Community Corner
Picture Enfield - Then and Now
A look at an old photograph from the town of Enfield, and how that site appears today, plus a trivia question about Enfield.
ENFIELD, CT — Today's installment of this weekly Enfield history series, courtesy of the Facebook group Picture Enfield, features a longtime staple of downtown Thompsonville: Ragno's Market and Catering.
Located at 93 Pearl Street, on the corner of Walnut Street, the store was known for its great cuts of beef and meatballs, as well as its legendary grinders (known as subs or heroes to some, but here in Connecticut, they're grinders!).
Owned and operated by Sal and Jean Ragno, the store opened in the late 1960s. Sal, known affectionately as "The Meatball King," had been a mess sergeant in the military, then was employed for many years as a butcher for Finast supermarkets, while Jean had worked in the Enfield High School cafeteria.
Find out what's happening in Enfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The couple retired in 1997. Sal, now 88, still resides in town, while Jean passed away in 2002.
The site is currently occupied by TJ's Affordable Mirror and Glass, owned and operated by John Pereira III. Here is how the building appears today.
Find out what's happening in Enfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Last week's trivia answer:
This column did not actually run last week, so the question from the previous week was, "How many Dunkin' Donuts locations currently exist in Enfield?" The answer: a mind-boggling eight. That's right, eight! Earl Provencher was the first person to correctly answer the question, and will receive a special prize of a Patch pen, if I can spare one. I'm wondering how a fire chief would know how many doughnut shops there are... Anyhoo, if you don't believe there are eight DD sites in town, check them all out below:
This week's trivia question:
The last names of 13 U.S. presidents appear on street signs throughout Enfield that are NOT in the Presidential section of town - we ask you to name any five. Post the answer in the comments section below, or on the Enfield Patch Facebook page.
Photo credits: Ragno's courtesy of Picture Enfield; TJs by Google Maps; Dunkin' Donuts courtesy of Enfield Assessor; Raffia Road Dunkin' by Sarah Smelstor
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