Community Corner

30-Year Middletown Town Clerk Retires, Set to Open Boutique

Sandra Russo-Driska, 46, who started working summers for the city in 1983 at 16, accepted an early retirement incentive last year, but she won't be slowing down a bit.


One of the friendliest and familiar faces at city hall, Town Clerk Sandra Russo-Driska retired Friday after 30 years working for the City of Middletown. 

Russo-Driska, 46, who started working summers for the city in 1983 at 16, accepted an early retirement incentive last year, but she won't be slowing down a bit.

Although at the recent Mayor's Ball at the Elks Club, the committee which she has co-chaired for years, Russo-Driska, a Republican, deflected pleas for her to run for office, she made it clear it wasn't on her immediate agenda — but wasn't ruling the idea out, either.

In September, she'll open the Sandra James Boutique in the a plaza at 954 Newfield Street, specializing in silk flower arrangements, home decor, and eventually seasonal clothing items and prom dresses.

The shop is named after her late father, James Russo, who passed away late last year.

The plaza between Ghezzi's Market and the old Holley Dodge, near the Cromwell line, now houses the Sebastian Photography studio, a hairdresser, massage therapist and nail salon. She he hopes to draw customers from both towns. 

"Middletown and Cromwell don't really have a place like this where you can pick up a really nice gift and have it bagged. You can go to others towns, even Durham — Wild Wisteria — but no one here really does that."

It's been something she has wanted to do for 20 years, says Russo-Driska, who is married to the city's director of emergency management and zoning enforcement officer.

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A lot of people encouraged her to set up shop in downtown Middletown, she says.

"I had a vision. I wanted to be something I could turn the outside into a little cottage with picket fence and little arbor, window boxes. I needed the right location and the right outside and the right rent. I didn't want to get too far over my head. The inside space is magnificent."

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Her original thought was opening a bridal shop, Russo-Driska says, but decided against it, because "you just don't make people happy." Her daughter Meghan, a senior at Mercy High School, came up with the idea to have prom dresses. She has no worries about the lack of customers.

"I've got Middletown High School down the street, I've got Mercy High School locked up," she says of her alma mater. Hours for dress viewing and fittings will be appointment-only on nights and weekends wehen mothers can be relaxed, Russo-Driska says. "And I have a full kitchen where I can have wine tastings, coffee; so I'm planning for down the road."

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