Celebrating a century at Geissler’s

By Laura B. Hayden

When A.F. Geissler opened a grocery store in the village of Broad Brook in the town of East Windsor in 1923, eggs cost 13 cents a dozen and beef for pot roast was a dime a pound.

This year, Geissler’s Supermarkets celebrates its 100th anniversary with the fourth generation of descendants in charge of seven stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Two of these (East Windsor and Somers) are located in North Central Connecticut.

A view of A.F. Geissler’s store in the Broad Brook section of East Windsor in the early days of the business.

During those 100 years prices have certainly risen — and Geissler’s daughter Mary, married Jim Nilsson, who took over the family business and expanded it into a multi-store independent chain.

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Four cousins — great grandchildren of the founder of Geissler’s — manage the seven-store business today. From left: Andrew Rybick, Ryan Nilsson, Eric Nilsson, and Robert Rybick, president and CEO.