The Cornerstone of our Legacy

Our Story

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In 1953, just before his 50th birthday, Joe Mazza made a life-changing decision. After working for 30 years at the Star Bakery in Winooski, Vermont, he left his job and sold the five-acre farm in Colchester that he shared with his wife, Mary. With $18,000 from the sale, Joe set out to build something of his own.

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He purchased a small piece of land on Lakeshore Drive for $600 and built a modest grocery store he named Joe Mazza Groceries, along with an attached home and a three-room apartment above it. The apartment provided a place for his eldest son, John, his wife Gloria, and their newborn son John Jr. to live while John served overseas in the military.

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The original store measured just 22 by 30 feet and opened in May of 1954. After construction was complete, Joe had only $1,782 left to stock the shelves. The inventory included groceries, beer, wine, and a Coca-Cola cooler - remarkably, the very same cooler is still operating today.

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The early days were challenging. The first week’s sales totaled just $156, and some days averaged about $7 in revenue. Popular items included cigarettes for 18¢ a pack, eggs for 39¢ a dozen, hamburg for 39¢ a pound, chips for 25¢ a bag, beer for $1.15 a six-pack, and wine for 69¢ a jug.

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Competition was fierce, with four neighborhood stores and three larger grocery stores already nearby. At the time, very few people lived year-round in Malletts Bay, and winters were especially quiet.

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A Life’s Calling

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In 1957, Joe’s youngest son, Dick Mazza, graduated from Winooski High School and began working full-time in the store, from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. The morning Dick was supposed to leave for college at Champlain, he made a decision that would shape the future of the store - he stayed.

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Joe had been planning to close the store and convert it into an apartment. But Dick knew this was his calling. He committed himself fully and never left, working there every day until just before his passing at age 84 on May 25, 2024.

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That date held special meaning. In 2019, Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed a proclamation designating May 25th as “Dick Mazza’s General Store Day” in Vermont. Fittingly, the day Dick passed away was also the 70th anniversary of the store, a milestone he had hoped to reach.

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Growing With the Community

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The 1960s brought important changes. Early in the decade, Joe and Mary moved into a house just down the road while Dick continued living in the home attached to the store. In 1965, Dick married the love of his life, Dolly, and they lived there together for the rest of their lives.

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Together they raised two children, Mike and Melissa, who both still live in Colchester, have families of their own, and now carry on the family legacy owning the store today.

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The business continued to evolve. New beer coolers were installed in 1967, and a new storefront was built in 1968. By the end of the decade, the store was renamed Dick Mazza’s General Store.

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What started as a small local store evolved alongside the changing lifestyle of Malletts Bay. As more people embraced the lake through boating, camping, fishing, and swimming, we expanded our offerings to meet their needs - while continuing to provide the trusted goods our community has always relied on.

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Expanding One Step at a Time

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The 1970s marked a period of steady expansion. In 1975, a liquor store was added. The wine department expanded in 1977, and in 1979 a bakery, office, and storeroom were built. Dick and Dolly also added space to their home during this time. Fruit baskets were introduced as a new product item and have since expanded into wonderful holiday gift baskets. 

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The store became deeply involved in the community as well and even sponsored both men’s and women's softball teams. 

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During the 1980s, the store was incorporated and continued investing in improvements, including a walk-in cooler, produce cooler, meat case, and updated wiring. 

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The 1990s brought a difficult chapter for the family with the passing of Joe in 1993 and Mary in 1996.

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Built Without Borrowing

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Throughout the early 2000s, the store continued to grow as business expanded, with more new coolers, freezers, and remodeling projects.

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Over the decades, the store was literally built a few hundred feet at a time, gradually expanding 12 times to total 7,800 square feet of commercial space - all funded through the proceeds of the business. As the Mazza family believed if you can't pay in cash, you don't need it, they never borrowed a dime to grow the store.

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A Lifetime of Dedication

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For several decades, Dick worked more than 16 hours a day, often cutting meat in the middle of the night. In the early years, sides of beef were delivered whole and had to be broken down by hand using knives, band saws, and other equipment. It could take an hour just to bone out the neck of a single cow.

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Today, much of the meat arrives pre-cut and sealed in Cryovac packaging, but the store still grinds its high-quality beef fresh, staying true to Dick’s famous slogan: “Our hamburg melts in your mouth, not in your pan.” That sign remains hanging in the store’s front window today.

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Although she mostly worked behind the scenes, Dick’s wife, Dolly, played an essential role in the business by managing the store’s books and payroll. Later in life, she spent more than a decade making jewelry and donated all the proceeds to local nonprofits. Even her most expensive piece sold for just $20, yet she ultimately gave more than $120,000 to the community.

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Both Joe and Dick were also deeply committed to community involvement with considerable pride. They believed that family, hard work, and supporting their community were the foundations of a meaningful life. Joe served in the Vermont State Legislature for 12 years, on the Colchester Selectboard for 11 years and a town selectman for seven years. Dick spent 41 years serving in the Vermont Legislature beginning with the year his father stepped down. His public service extended to several board positions, including the Champlain Valley Exposition, Vermont Nurses' Association, Colchester Senior Citizens Housing Project, Fanny Allen Hospital, Friends of the Burnham Memorial Library and more.

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Our People, Our Pride

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At the heart of our business are the people who make it thrive - our employees. Many of the people who drive us start their journey with us as high school students, gaining skills and experience that often bring them back later in life to continue growing alongside us. We are proud to have staff who have dedicated many decades of their careers to our company. Their loyalty, expertise, and commitment reflect the core values that define our family business, and we are deeply grateful for the passion and dedication they bring every day. Our team isn’t just a group of employees - it’s an extended family that drives our success and embodies the spirit of our legacy.

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Staying True to the Original Vision

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From the beginning, Joe’s vision was simple: a friendly community grocery store offering everyday essentials including fresh meat, produce, bread, desserts, and groceries. More than 70 years later, that vision remains the same.

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Through changing times, tightening margins, and even a pandemic, the store has continued to serve the community while setting records for longevity, employee dedication, and commitment to quality.

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Today, Mike Mazza and Melissa Mazza-Paquette, along with their families, proudly carry forward the traditions established by their father and grandfather.

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Lessons From Joe and Dick

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Over the years, Joe and Dick passed along a few guiding principles that continue to shape the store today:

• A meaningful life is built on family, generosity, and community.

• Honor the people who invest their time and faith in you.

• Service matters - always go above and beyond.

• Listen to your customers.

• Grow carefully, one step at a time.

• If you can’t pay with cash, you don’t need it.

• Make thoughtful, steady decisions.

• Look for new ideas that can work without major investment.

• Know your business and your industry.

• Find what works and stay true to it.

• Success requires dedication and commitment.

• Make a positive impact.

• Support and strengthen the communities we serve.

• Love what you do.

• Life's greatest blessings are the people we call family.