Halfway up Spring Street on the left approaching town a Dexter landmark Toots Delicatessen still thrives today. Toots is an institution in many of our lives. It was neither a deli nor owned by anyone named Toots. Folks from away mistakenly called it Tooots like a train whistles. While not the first proprietor Francis McKenny certainly could be called founder in many ways. Her family hailed from Brighton Plantation a small settlement just outside of Harmony some twenty miles in the wilderness west of town. Francis chain-smoked yellow and brown packs of Yukon Cigarettes by the carton running the business with brilliance and a firm hand. She was nearly always accompanied with her two little reddish-brown dachshund dogs. She and the little dogs was a fixture behind the counter seven days a week. The little dogs crapped on newspapers in the back stockroom thus affording young men including me and Stevie Larabee an opportunity to have an after school job scooping poop breaking down cardboard boxes and stocking shelves.

Francis’ husband at the time Reggie, worked for Maine Central Rail Road in Waterville at the roundhouse moved the family to Dexter in the early fifties where Francis played the role of CEO. Along with her staff of Betty and Omar Larabee who lived across the street in a small apartment together the three along with others built the core of one of the most successful small business’ in town. Toots was opened at dawn and stayed open until midnight. Toots was one of the only stores in town that remained open on holidays and like the advertisement of the good neighbor was, always there.

Part of the Toots mystique was its well-founded reputation for great snack foods including sandwiches and snacks. Gallons of pickled eggs were “put up” on Thursday and sold like the proverbial hot cakes. Italian sandwiches were a staple and hundreds of dozens flew from the glass paneled display cases that stood along the wall on the left as you entered the store. Toots was known to have the coldest beer in town. Francis held a hard-line on selling beer to minors and refused to sell beer on Sundays for what may have been a quick profit.

I loved comic books and Toot’s sold the best ones with the tops of the cover cut off for a nickel a piece. I discovered the very first Marvel Comic book heroes including the Incredible Hulk and Spiderman for five cents each. As long as I was quiet I could browse through the entire box of funny books that sat atop the checkout counter in a box. My idea of living was buying an ice-cold bottle of Pepsi, a coconut covered strawberry pastry and a comic book. Remember the oiled down hardwood floors stained white with salt in the wintertime and the isles of staples that you could buy any day of the week?
Fred