Long time reader but first time poster to RF. One of my family traditions involves grinders. When I was a little girl my family lived near Springfield, MA, but an aunt, uncle, and grandma lived in Westerly, RI, about a 2-hr trip each way. On the way home from visiting, dad would stop at a mom and pop grocery and buy grinders and a big bag of State Line potato chips for an easy supper, when we got home. Everyone enjoyed this–especially mom, since it meant no dishes to wash. Later, after living in Texas and a number of other states–no grinders!–we found ourselves back in MA and dad tried to find a new source for grinders. The mom and pop had long since gone out of business. He asked around and found D’elia’s in Norwich, CT, which is near New London in the southeast part of CT. This was circa 1967, dad and mom are now gone, but the family tradition survives. Most recently a niece, nephew, and grandniece came up to Maine, where I now live, and stopped at D’elia’s and got cold salami grinders and put them in an ice chest. Yum. These are the same type that I grew up on. On trips south to visit family in southern NJ, I have done the same thing. Bought grinders at D’elia’s. They are what I would call a hole-in-the-wall store front, where they bake their own bread. That is what makes a great grinder. They have lots of different meats to choose from, but the basic cold grinder includes the meat, finely shredded lettuce, thinly sliced tomato and provolone, s&p, and is sprinkled with oil. A wonderful place! Until a few years ago and a younger generation of family took over, two older ladies–one the owner–would always be there and recognize me, though my stops were infrequent. When you order a lot at once, you get remembered. Anyway, this place is highly recommended by me. A few years ago I remember doing an online search and found that another branch of the family had a place in CA, too. Apparently part of the family went west many years ago. Don’t know what that D’elia’s is like.