Our History

In the early years of the 20th century our grandfather, Joseph P. Ancona emigrated from Sicily with dreams of finding opportunity in America. As a new immigrant he worked at the Gilbert & Bennett wire mill in Georgetown where he managed to save enough money to open a business. This business was the fore runner of what today are Ancona's Market and Ancona’s Wines & Liquors.

About 1920 Joseph Ancona built a small three story frame structure fronting on US Route 7 in the Branchville District of Ridgefield. The original store was a small operation of less than 1,000 square feet. The store offered a wide range of merchandise from food and groceries to gasoline and hardware and later included an elaborate marble soda fountain.
	Ancona's Market in the early 1920's
	The business flourished and after a few years Joseph Ancona set priorities on starting a family. During a visit to his Sicilian homeland, the upstart businessman met Josephine Bellante who he soon married and brought to America. Over the following years Nazzareno, Joseph Jr., Phyllis, and John rounded out the proud family. It was a simple life – the business was located downstairs from the residence and the kids grew up immersed in the grocery store. Many stories have been told about cutting school to help “Pop” in the store.
The Ancona family in the late 30's in front of the store
Business went well for the Ancona clan and in 1948 the red brick building at the corner of Route 7 and Route 102 was constructed. The building served as the general store selling both groceries and hardware. Over time, the hardware business was dissolved in favor of concentrating on the grocery business.
	The 2nd location of Ancona's Market - the "old brick building"

In 1958, Joseph P Ancona Sr., having suffered several heart related maladies passed away leaving the family to run the business. The responsibilities were split between Nazzareno – “Nan” who assumed control of liquor end of the business thus formalizing Ancona's Wines and Liquors and Joseph Jr who assumed control of the grocery and hardware business under the name of Ancona's Market. In 1967, John joined brother Joe in the grocery business.

As the Ridgefield area grew, Ancona's Market began to outgrow it's modest 3,500 square foot format. During the late 70's the Ancona brother began to plan their biggest leap to date – the construction of the current home of both Ancona's Market and Ancona's Wines. It was a tremendous gamble at the time, moving from 3,600 sqft to over 20,000 sqft. The gamble paid off as the Ridgefield area surged during the 1980's.

Soon, Ancona's Market was not only known by our many local patrons, but was also recognized by the grocery industry press. Our first accolade came when Progressive Grocer recognized Ancona's Market as one of the top 212 Independent supermarkets in the country! This honor was repeated several times over the following years as a result of the many progressive and innovative business ideas we succeeded with.

Always flattering, Ancona's Market continues to be recognized as a special business. In March 2006, Joseph P Ancona Jr. was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his leadership in grocery industry. In November of 2006 Ancona's Market was honored as one of the top family businesses in Connecticut by the University of Connecticut Small Business Center.

Ancona's Market remains to this day a partnership between Joe and John Ancona who both remain involved in the business. As was the case with the generation before, the third generation also grew up in the business. Currently Joe's son Joe has begun to assume direction of the business. Joe (Joseph R. Ancona) returned to the business in 2005 after completing his studies in Architecture, graduate studies in business and a career in real estate development.

 

 

 

Photo Archives....

Below are a few photos documenting the evolution of the Ancona family businesses and some of the many friends and associates who have contributed to our success.

 

Joseph Ancona Sr.

 

This photo was taken after basic training just prior to shipping off to Europe c. 1917.

Joseph Ancona was an infantry soldier and fought in the trenchs in Germany and France. He survived gas attacks and returned home to Branchville relatively unscathed.

 

 

 

The Ancona Family c 1940

 

From left - Nazareno (Nan) Ancona, Phylis Ancona Taylor, Joseph Ancona Sr., Joseph Ancona Jr.

John Ancona was yet to be born when this photo was taken.

 

 

Joe Jr. and Nano lounging on the old Coke cooler...c. 1944

 

 

 

 

 

Joe Ancona Jr. making sausage with his grandfather c 1948

Note the neck tie...an Ancona's tradition to this day.

 

 

Phylis Ancona Taylor in front of the first location of Ancona's Market.

 

 

Snow like you read about!

Joseph Ancona Sr. with shovel in hand.

 

 

 

 

A newspaper ad from 1971. By this time Ancona's Market was located in the red brick building. Constructed in 1948, the brick building was first the home of Ancona's Hardware Store. After Joe Sr. passed away in 1958 the sons moved away from the hardware business.

 

 

Late '70s we had 2 cash registers.

 

 

The photo above was taken in our first aisle - looking from the rear

of the store forward. On the right, is first the dairy refrigerated case

and then the frozen foods case. The left side of the aisle was all of

the household cleaning supplies, laundry, and paper goods at the far

end.

 

Small, but very efficient merchandising offered a surprisingly broad

selection of products....just like today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 14, 1980 -

Ancona's Market opens a big new store at 720 Branchville Road

 

 

 

 

After a lot of long nights and early mornings things started to click.

John and Joe Ancona were recognized by the grocery industry's leading

trade journal Progressive Grocer as one of 212 Outstanding Independents.

At this time prepared foods and a focus on the deli department was

unheard of. It took until the end of the decade for the large chains

to be able to execute a pale immitation of this strategy.

 

 

 

 

Celebrating our 70th anniversary - July 1990

Partners John and Joe Ancona celebrate another successful year.

 

 

 

Live music and freshly baked muffins...what could be better?

 

 

 

Joe Ancona offers a taste of something sweet

 

Joe Ancona

 

 

 

Linda Dano and Frank Attardi join Joe, Joan and Carol Ancona.