Flashback Friday: Windsor Locks History with Mel Montemerlo

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — Leonardo Colapietro was one of four Colapietro brothers: Pasquale, Leonardo,

Vito and, Giovanni. All four emigrated from Turi, Italy to Windsor Locks, but Giovanni returned to Italy in a few years. After they were here for a few years, Vito and Leonardo went back to Italy briefly, to find wives. Both were successful.

Prior to 1920, Pasquale, Leonardo and Vito all had stores on Main Street. Pasquale’s confectionary shop was in the Mather block. Vito bought the hotel across from the railroad station by 1917, and he had a confectionary store on the ground floor. Leonardo set up his own shop in the Mather block. He started a factory for manufacturing macaroni. It was called the Windsor Locks Macaroni Manufacturing Company. His factory also had a store, which sold not only macaroni, but also various other sundries. In 1919, Leonardo Colapietro filed for a brand name for his macaroni.

In 1924, there was a fire in the Mather building that started in Leonardo Colapietro’s macaroni factory. The January 2,1924 issue of the Springfield Republican had a long story on the fire. It said that a $40,000 fire ran through the three story brick building belonging to the heirs of the late William Mather at the corner of Main and Spring Streets early in the morning. ……… The fire broke out either in the basement where the heaters and electrical motors were for the macaroni factory, or in Leonardo’s store on the street level.

Soon after the fire, Leonardo Colapietro took what was left of his factory and store, and moved them to 878 Main St. in the Italian district of Springfield, Mass. He opened up the Windsor Locks Supermarket, and the Windsor Locks Macaroni Manufacturing Co. in that location. His businesses thrived in the Italian section of
Springfield. He ran them until he died in January 1961.

His obituary in the Springfield Union said: “Mr. Colapietro was born Sept 29, 1896, in Turi, Province of Bari, Italy, son of the late Antonio and Pasqua (Lerede) Colapietro. He came to this country 55 years ago and settled in Windsor Locks, Conn., where he started his macaroni firm. This was the first concern of its kind in the Connecticut Valley. Mr. Colapietro moved the plant to this city (Springfield) in 1924. He stopped the manufacture of macaroni at the outbreak of World War II. His company is still located at 878 Main St., and is operated by his two sons, Anthony and Armand, as the Windsor Locks Super Market.”

Eight years after he died, his store burned to the ground. At the time of the fire, Anthony Colapietro, Leonardo’s son, was renting the store to Anthony D’Augustino. The fire was the second in the store within a week. That was the end of the Windsor Locks Super Market.

Leonardo Colapietro lived a full, happy and productive life. He was an innovative businessman in Windsor Locks. When he moved his business and family to Springfield, his business retained the name “Windsor Locks Macaroni Manufacturing Company.”

To read more articles on the history of Windsor Locks, visit www.windsorlockshistory.com.

Written by Mel Montemerlo

About the author: Mel Montemerlo was a Windsor Locks resident until he went to college in 1960. He is an avid student of town history, having written over 50 articles. He is currently retired and lives in Virginia.