HAVERHILL, Mass. (BRAIN) — Boris W. Migliori, the longtime owner of H.R. Sawyer Schwinn Bicyclery, died here Saturday at age 94. For decades, Migliori operated a local landmark retail store that was known nationally as one of the leading Schwinn retailers.
Migliori, a Haverhill native, bought the store from Herbert Sawyer in 1946, soon after returning from World War II. Migliori had served in the Army Air Corps and flew 40 missions in the Pacific as a tailgunner. He was the recipient of the Asiatic Pacific Theatre Campaign Ribbon, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two Bronze Stars.
The Sawyer store dated back to 1901, and Migliori kept Sawyer's name on the business as it moved to several locations around Haverhill before settling in on Ginty Boulevard in about 1970. Migliori's son Arthur, daughter Martha, and wife Antoinette each worked at the store at times. Migliori served many generations of customers and was well known throughout the industry and especially at Schwinn. He retired in 2007 and Arthur Migliori, who had worked full time at the store since he was a teenager, managed it for several years, and then sold it to Riverside Cycle of Newburyport in 2013. Riverside remodeled and reopened the store as its second location.
Migliori was active in many local charities and in the local Masonic Merrimack Lodge, where he was a member and leader for more than 40 years.
Antoinette, who ran the store's office for decades, passed away in 2002. Migliori is survived by his daughter, Martha Bernstein, and her husband, Dr. Lawrence Bernstein of Hadley; son, Arthur Migliori; wife, Cynthia DeSando of Haverhill; and several generations of nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister, Natalie.
Visiting hours at the Monument Square Chapel of Paul C. Rogers Family-Carnevale Funeral Home, 334 Main St., Haverhill, will be held Friday from 5 to 7 p.m., with Masonic services at 4:30 p.m., conducted by the officers of Merrimack Lodge. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday morning at 11 at All Saints Church, 120 Bellevue Ave., Haverhill, followed by interment in Linwood Cemetery, Haverhill.
