The Pilgrim Bar-B-Que was there in the late 1960s, when Ansonia was a manufacturing stronghold full of factories.
The Pilgrim was there in the 1980s, when music stars on tour in the region like Pat Benatar and Journey ordered their private party food from the popular Ansonia eatery and caterer.
But the Pilgrim is no more. The shop closed Wednesday, finally done in by the bad economy and a dwindling customer base.
“The hard part is accepting it,” said owner David Guliuzza, 42, who also owns the building, which is for sale.
The business started six decades ago, but entered the Guliuzza family in 1967 when Joe “Chicken Joe” Guliuzza bought it. He developed it and sold it to his nephew David Guliuzza in 1989.
Business slowed down in recent years.
Original customers evaporated and new ones didn’t come fast enough to replace them. There was a lot of new competition, for chicken, fried fish and ribs, and about three years ago Guliuzza said he had to get rid of the credit card and debit card machine. It was costing too much money for the small business. That further eroded business.
“It was costing me $18,000 a year in fees,” Guliuzza said of the machines.
A note on the Pilgrim window Thursday read:
“Due to these economic times, I find it hard to say that I can’t afford to serve you anymore. Through these doors walked the world’s finest customers and since I was 8 found it great to know each and everyone by name. Thank you for all your support through the years and we will keep plugging forward to make everything get a little better. God bless you and we will keep you in our prayers.”
The news was bad for Ansonia and the Valley.
“Say it ain’t so,” said Bill Purcell, president of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce. “His food was so good. He was a Valley landmark.”
It’s more than a business going out. It’s the loss of memories of Ansonia, the way it used to be. The city once had many mom-and-pop
retail stores along its downtown streets.
“I’d come down every so often and get a meal. I was here I think last week. I thought it was really good, I enjoyed it,” said Ingacious Preneta of Ansonia, whose favorite was barbecued ribs (see top video).
The seafood was just as good as the ribs.
“I never had a bad experience. My favorite item was the crab cakes, the best I ever tasted,” said Raoul Rodriguez, walking downtown.
It was a shock to downtown merchants.
“Of course, it’s scary, we’re all struggling,” said Michael Ciocca, co-owner of Eddy’s Bake Shop down the street.
“We’re losing too many local businesses,” lamented Charlie Seccombe, owner of Seccombe’s Men’s Shop, which has been doing business downtown since 1924.
“I hate to see any of them go out,” Seccombe said.
The Pilgrim closed its doors at 375 Main Street Wednesday after a long period of not getting enough customers, said Rose Marie Spatafore of E‑Z Travel and Tours, president of the Ansonia Business Association.
“It’s heartbreaking,” said Spatafore, whose office is on Kingston Street downtown.
Customers don’t have the loyalty they once did and don’t patronize the local businesses like they used to, Spatafore said.
The restaurant had moved around town several times during its long stay in Ansonia.
It was first on East Main Street, then next to the Riverside Apartments, and for the past 22 years or so downtown.
“It was always a landmark, said Claude L. Perry Sr., economic development director for the city.
“Even if you go in there and look at the photographs on the wall, and see the stars that came through the eatery, this is like history,” Perry said.
The takeout restaurant had a catering room, the La Rosina room. The place had many photographs of the stars who had food there. The Derby Historical Society’s president, Rob Novak, had been there a number of times.
“They were a Valley institution. You hate to see any of these, as you say, bite the dust,” Novak said.
In its heyday the Pilgrim drew people downtown from outlying areas and other towns. They were a customer draw for the surrounding shops, Seccombe said.
“They’ve always been considered a staple in the downtown area, I guess they got competition,” Seccombe said.
It’s hard for Guliuzza to swallow, because he always gave to the community. He was a donor to many local causes.
But it’s a two-way street.
“I gave as much as I could,” Guliuzza said.
