Hey, there! Log in / Register
Russo's of Watertown to shut this fall
By adamg on Sun, 08/15/2021 - 6:28pm
Russo's announced today:
After more than 70 years working for the family business, Tony Russo is retiring.
Our business will close this fall. ...Our business began as a small farm in Watertown more than 100 years ago. Every day at Russo's - while surrounded by fresh produce - Tony is reminded of working alongside his grandparents on the farm and later, of working alongside his father and uncle at their wholesale warehouse. Their work ethic became his inspiration. Throughout the years, Tony has worked in all areas of the retail and wholesale business including trimming vegetables, driving trucks, loading and unloading trailers, putting up wholesale orders, sweeping the floor, buying produce and overseeing the most subtle details of the retail store. At any time, customers can find him involved in the displays of the fruits, vegetables, flowers, bakery, deli, cheese and garden departments. His days begin around 3:30 AM and end after 8 PM.
Neighborhoods:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Bad news
Nothing short of tragic. Russo’s will be sorely missed. So many things you can’t buy anywhere else.
I’m am so saddened by this
I’m am so saddened by this news
Terrible news
This is a major loss for the area.
Why Close?
I know it's there business but why close a business needed and loved by many? Is selling not an option?
Seems like hundreds of loyal employees will be without a job soon.
I would love it if they could
I would love it if they could figure out a way to turn it into an employee-owned co-op.
My bet?
Sell the land, put up condos.
Real estate is the only thing our culture values anymore.
Tough, tough business
I don’t blame anyone for taping out.
Nooooooooo!
We live walking distance from Russos and ALL of our vegetables and nearly all of our coldcuts come from there. All of our rotisserie chickens. All of the chicken salad. A buncha birthday cakes. Dammit.
And all of our Thanksgiving Turkeys since like 2005.
***
As pure speculation on my part, I believe the land value for the retail operation (Pleasant Street Corridor, Watertown) is higher than the sale of the business could net. I'd be shocked if we didn't get another mixed-use venue, or combined with the property behind, another giant condo and apartment complex (see directly across the street, the Mews and Repton Place).
Or More Life Sciences?
Didn’t the manufacturing plant behind Russo’s get sold to a Life Sciences developer in the last year or so? That would be one massive facility!
Land value
That's probably it. $9 million in value and probably a lot more on the open market. Plus if you are running a wholesale business running it out of the middle of Watertown is probably not an optimal location. But Russo's cheese and meat and vegetables are incomparable. And cheap! If someone opened a Russo's clone in, say, the Arsenal area would be a great spot for them.
Still, this is tragic. I could share some of my favorite Russo's memories but if I do I will probably hit the character limit. The employee singing during the holidays might be the best. But also:
* Great shishito peppers (worth it even if we always set off the smoke alarm)
* The time limes were 15/$1. "Seriously?" I asked. "We screwed up and overbought, you win."
* The time I wanted cranberries and it was the end of the season. They didn't have any on display, but someone offered to get me some from the back. "They're not in great shape, so I'll sell you them for 49¢ each." For a two pound bag. I bought 12 pounds for $2.95.
Oh and their entire Twitter feed.
Wholesale too
Russo's was also a supplier, delivering produce to many small grocery stores around Boston (and possibly to restaurants, too), meaning that those businesses (and their customers, in turn) will also find it harder to get good produce.
Wholesale too
Russo's was also a supplier, delivering produce to many small grocery stores around Boston (and possibly to restaurants, too), meaning that those businesses (and their customers, in turn) will also find it harder to get good produce.
restaurant
I saw Russos trucks at many restaurant loading docks. This is a huge loss to so many people in the area.
Speechless
This is shocking news. I drive out there every Saturday, have even walked out there back when I lived in the Fenway. What's going to happen to all those people who worked there for years?
Why I'm a terrible Bostonian
I've never heard of this place and had no idea that it existed. None.
not in Boston, so
You are forgiven not being a Watertownian. Watertonian? Waterernian?
i believe the term is
Aquavillian
Watertown
Watertownie?
NOOOOOOOooooooooooo
OooooOoooOooooooooooooooooo!
