Clawson's Deli & Pizza

Story

Mike Ronzo, owner of Clawson's Deli and Grocery, said many family members have been in the grocery and/or deli business. But his father and grandfather were Eastman Kodak men. Ronzo's grandfather was a tailor who helped make leather accessories for the cameras. Ronzo's dad started as an elevator operator at Kodak and eventually moved to marketing/education for the company. Clawson's Deli and Grocery is a true original among the Mobil Marts, Hess Expresses and 7-Elevens of the world. The convenience store, run out of a former house at 1231 Ayrault Road, is going strong after more than 40 years in business. Its secret likely lies in the diversity of the items it offers, from soft-serve ice cream to a daily fish fry, mixed with the quickness and friendliness with which it's delivered. Mike Ronzo, 43, of Perinton is the third owner of the store, taking the place of the Taylor brothers 13 years ago, who took over from the original Clawson's before that. Ronzo's wife, Kerrey, does the bookkeeping in addition to her part-time job as an X-ray technician. Much in the store is what you would find in a regular convenience store — beer, soda, potato chips and the like.

But tucked in the back is the deli, which serves up sandwiches and pizza slices to many a hungry contractor and driveway sealer during the day. And families line up on hot weekends to get at the store's hard and soft ice cream. "It's more convenient than major stores and it's a mile from my home," said Dave Ackroyd, who has been going to Clawson's since 1971. Ackroyd recently stopped in to play Lotto. When Ackroyd's family goes on a driving vacation, they order sub sandwiches the night before, and the sandwiches are ready to be picked up at 6 the next morning. "The pizza is supreme and (Ronzo's) homemade soups are out of this world." Ronzo, an Irondequoit native, has actually worked in the deli/grocery business since he was 14 years old, helping out his uncle, Justin Guetti, who owned Guetti's Market on Ridgeway Avenue. At age 25, Ronzo bought J& D Deli on North Landing Road in Brighton and ran that for 5½ years. But he wanted a new location because he didn't own the land, and the store near Ellison Park was slow in the winter.

The Taylors brought the breakfast pizza to Clawson's. But Ronzo and his staff refined it, adding a country-style pizza complete with hash browns, egg and sausage. Many local organizations, such as the Fairport school district, often pre-order the breakfast pies for their morning meetings. And there are about 65 to 100 pre-orders of the delicacy every Christmas Eve. Clawson's also donates hot dogs to the Fairport Police Department bike rodeo and supplies beer, as a stack was recently marked in the stockroom, for various fire departments. Clawson's employees also know when someone from "out of town" has come to the store when they park perpendicular in the front — blocking the curved, race-like pull-through lanes that allow motorists to get in and out quickly.