SHREWBURY, Mass. – It’s a store and a man with deep ties to Shrewsbury. Anthony “Spag” Borgatti was known not just for his discount store, but for his generosity too.
“Anybody who passed away in the town, they paid for the mercy meal and they donated a book to the library in their memory,” said local author and historian Michael Perna, Jr. “Anybody that fell on hard times, they would help.”
Borgatti and his store Spag’s always bring back fond memories for Perna. He frequented the store during its time. Having a love for local history, he would write a column on Borgatti for a local publication. After getting tremendous feedback, he decided a book was the natural move forward. So, he wrote the book, “Spag – His Life and Legacy.”
“Spag was kind of a outgoing type guy,” Perna said. “The story is he used to whistle all the time. And the employees could tell where he was in the store by hearing him whistle.”
Whether it was the tomato plant giveaways or the holiday season, Borgatti always had something happening at Spag’s. For decades, the Shrewsbury store was a mecca of discounts, deals, and smiles.
“I’ve run into a couple of people lately with stories,” Perna said. “Both of them were immigrants. When they got here, they had someone they knew that was here already and they said, ‘we’re going to take you somewhere where you can get whatever you need for your home or your apartment,’ and they brought them to Spag’s. And they’ve never forgotten that.”
Spag’s would close permanently in 2004. Perna’s 84-page book, a collection of pictures and stories, is a true trip down memory lane. He spoke to past employees and customers to reminisce on the store’s rich past in town.
For him, it was a good store, run by good people.
“Almost anybody you talk to, not only from New England, all over the place that you talk to,” Perna said. “If you mention where you’re from, they say, ‘Oh, I remember Spag’s. I’ve been to Spag’s.'”