Where do I go now?
I go to Russos every two weeks to refill my fridge.
Where do I go now?
same
That was my exact reaction. I am positively crushed.
All the way from the boonies
Every once in awhile, we'd make trips from the boonies of Hopkinton. Such a cool place. Pretty shocking.
My mom is so sad :(
She has been going there every week for 30 years
I cannot imagine life without
I cannot imagine life without Russo's. They are without compare in the Boston area. It's long past time that local government should step in to make the economic pressure less stark in order to save precious, amazing businesses like Russo's. I have to hold a small sliver of hope that a prospective new owner will emerge, or maybe that the business could relocate somewhere nearby where the commercial real estate would be more feasible.
Where else can you grab a giant bundle of fresh basil for $1.49? Russo's has just about everything a foodie could want---unbelievable selection of produce (including all kinds of Asian vegetables and herbs that are difficult to find anywhere else), quality imported items like olive oils, vinegars, even the the dried pasta selection, amazing dairy, pickles, and antipasti, one of the best cheese departments I've seen, charcuterie, fresh pasta by the pound, a stellar bakery where you could also find great pita and lavash from local bakeries---and that's not even mentioning the nursery and Christmas foliage. And always with the lovely classical music.
Russo's is the kind of market that felt like an oasis of civility (even when it was busy) in an increasingly joyless world. I'm devastated and sad---and honestly a little angry that the community that Russo's serves might not have any opportunity to help keep it alive.
Doesn't appear economic
We don't know for sure, but this doesn't appear to be a hardship case, i.e, economic pressure due to high rent, competition, etc. This seems to be a personal decision where local government has no bearing on Russo's decision to close.
In this case the economic
In this case the economic pressure relates to the value of the property and the business; you can imagine how hard it would be for a prospective new owner(s) to come up with enough resources to purchase at fair market value, whereas a large developer probably has a much easier path to coming up with that money. The place for local government would be to provide funding (in some form or forms) for a prospective new owner to be able to compete with a developer, to make it roughly as financially viable to preserve the business as it would be to just sell the land to a developer.
After that point, yes, I suppose it does come down to a personal decision about whether to find new stewards for the business or to shutter. With admiration, appreciation, and respect for the Russos, there is a compelling public interest for the business to remain open---under new ownership if the family aren't interested in continuing on. Historically we have deferred much more to personal prerogatives over public interest, and what I wanted to suggest is that maybe we shouldn't be satisfied with such a heavily laissez-faire status quo.
Sorry, but no
Russo cashed out. There was no economic pressure, he just decided to take the cash.
There is no place for govt action at all.
Who wants to run a produce stand?
Do you think Tony would take a few more thousands from someone to turn over his suppliers, buyers, employee records, and whatever used equipment is worth keeping?
I feel the right person looking to take over a dedicated following could easily reproduce Russo's in a new location with a modern layout and maintain nearly everything from the quality to the variety and even the price. They could let go of something like the nursery traffic to Mahoney's if it's too hard to maintain everything the same.
But the produce, prepared foods, bakery, and staff could easily move to a new location without interrupting supply chains, etc. All it would take is Tony being willing to turn it all over to someone new.
Yes, exactly. And one would
Yes, exactly. And one would hope that that prospective owner would understand the draw of the pleasant shopping experience, too---something decidedly hard to find at any supermarket these days.
A foodie behemoth....
Russo's is a must for any serious foodie in Boston. There's really no alternative, and so this is a big loss. Really hope someone comes in and buys the place.
Here's hoping for that, too.
Here's hoping for that, too. Marty's in Newtonville has a decent selection of quality foods, including imported items, but nothing like the breadth of Russo's.
Russo's is the reason why
Russo's is the reason why most people come to watertown. Its the reason for living in the nearby housing developments. More and more soul being sucked out of the city. No more banging carts with entitled newton-ites! I'll have to drive to Whole (paycheck) foods to get looked down upon!
I loved Russo's, though it
I loved Russo's, though it was a little annoying that there was nothing like it in my neighborhood so I had to drive out to Watertown. This is the kind of greengrocer you'd find every few blocks in a certain other large city to our southwest.