The History behind Putorti's Broadway Market

Caroline Martucci Putorti, an Italian immigrant, started the store on September 9, 1927. After her third son, Fred was born she decided she couldn't afford her "silk stockings" so she moved her family to the second story of her home on Mountain Street and opened her store on the first floor.

At the time in Whitehall the Silk Mill was in full swing. So hundreds of people worked there and passed by her store on the way into and from work each day.

Caroline and her husband, Tony, who worked on the railroad, would make homemade Italian bread, ice cream, Italian sausage and many oter things that started their successful business.

Around 1949, Caroline decided it was time to expand and be on Broadway where there were many other businesses and seemed to be the hub of the businesses in Whitehall. So she bought a home on Broadway on the opposite side of the street from other businesses. They told her she was wrong by being on that side.

Well, today 67 years later on Broadway and 13 years on Mt. Street, Putorti's Market is the only one left of business of yester-year.

In 1965, her son Fred and his wife Ann took over the store after Caroline's husband passed away. Fred and Ann ran the store for 8 years, until they retired and sold it to Francis (the third son of Caroline's second son John.) On July 3, 1973 Francis became the owner at the age of 19. He is still the owner today, 44 years later!