Business

New Canaan Holiday Shopping: Elm Street Books [Q&A]

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For today’s installment in our local holiday shopping series, we spoke to Manda Riggs of Elm Street Books at 35 Elm St. Here’s a transcription of our conversation. 

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New Canaanite: How’s it going so far this holiday shopping season? Manda Riggs: I would say it’s been soft, actually. I’m not entirely sure if it was the shorter shopping season—‘longer November, shorter December,’ as we say—not sure if it was an election result. I looked at our numbers from 2020 and 2016. It looks like our Decembers in those years were also a tiny bit soft, so we’ll see.

Business

‘We Want Them To Feel Really Good’: LaSource Opens on Elm Street 

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[For this installment of our local holiday shopping series, we interviewed Jessica Johnson, who last month opened LaSource at 44 Elm St.]

Jessica Johnson opened her first LaSource store in Darien a little over one year ago. A successful commercial real estate agent who used to work as a professional ballet dancer, Johnson had the idea in creating the shop to “try and reinvent a lingerie store.”

“I grew up a Victoria’s Secret customer in my 20s and everybody knows how Victoria’s Secret sells to women and what that looks like,” Johnson said Thursday afternoon from the floor of her warm, inviting new location in downtown New Canaan. “It is very much about seduction, whereas we’ve kind of taken seduction out of the store and tried to just create a beautiful space for women to feel comfortable in and supported. And we offer everything from bra fitting to resort wear and swimwear. And for all ages, really.

News

Did You Hear … ?

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New Canaan Police at 3:23 a.m. on Dec. 5 put down an injured deer that had been struck by a car at Surrey Road and South Avenue. ***

The Silvermine Arts Center’s Holiday Art & Craft Sale runs 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. It benefits the Silvermine Scholarship Fund. ***

Kindergarten registration for next year (2025-26) is open for New Canaan Public Schools.

News

21-Year-Old Man Charged in Car Theft

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New Canaan Police last week charged a 21-year-old Waterbury man with felony larceny in connection with a motor vehicle theft. At about 10 a.m. on Dec. 6, officers served the warrant to the man at state Superior Court in Stamford, according to a police report. Authorities identified him as a result of collecting DNA from the recovered stolen vehicle, the report said. The man was charged with first-degree larceny—meaning the value of the stolen property exceeded $20,000—and also was charged with tampering with a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor.

Business

Holiday Shopping in New Canaan: Francos Wine Merchants

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For today’s installment in our local holiday shopping series, we spoke to Carl Franco of Francos Wine Merchants on Elm Street. Here’s a transcription of our conversation. 

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New Canaanite: How’s the holiday shopping season been for you guys? Carl Franco: It’s been a little delayed. But I think people are starting to wake up and realize that Christmas is in two weeks. 

What are some of your best sellers? 

There’s always the traditional Cabs and Pinot Noirs and areas that people feel comfortable shopping in because they know them. But Italy’s always very big at Christmas because of a lot of menus—especially on Christmas Eve—and then it’s had an excellent 2019 vintage, which has just been released.