Throwback Thursday: Windsor Locks History with Mel Montemerlo

The Marconi Brothers Luncheonette was on the corner of Spring Street and Main Street. It was a lot of things to a lot of people. Teenagers remember it as a hangout. The booths in the back were a great place to relax with friends. There was a time when Ella Grasso, who later became the Governor of Connecticut, often had breakfast there. The singer, Gene Pitney, went there a number of times, always without advance notice.
The popular radio announcers, Bob Steele and Brad Davis often visited Marconi’s and then mentioned it on their radio shows.

The Marconi brothers were Johnny, Louie and Angelo. Angelo’s nickname was “Wuzzy." There is a story about how he got his nickname. On one particular Sunday morning, Angelo was supposed to serve Mass at St. Mary’s Church, but he didn’t show up. Father Grady wanted to find out why, so he asked some of Angelo’s friends: “Angelo wasn’t sick, was he?” The “was he” sounded like Wuzzy, and it became Angelo’s
nickname.

Two of the Marconi brothers were amateur boxers as young men. The January 20 and 23, 1929 issues of the Springfield Republican had articles showing that Angelo and Louie Marconi were in boxing matches in Central Hall. Central Hall was the building which preceded the A&P, across Main Street from the Railroad Station.

A discussion in 2016 among people who used to frequent the Marconi Brothers Luncheonette led to some interesting memories. One remembered that guitar lessons were given on the floor above the Luncheonette. A few remembered that their parents told them that they weren’t allowed to go to Marconi’s. Some remember playing “church hooky” on Sunday morning, and going to Marconi’s instead. One remembered the Saturday
night ritual of standing in front of Marconi’s, trying to get a group together to go to Riverside Park. A few, who worked as paper boys while in high school, remembered going to Marconi’s on payday, and spending too much money on the pinball machine. One remembered that all of the Marconi brothers had been altar boys at St. Mary’s.

There were booths and a pinball machine in the back. They served delicious Cherry Cokes, homemade meatballs and tomato sauce, burgers and fries, and sausage grinders. They also made an excellent chopped pickle and bologna sandwich.

In the 1960s, the town of Windsor Locks decided to redevelop the Main Street area. It required all retail business owners along Main Street to sell their businesses to the town. Some of the businesses did so readily. Some fought it. The Marconi brothers held out the longest.

Eventually they and the rest of the holdouts lost the battle, and had to sell. The three brothers were rightfully proud of having fought the good fight. They were one of the few businesses which moved to another location. The Sasali brothers moved their “Donut Kettle” to another location in Windsor Locks. The Marconi
Brothers moved their luncheonette to Suffield.

Residents and former residents of Windsor Locks can be divided into two groups: those who remember the “old” Main Street, and those who don’t. Most of those who do, remember it fondly. They remember Barberi’s Home Style Bakery, Bidwell’s, Carlisle’s, Syd’s Modern Drug, the A&P, Coly’s Hotel, Bianchi’s Restaurant, the First National Bank, and the Marconi Brothers Luncheonette.

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.