Coronavirus Branford: 'Toughing It Out' At Caron's Corner

BRANFORD, CT — Lenny Caron is 85. A few days a week, he comes into the store he opened in 1973 to help stock shelves. His daughter Linda Caron Birbarie worries and sends him home but like her father, she and her brother David Caron are committed to keeping their business open for the community they serve.

In this coronavirus pandemic, Caron’s Corner is an absolutely essential business. When Patch spoke to Linda Tuesday morning, the line was seven-deep, albeit seven people all six feet apart. The cashier checkout area is taped off to try and ensure customer safety.

Linda is 62 and looks 42. But her age puts her in the at-risk category. She worked 70 hours last week. Dave is 52 and also at risk. He worked 80 hours last week and threw his back out. Most of the employees left at the store are middle-aged. Save Austin Birbarie, Linda's son and the third generation of Carons working in the store. All the young cashiers have quit, Linda said. She doesn’t fault them.

“I don’t blame them but I know within the next couple of days, it’s just gonna be us; the last ones standing,” she said. The last ones standing include deli manager Donna Nelthropp and her staff. Meat manager Sean Morrisey. Don, a part timer who is 75. Co-manager Carlene Granata has asthma but hasn’t left, Linda said she's “coming in today to do checks.” Annie, a woman who just lost her job at child development center, has been a trooper. College student Michelle Wyskiel, who is home indefinitely, shows up. All these people are going above and beyond Linda said.

Linda Caron Birbarie

Toughing it out during a scary time

Linda said that while she’s “very, very scared,” she and her brother and staff are “trying to tough it out.”

In the store that’s been a Branford fixture for 47 years, the Caron family and staff wear gloves, they disinfect everything several times a day from door and carriage handles to baskets, registers, card machines, bathrooms, and there's sanitizer at every register.

Linda said she believes that customers feel safe in the store and keep coming knowing the Carons are doing all that they can to remain open and provide the staples folks need. But it’s a hard and scary time. Linda said people are respecting social distancing in the shop. But still.

Since the pandemic broke a couple of weeks ago, the Carons have been driving “all over the place” for groceries and especially meat to try and keep the case full; a tall order.

“We are the source of supplies and staples for many people,” Linda explained. But she’s been disappointed by some people, not regulars though.

“The toilet paper thing is out of control. You can see a little of the ugly part of society ... we’ve had fights over TP,” she said.

No days off

Linda and Dave have had no days off for weeks. In a post from mid-March, Linda wrote, "I am sitting in the downstairs office at work as I type this, sitting for the first time all day and eating the first food I’ve had all day. I feel like every blizzard I’ve ever worked has been training for this. I’ve never seen anything like it in my lifetime."

They are worn out. And none of them are spring chickens.

“When we go home at night, we lock the door, take off the gloves, go home, shower, go to bed and wake up to do it again. It’s like (the movie) Groundhog Day,” she said. “We’re really burning out fast. I don’t know how long we can do this, but we’ll just keep going until we can’t.”