For Claudia’s owner Michael Cirinna, it’s all about family. “We give a personal service and touch in Claudia’s,” he says. “You walk in a couple times and we get to know you. You’re not just a customer.” Claudia’s Grinder Shop built its success in caring for its customers, a product of its original owners, Cirinna’s parents, when they came to the United States from Sicily, Italy.

They lived on Franklin Avenue in Hartford, a hub for Italian immigrants in the mid 1900s, with a culture steeped in conversation and compassion. Claudia’s is no different. “That’s how it used to be,” says Cirinna. “But not as much anymore. I’m trying to bring that type of service back.”