Walk into the North Madison Shopping Center right now and the silence is heavy. For over four decades, this spot was the literal heartbeat of the community. You’d go in for a gallon of milk and end up chatting for twenty minutes with a neighbor you hadn't seen in months. That was the magic of Roberts Food Center Madison CT.
But if you’ve driven by lately, you’ve noticed the "For Lease" signs and the empty parking spaces. It’s weird. Honestly, it feels like a death in the family for a lot of Shoreline residents.
The Messy Reality Behind the Closure
People want to know why a successful, beloved business just vanishes. It wasn’t for a lack of customers. Roberts was busy until the very last day. The truth is a lot more "real world" and, frankly, a bit of a headache.
It basically came down to a perfect storm of a crumbling roof and a lease dispute that hit a brick wall.
Owner Zach Fusco was open about the nightmare they were facing. Imagine running a high-end grocery store while the building is literally fighting you. There was a massive humidity issue caused by the roof, which led to mold building up between the drop ceiling and the actual structure. Last year alone, the Fuscos dropped $100,000 just to replace 20,000 square feet of ceiling.
That was a band-aid.
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The permanent fix? Estimates were hovering between $250,000 and $300,000. When you’re a local grocer and not a massive conglomerate like Amazon, that kind of cash is a mountain. Toss in 12 months of failed lease negotiations with the landlord, North Madison Associates, and you get the heartbreaking announcement we saw in May 2025.
Three Generations of the Fusco Family
This wasn't just a corporate venture. It was a legacy. Bob Fusco started the place back in 1983. Think about that for a second. In 1983, the internet didn't exist for most people, and "locally sourced" wasn't a marketing buzzword—it was just how you did business.
The family tree at Roberts looked like this:
- Bob Fusco Sr. (The Founder): The man who set the tone with the motto, "Good things come in smaller packages."
- Bob Fusco Jr.: Who kept the ship steady for decades.
- Zach Fusco: The third generation who stepped in around 2015 after getting a business degree and working the corporate grind in Boston.
They employed local teenagers for forty years. If you grew up in Madison, Guilford, or Killingworth, there is a very high chance your first paycheck came from Roberts. You learned how to bag groceries, how to talk to the "regulars," and how to show up on time.
Why the Meat and Produce Actually Mattered
Most grocery stores are sterile. Roberts was the opposite. It smelled like actual food.
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The meat department was arguably the best on the shoreline. They didn't just sell plastic-wrapped steaks; they had real butchers. You could walk up and ask for a specific cut of USDA Choice Certified Angus Beef and get it. Their "Meat & Potatoes" ready-to-cook entrees were the ultimate cheat code for busy parents who still wanted a "real" dinner.
And the produce? Scott Ward, the longtime produce manager, was obsessed with local stuff. In the summer, the sweet corn was basically a local celebrity. It was often picked and sold on the same day. You just can't get that at a big-box store where the corn has been on a truck for three days.
The Deli and the "Post Office" Factor
Then there was the deli. If you didn't have a favorite Roberts salad, did you even live in North Madison? Their red skin potato and egg salad was legendary.
Kinda weirdly, the post office inside the store was the ultimate convenience. You could mail a package, grab a custom-made panini, and pick up a rotisserie chicken all in one stop. It made the "big" grocery stores feel like a chore. Roberts felt like a shortcut.
The Auction: Watching a Legend Get Parted Out
In June 2025, things got really real. There was a massive online auction.
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Seeing the Hobart slicers, the modern checkout lanes, and the bakery ovens listed as "Lot #240" was gut-wrenching for the staff. Over 2,500 items were sold off. It was the finality of it all—the physical pieces of the store being shipped off to other restaurants and startups.
Is There Anything Left?
While the Madison location is gone, the Fusco family hasn't completely disappeared from the food scene. They still own and operate the Brookside Market in Glastonbury.
If you’re desperate for that specific "Roberts" feel, it’s about a 40-minute drive, but for many, it’s worth the trip for the nostalgia alone.
Actionable Next Steps for Former Shoppers:
- Support the Remaining Locals: Since the loss of Roberts, smaller markets in the area are feeling the pressure. Check out the local farm stands in Killingworth and Guilford for your summer corn and tomatoes.
- Follow the Staff: Many of the longtime butchers and deli workers have moved to other local shops along the shoreline. Ask around—finding your favorite butcher at a new spot is like finding a lost relative.
- Visit Brookside Market: If you’re heading north toward Hartford, stop into Brookside in Glastonbury. You’ll recognize the quality and likely see a few familiar faces from the Fusco family.
The closure of Roberts Food Center Madison CT is a reminder that local businesses are fragile. They aren't just buildings; they're the people who run them and the community that shows up every day. Losing a forty-year institution because of a roof and a lease is a tough pill to swallow, but the impact they had on generations of Madison families isn't going anywhere.