

expertise to the meat counters of others until 1971 when he went into business

for himself.

Five or six years ago, the Paolians added their own line of cheesecakes to the

offerings in the deli, and they gained a new following in town in addition to

the gratitude of longtime customers. Unless John and Joyce decide to have

mercy on their many hungry cheesecake fans by offering the desserts through

some new outlet, the cheesecakes will now only be available at Paolian family

functions.

Pizza On The Way

Joseph Latella and Edward Martino, owners of Newtown Farm & Garden Center on

South Main Street, and Carmine Ganone of New Haven have leased the John's

Quality Meats and Deli building with plans of opening a takeout restaurant

specializing in thin-crust, New Haven-style pizza. Mr Ganone is the chef at

Garlic Thyme in Westport.

Mr Latella's wife, Carmel, said the trio would like to open the restaurant,

which may be called Carmineucci's, by the end of December or early January.

"(The restaurant) will specialize in healthy pizza, very thin crust, not

greasy, all kinds of gourmet styles," Mrs Latella said. "His pizzas are great.

I can't say enough about it."