COLONIE — A local family who previously ran a general store, deli and ice cream stand in Vermont is developing a similar concept in the former Genoa Importing building in Loudonville. An opening in late April or early May is projected.
Called Robo’s Creemees & Deli, it is a joint effort by the Robustiano clan, including Claudio and Joanne Robustiano and their son Anthony. After Anthony’s sister, Mattia Szczepanski, was diagnosed with aplastic anemia about a year ago, he and his parents decided to sell their Robo’s Creemees & General Store in Castleton, Vt., after four years and return to the Capital Region to be closer to her, he said. Following a bone marrow transplant, she is healthy, he said.
The family scouted multiple area locations for months, finally seizing on the Genoa building, at 435 Loudon Road, between the western end of Route 378 and Siena College. It was recommended by a relative who is a Watervliet police officer and former Genoa patron, Robustiano said. The longtime deli closed suddenly at the end of January after more than 35 years…