A 100-year old family owned company in Norwich will soon close its doors, leaving many to look elsewhere for meat and milk. The closing is leaving some customers feeling very nostalgic.
Seymour Beit and his three sons first opened the Beit Brothers market in 1908. When it opened, a box of cornflakes cost a dime; a gallon of milk cost 32 cents. The prices are not the only thing that has changed in a hundred years according to family members still running the store.
"We were hoping to have a fifth generation, excuse me, come, but that didn't work," said Arthur Beit, choking back tears as he talked about the family business. Beit is one of the family owners of the business.
The family run supermarket is calling it quits after 100 years in business. Beit said that after the 'trifecta' of time, a transformer explosion, and a turning of the economy, his profit has been sliced too thin.
About 60 employees are affected by the closing.
"Between the lightening strike and the economy took a huge nosedive, it was just too much to overcome," Beit said.
Arthur is founder Seymour Beit's great grandson. At one point, the Norwich area natives had seven stores dotting eastern Connecticut. Today, the family is down to just the one store. It will close within days, Beit said Saturday.
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Eric Beit is the fifth generation Arthur got choked up about - he's Arthur's son.
"It really is like having a death in the family," Eric said. "It's been part of my family identity for more than my life. It is really difficult to see it come to an end," Eric added.
Many of the customers shopping on Saturday found the news hard to accept.
"I'm just really bummed. I'm going to cry," Renee Dougherty, Oakdale, said.
"It's home. It's like a family affair," echoed Irene Karasevich, Uncasville.
The stores is located on Route 32 in the Uncasville section.
