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  I , as many others grew up within bicycling distance to Spag's. As kids we would spend a great deal of time there. Eventually in 1973 I had the opportunity to work there as my father had, and three of my sisters and brother. Back then you had to know someone to get a job at the store, due to the number of people looking to work there. 

  While working there I got the opportunity to get my class 2 license using the truck Buddy Hume usually drove. I also learned a lot about work ethic from some great men like Donny Morel, Bobby and Don Lemay. It was hard physical work at times but always left you feeling good at the end of the day. Weather it was working in the crowded store, outside in the garden shop, the dock, or outside in the trailers, I enjoyed it all.

  It's sad to see the place today knowing what the store once was. Unfortunately Spag's daughters didn't have the same people skills as their parents. I recall Olive working at her desk every time I went to the house. Her ashtray was always heaped with butts and her busily doing the entire payroll for the business by hand every week. Prior to her office management she worked the floor of the store. She was truly the backbone of the business, with Spag being the buyer knowing what, when and how much to buy.

 He was also loyal to certain companies that helped him build his business. Decauter Hopkins Hardware and Benjamin Moore were two that I know of. I remember unloading trailer after trailer of antifreeze and coffee back in the 70's when there were shortages. Nobody else had the stockpiles of Spag that were in the old Canada Dry plant on Maple Ave. He also had product stored all over town. From Spooner's (old chicken coops) to Jensen's Dairy and the trailers at Bruce Ward's home, it was an adventure just getting stock for the day. I'll always remember the great times and people I experienced while working there.           

                                                                                                                                                  -Vinny Ross P.S.

 

(To Carolyn Squires, Billy Mastro's produce store was Weepin' Willie's.)

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My Father grew up in Swewsberry,  He moved us to Henrietta NY a suburb of Rochester in 1970. When we went to visit my grandparents for family gatherings it was a tradition and a must to go to spags, at times 3-4 car loads at a time i always looked forward to going it was a adventure to see what u could find it was like no other store u been in i remember there being no price tags or stickers prices were written in black magic marker. I still have a plano fishing tackle box i bought from SPAG'S with the price of $19.90 still on the handle in marker .SPAG'S will be missed. 


TIM WIGGINS

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My Grandfather knew Spags and shopped there for years.

One story has it that Spags caught a kid stealing shoes. This kid was from a poor family so instead of punishing the kid he had the whole family come in and outfit them for new shoes on the house.!

My Gramps thought the world of the place  and I lived in Mass long enough to remember it and its additions….

I'm sorry to hear its gone.

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  Hi. I never realized a site like this existed in memory of Spag's. I worked for Spag (Anthony) in l954, 55, and 56. It was an honor for me because I had the opportunity, (through Spag's), to earn enough money to allow me to become independent from the Worcester welfare system. While attending Major Beal High School I was able to work up to 40 hours per week, buy an automobile and have cash to spend. Working at Spags allowed me to learn from honest and good people. It allowed me to learn the proper way of life.
  I can recall Spag would on occasion wear a ring of amazing beauty on his pinkey finger. So many people would admire it with envy. On several occasions Spag would comment "You like this ring?" With that, he would remove the ring and give it to the customer. A day or so later he would have another ring to be admired by the new customers.
   Spag was wonderful to me. He gave me a sit down dinner and a watch when I went off to the Marine Corps in l956. Three years later, to the day, he gave me back my job.  I then lived in Worcester. It snowed 22 inches- too cold for me, and I moved to Virginia. I married and enjoy the much warmer weather. Thank Spag

  Kenny O'Rourke
  Virginia

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  When I hear Spag's alot of memories of my childhood come to mind. I lived on
the corner of Caroline Ave. and Elm St. until my parents divorced in 69-70.
   Mr Spag was basically right across the street from me and my brother,the
pond in back of his house is where I learned to ice skate,we, always asked
first and would fight over who was going to go up to the door, a lady would
always answer,and she would always say yes. 

The day my brother got hit by a  car on Elm St. we were walking back from catching frog eggs in Spag's pond when my brother bit the hand of our neighbor Dennis Mastro who had walked us
over. We used to wish he would ask us if we wanted to go swimming in his
huge inground pool ( I never saw anyone in that pool).

But best of all was Halloween, Shrewsbury was the place to go trick or treating, we would get at  least 3 FULL shopping bags of candy and we would start the night by going to
Mr. Spag's house, because he gave you a whole baggy filled with stuff not
just one or two candies but a whole baggt full, then at the end of the night
we would alter our costumes a little and change our voices and hit him
again,I wonder if he ever knew it was the two little redheads from across
the street?

I also remember my brother and I riding our bikes to his store
and spending what seemed like hours playing in the toy department at
Spag's,just trying out everything with no fear because Mr Spag was OUR
neighbor. I wonder if anyone remembers a little house that was at the back
of Spag's parking lot all by itself and seemed out of place somehow , I had a
friend who lived there the last name was Govenelli.

I remember when the Mastro's opened up a store
right next to Spag's it started out as a fruit store ,I think it might have
been called Angelo's but I'm not sure . Walking up that ramp in Spag's was
really spooky and weird somehow,and I used to think Oh my god there are no
windows, we are trapped. I went to North Shore school, the principal was Mr.
Corbett,I was sad to hear that it burned down.I remember the first time I
heard Mr Spag's referred to by his real name Anthony Borgetti,and thinking
who the heck are they talking about,I actually thought his last name was
Spag's.Well it made sense at the time. So anyone remember two little
redheads terrorizing the neighborhood in Shrewsbury?

-Carolyn Squires

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