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operation,”says Russo.“It’s our focus.Without produce, we wouldn’t be an operation.” Almost all of Russo’s time involves taking care of and purchasing produce. “We want to have the very best characteristics you expect to  nd in an apple, an orange or a cherry,” he says. “ ey must be sweet.”
DEEP PRODUCE HERITAGE
While 2019 will mark the 50th year Russo’s has been selling produce at retail, the company’s produce heritage, which began in wholesaling, goes back a century.
In 1918, Antonio Russo, the family’s patri- arch, emigrated to Massachusetts from the Campania Region of Italy. e Watertown area was full of farmland, including greenhouses.  e Russos grew vegetables, including lettuce, green beans and tomatoes.
Antonio Russo brought his produce to Boston’s Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. As customers there and in the city’s neighborhoods requested more product, business at A. Russo & Sons, Inc., a service wholesale company which serviced small grocery stores and medium-sized supermarkets, developed and expanded.
Business prospered until the 1960s, when heightened competition from supermarkets forced the closings of most of the small inde- pendent stores in Boston’s western suburbs that A. Russo & Sons, Inc., serviced.
In 1970, Antonio Russo purchased Foxes Market on Main Street in Watertown, which was remodeled and renamed Town Garden.  ough small, the location, accessible to Boston’s wealthy western suburbs of Brook- line, Dover, Newton and Westwood, was a favorable one to attract customers. It quickly became successful, and the Russos  lled it with fresh produce.
EXPANDING OPERATIONS
By the late 1980s, the Russos realized they needed another location to better handle retail and wholesale. In 1992, the Russos opened their current operation with a new name, Russo’s.
Today, the wholesale operation distributes produce to customers in Eastern Massachusetts andpartsofNewHampshireandRhodeIsland via tractors, trailers and 40 straight trucks.
Russo’s tries to keep markups reasonable. Although others sell similar products, Russo’s wants to add another dimension of value by creating a pricing structure that invites shoppers. “We want people to get away from the hustle and bustle of the daily pressures of life,” says Russo. “We want this to be a little safe space where they can do something for themselves. ey can spend a little time on themselves and enjoy a moment
or two while doing their shopping.
“We are always trying to  nd the best
store’s early years, produce increased in sales by 10 percent per year. While that sales growth has lessened, produce is still selling well and
n SIGNS TRUMPET LOCAL PRODUCTS
To merchandise the produce, Russo’s employs signage that trumpets local berries and other produce. The store places as much information as possible on the signs to alert shoppers to the local product, including the growers’ names and farm locations.
Russo’s advertises in its local news- paper, marketing through a small ad inside the first page since the 1970s. It also markets in two Massachusetts food and agriculture magazines.
Tony Russo’s brother, Olgo Russo, retired a decade ago while their father, Olgo, died in the early 2000s. Gildo Russo, the Russo brothers’ uncle and father’s partner, died in the 1980s. Tony Russo’s daughters are the company’s fourth generation. Christina Russo is a manager, while Karen Russo handles marketing and social media.
The store’s demographics are diverse. Its location a couple of blocks from the Waltham, MA, city limits and bordering on some of the region’s affluent communi- ties, attracts customers from the wealthier neighborhoods as well as working-class areas.
“Our trade is fortunate that we are close to the wealthier communities,” says Tony
Russo. “That’s where the business grew. It grew organically. It didn’t grow because grandpa solicited the trade. We had a repu- tation for carrying good merchandise and always being competitive on price.”
Located five miles west of Harvard University and close to the Charles River, Russo’s attracts a mix of shoppers who originated from many ethnic and religious backgrounds. Standing in the front door, one can hear 10 languages spoken in 15 to 20 minutes, which produces a lot of energy, observes Russo.
As the hub of Massachusetts, Boston boasts a cultural diversity and attracts people from all walks of life, says Russo. People attend school there, and liking the environment, permanently relocate to the region. Ethnic groups from Southeast Asia, South America, Central America, Eastern Europe and other places, enjoy the region’s jobs and economic growth, he says.
“This area has an energized life here,” says Russo. “All of Massachusetts is busy. isn’t slow-paced. Every part of the country has opportunity, but over here, there’s opportunity for everyone. Opportunities are all around for those that want to work. We see it every day here.”
product we can and try to sell it at the lowest
pricewecan. at’sourinterest,tomarrythose business,overall,isfavorable,hesays. pb combinations of interests with the products
all the time.”
In addition to produce, Russo’s sells breads baked fresh daily as well as cakes and pastries. A smaller area markets meat, and the store o ers a delicatessen and a cheese department. Prepared foods, hot and cold, also are served. Additionally, the store provides catering.
Catering and prepared foods are the store’s fastest-growing items, in terms of sales. In the
FACT FILE:
Russo’s
560 Pleasant Street, Watertown, MA 02472
P: (617) 923-1500
Hours: Mon. -Sat. 8am – 7pm Website: russos.com
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