95-Year-Old Port Chester Man Loves Stew Leonard's

PORT CHESTER, N.Y. - According to 95-year-old lifelong Port Chester resident Rocco Scappatura, Stew Leonard's in Norwalk is "the best store in the world".

Scappatura, who has been a Port Chester resident since the 1920’s, frequented the Norwalk staple once a week or forty years since it opened in 1969. Scappatura said the store was a favorite of his wife, who passed away over thirty years ago.

“We’ve been going there since it opened,” Scappatura said. “The day they started they had two trucks and if you bought a loaf of bread you get one free, you bought a carton of eggs you got one free. That’s how he started.”

According to Scappatura, in the late 60’s and early 70’s a carton of eggs ran him about 29 cents, while bread ran for about 60 cents a loaf.  Scappatura also spoke about Stew Leonard’s combination of the ambiance of casual dining with the traditional shopping experience.

“We made a career out of Stew Leonard’s,” Scappatura said. “We loved the food, we shopped and got to try all the samples, cheese and stuff like that. That’s what we loved about it.”

Scappatura even recalls meeting Stew Leonard himself.

“We met him in there and the family,” Scappatura said. ““Stew Leonard was one of my favorites, we loved it and we were happy going there.”

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