Rueben “Rubie” William Vine, 86, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, formerly of the New Haven, CT, died on Oct. 11, 2011. Rubie started his business career at the age of 9 with a New Haven Register paper route. He continued his route until he enlisted in the Army during World War II. He was wounded three times and captured at the Battle of the Bulge. Once discharged from the Army, he sold pots, pans and other items door to door. He founded one of the first closeout stores, Railroad Salvage stores in New Haven in 1950 for which he became famous starring in his own commercials:
By Stephen Krauchick
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[…] Rubie Vine died two weeks ago in Florida. For those of you not of a certain age who didn’t grow up in Connecticut or Western Massachusetts, Rubie owned “Railroad Salvage.” Actually, it’s not that he owned the stores, it’s that he did his own commercials, and he had a wife he called “Choo-Choo.” (Not in this commercial, unfortunately.) I think their marriage eventually derailed, but they are not to be forgotten. […]