It’s a typical bustling Sunday at J. Pace & Son on Main Street, and Rico Colangeli wants his special cut of fresh sirloin steak. Colangeli, of Medford, is a longtime customer of the Saugus Italian grocer, deli, bakery, caterer and hot-meals maker with roots tracing to the 1960s when Orsogna, Italy immigrants Nicolo and Rosaria Pace (pronounced “Pach-chay”) worked in an Italian “Groceria” on Salem Street in the North End of Boston.

“Every week I come and get it,” Colangeli said of his specially-cut steak. “They call it the ‘Rico Cut.’” Colangeli on New Year’s Eve offered his condolences to the family of the Italian grocer’s late owner Joe Pace Sr., the son of Nicolo and Rosaria who worked in that North End shop since age 9 and purchased it from the previous owner who became suddenly ill.