Deli Guy Buys East B’field Store
By Sandy Cooch

Stan Blaise loves his town of Brookfield, where he has worked and volunteered for about half of his life. And, so, it is not surprising that Blaise recently decided to take the plunge, and buy the East Brookfield Deli/Store.

"My whole goal is to serve the community through my store," he said in a recent telephone interview.

The Route 14 general store is where Blaise is likely to be found these days, as he is staffing this "one-person show" 6 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.

If the snow ever comes, Blaise plans to stay open even later to accommodate snowmobilers, as a VAST trail goes right by the store.

Blaise knew what he was getting into when he took over operations from Doug and Diane Haggett on Jan. 1, as he has been running the deli since early summer.

Blaise, for 13 years the building maintenance supervisor at the Brookfield School, had in more recent years worked as "the trash guy" for Haggett’s Trucking, operated by Cory Haggett.

Early this past summer, however, Blaise said, he developed some medical issues, about the same time Haggett decided to "downsize" his trucking business.

Shortly thereafter, Doug and Diane Haggett approached Blaise about taking over the store’s deli, just as he had decided to approach them with the same proposal. The Haggetts had purchased the store in 2005 from Chelsea Sprague, who opened the business in 2000.

In August, after a few months behind the deli counter, Blaise bought the "deli side of the business." Later in the year, when the Haggetts decided it was time to retire from storekeeping, Blaise was ready to take on the new challenge.

"It all just came together," he said. "I love doing this."

Blaise is making the same popular sandwiches that Chelsea Sprague originated, and the store’s shelves are stocked with the same goods customers have come to expect.

The East Brookfield Deli/Store still sells gas too, at the one pump outside the store.

Blaise likes to tell customers, "You’re authorized on pump one," he joked.

A long-time volunteer fireman in town, Blaise said his business could be called the best place in town to fulfill his goal of serving the community.

After all, he said, "It’s the only store in town."

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