Greenwich bids sweet farewell to candy lady

A Greenwich community said a final goodbye Wednesday to the longtime owner of a local institution for anyone with a sweet tooth - Ada?s Variety Shop. Residents came out to share sweet childhood memories

News 12 Staff

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Jul 2, 2008, 11:33 PM

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Updated 6,020 days ago

A Greenwich community said a final goodbye Wednesday to the longtime owner of a local institution for anyone with a sweet tooth - Ada?s Variety Shop.

Residents came out to share sweet childhood memories of Ada Cantavero, who passed away Monday at the age of 88 after spending more than half a century behind the counter of her shop.

"We would have a handful of pennies, and at this place, pennies went a long way," says Carol Dinmore, who grew up on Chapel Lane, near Ada?s candy shop.

Cantavero was remembered as wonderful woman who loved kids, but Rosemary Romaniello says that she also kept everyone in line and taught her pint-size customers to behave and be polite to her.

"You would stand in line," Romaniello recalls, "and she would always yell at you to not bang on the glass."

Even in her older age, Cantavero remembered the neighborhood kids-turned-adults who patronized her store years ago.

The community set up a makeshift memorial for Cantavero on the front steps of the store, which has been growing as a testament to how much the local candy lady meant to the community.

The funeral for Cantavero will be held Thursday at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Riverside.