There are many things to love about our town, Putnam, CT. But one of the things best loved by many is Deary Brothers/Mike's Stand. Open from April through September, Mike's Stand serves up ice cream, fried seafood, burgers, chowder and clam cakes to its adoring patrons. The stand is located on a side street off Route 12, originated in 1937 and has been family owned since then. In fact, old school Coca-Cola signs and lights still adorn the tiny red stand, which is kept as good as new by current owner, Mike Deary. The stand was an offshoot of the Deary Brothers dairy, which was formed in 1913, and offered home delivery of bottled milk and dairy products. Today, the stand's fresh food and friendly service, delivered by perky local teenagers, is excellent, but equally enjoyable is the gestalt of the place, and that means: the customers.
At any given time, a swarm of people form loosely formed lines for ordering meals, and ordering ice cream. And among those people are farmers in overalls, businessmen in suits, young mothers and babies, an elderly lady with a toy poodle in her arms, bikers in leather, teenagers in goth black, high school jocks, aging hippies, middle-aged couples. The rich, the middle class, the working poor, oldest and youngest, conservatives and liberals are mingled together without regard for their differences. Sitting at one of the shaded picnic tables, you know you're part of an American scene...an old-fashioned one, full of good values and mutual respect.
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