Local Holiday Shopping: The Adirondack Store [Q&A]

For this installment of our local holiday shopping series, we spoke on Thursday afternoon to Stephen Shin and Christopher English, co-owners of The Adirondack Store at 39 Elm St. Here’s our interview. ***

New Canaanite: How has the holiday shopping season been for you so far? Stephen Shin: It’s extremely busy. This town is pumping.

Did You Hear … 

New Canaan Police are investigating three thefts from cars reported Tuesday morning—at 6:23 a.m., 8:39 a.m. and 10:11 a.m.—that may be connected. The larcenies occurred near each other, on Millport Avenue and Avalon Drive West, and a handbag and two wallets were reported stolen. ***

Save the date: The second “New Canaan Sports Trivia Night” will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 23 at the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society. Tickets here.

Local Holiday Shopping: Elm Street Books [Q&A]

For the third installment of our local holiday shopping series, we spoke on Wednesday afternoon to Elm Street Books owner Susan Rein and manager Manda Riggs. 

Here’s our interview. ***

New Canaanite: I know it’s early in the holiday shopping season, but how’s it going so far? 

Susan Rein: It’s going. We had a great Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Getting lots of people in. My hope is it continues that way.

Town Aims To Complete Removal of Irwin House Foundation by Christmas

Town officials said this week that they’re hoping to remove the foundation of Irwin House and so complete the site’s demolition by Christmas. Both the main house at the Weed Street park and adjacent garage have been knocked down and are being “trucked out,” according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. “The only caveat is how hard the footing comes out,” he told members of the Board of Selectmen at their regular meeting, held Tuesday at Town Hall and via videoconference. “That’s a large footing, [former] bomb shelter. And if it doesn’t come out of the ground easily, then that might take a little bit of time.

Local Holiday Shopping: Franco’s Wine Merchants [Q&A]

For today’s installment of our local holiday shopping series, we talked on Tuesday afternoon to Carl Franco of Franco’s Wine Merchants at 130 Elm St. Here’s a transcription of our interview. ***

New Canaanite: The shopping season officially kicked off on Black Friday. How’s it going in the early days here? 

Carl Franco: Usually people are a little slow right after Thanksgiving, and they always take a few days, or sometimes a week. But with Thanksgiving so late this year, I think people just realized it’s 30 days for Christmas.