VisitingNewEngland/The Good Food Store Business Partnership - Local Small Business Stories

The Good Food Store & Deli in Walpole, Massachusetts Plays a Major "Roll" as a Great Sandwich Shop Southwest of Boston

Article by Eric J. Hurwitz. May 2, 2017.

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The only problem I have with The Good Food Store & Deli in Walpole, Massachusetts is that it should be called The Great Food Store & Deli.

If you love sandwiches made the old-fashioned way on fresh braided Italian sandwich rolls with Boar's Head meats, tasty cheeses and piled high add-ons, The Good Food Store & Deli delivers big-time, literally and figuratively. I regard this 25-plus-year-old business as one of the best for sandwiches between Boston and Providence and recommend it to locals, people working in the area, travelers in between the two great cities, and those on business travel.

Twenty sandwich items are available on the menu, along with homemade soups, chili, salads, homemade baked goods, fruits cups, “old time candy,” an astounding 200 kinds of soft drinks and an equally impressive 150 varieties of chips. My favorite sandwiches: the “TBLT” (turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato) and the “Black Jack” (chicken cutlet with bacon and pepper jack cheese topped with lettuce tomato and a chipotle mayo).

Amazingly, this small storefront averages selling 300 sandwiches a day and "upwards of 500 on really busy days," according to Alan Donaruma, manager of the Good Food Store and Deli. The fabulous sandwiches and other items, the pleasant yet no-nonsense counter service, a spotless kitchen and dining room, and the ability to turn out quality food within a quick turnaround time has played a major role in this small businesses' success.


The TLBT: turkey, lettuce and tomato on a braided sesame roll..

Not too long ago, Good Food Store founder and owner George Donaruma passed away. He was one of the nicest, most dedicated local store owners you could ever meet, and locals wondered if the quality could be maintained under new management. Fortunately, George's wife, Jean, continued the business. Alan assumed the manager's role. He clearly has his dad's food store genes and has wonderfully kept the quality intact through his hard work ethic, excellent management skills, attention to detail and an eye for quality food sourcing and creation.


The “Black Jack” (chicken cutlet with bacon and pepper jack cheese topped with lettuce tomato and a chipotle mayo).

Seating is surprisingly ample for such a small space, and the customers take advantage of it by often filling up the sit-down areas - especially around noon time. During the summertime, outdoor seating provides a quieter, more leisurely setting.

So many sandwich shops have veered off the traditional path by treading into "gourmet" territory -- often meaning pretentious, overpriced or insubstantial -- or all of the above.  Nice to know that The Good Food Store & Deli continues to satisfy our sandwich cravings the old school way.

The Good Food Store and Deli is located at 413 High Plain St. (near The Big Y), Walpole. Tel. 508-660-6800. Hours: Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Sunday. Facebook fan web page:

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