The Man from Eden: The Story of New Britain’s Joseph Gustin
By Douglas Bray. Lions Club | Special to the City Journal at November 28, 2023 | 9:30 am | Print
Joseph (Joe) Gustin is not actually from ‘that’ Eden. His family is from a town in northern Lebanon called Eden. The local mythology suggests that it could have been the original Garden of Eden, it was so productive and fertile. But more than a hundred years ago Joe’s father decided to leave Eden to start a new life in America. He came to Connecticut and he brought with him his strong Maronite Christian values of hard work, close family ties, civic responsibility and high ethical standards. Both his mother and father passed on those values to Joe.
Joe was a member of the famous New Britain High School Class of ‘42. On Dec. 7, 1942 they all awakened to the news that Pearl Harbor had been attacked. They heard President Roosevelt declare that “a state of war exists”. Many of them answered the call. Joe proudly became a Marine and served as a tower communicator helping train naval pilots to fire the first ever rockets from planes. It was a hazardous job “but I was only 19 and didn’t know any better.”
For the last half century in New Britain Joe Gustin has been best known as realtor, developer and entrepreneur. In fact, at the age of 90, he still goes to his West Main Street office every day. But he didn’t begin that way. After returning from the service he bought, with his parents help, a small grocery store on Dwight Street in New Britain. Everyone helped out in the business. But as that grew and prospered he looked for new opportunities. While taking finance courses at the local college a professor asked him if he had ever considered selling real estate. He hadn’t, but with the encouragement of his wife, Dolores, he got his real estate license. He quickly learned that being a successful realtor meant working for your clients seven days a week. In 1957, after 15 years in the grocery business, the last five also doing real estate, he sold the food store and gradually became area’s largest and most successful realtor employing 35 agents. He has always been proud of its motto - “independently owned and operated for 57 years”.
Dolores, to whom Joe celebrated 65 years of marriage this year, joined the business becoming one of the state’s first female realtors. Eventually she headed up the business’s insurance division. Their children, daughters Susan, Lori and Jodi, all joined the firm. Some stayed. Some moved on. But all were influenced by the values of Eden - work hard, keep the family close and do the right thing.
For the Gustin’s doing the right thing meant community involvement. The most important was their church. Fifty years ago they were co-founders of Holy Spirit Church. Joe and Dolores were married by the same priest who married his parents. The church became their second home.
Doing the right thing has also meant involvement in countless community organizations. The Marine Corps League, the local, state and national realtors associations, the hospital, Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, Constructive Workshop. He is also a past President and Board member of the New Britain Chamber of Commerce. He says, somewhat modestly, “I have a hard time saying ‘no’”.
A special organization for Joe for 45 years has been the Lions Club of New Britain. He has served in all the usual posts, including President. But he says, with some emotion, “the Lions Club is the most generous organization I know. They work so hard and every cent they raise goes back into the community. I’m so proud to be a Lion.”
This year the Man from Eden has a lot to celebrate. Sixty five years of marriage, 57 years in business, 45 years a Lion, plus grandfather to 7 and great grandfather to 3. And all during those years he has never been far from family, hard work and doing the right thing. Earlier this month Joe Gustin was recognized by the Lions Club for his many years of service.
