Business

Adirondack Store: ‘We Plan To Continue To Expand and Build Our Brand’

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The owners of a popular store in downtown New Canaan say they’re working with their landlords, as they have in the past, amid a highly seasonal retail environment to ensure continued investment in the community. When it began fitting out its space on Elm Street, The Adirondack Store “invested in a 10-year commitment to New Canaan,” owner Christopher English said. “And we just wanted to put it out there that the blurb of what was put in, the court documents, is really not represented correctly because it says that the rent is $11,250 a month—that was the rent the first month that we opened,” English said, referring to this news article. “Our rent is actually $23,416.67 a month and continues to go up. So we have invested over $1 million in rent since we have been in New Canaan.

Business

‘Part of Our Family’: Ann Cheney Retires from Walter Stewart’s After 20 Years

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Ann Cheney remembers her first day at work at Walter Stewart’s Market, an August morning 20 years ago. An art history major out of Fairfield University who had worked briefly in that field prior to having children, she heard about the job in New Canaan from a recruiter after leaving a part-time job with a food service provider. 

“The store was slow, but I was getting to know the team—Alex, Doug and of course, Bailey—and I’ll never forget the first thing that Alex said to me was, ‘Look around at our customers—this is a place to connect,’ ” Cheney recalled. “And it absolutely has been. It is a local gathering place.”

For two decades, Cheney, longtime store manager at Stewart’s, has greeted customers and co-workers with a smile, overseeing multiple departments in a business that staffs nearly 70 people. Friday will be her last day at work.

Business

‘Spa & Nail New Canaan’ Planned for Main Street

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A nail salon is planned for a vacant commercial space on Main Street, records show. A street-level business of the recently sold “Raymond Building” at 112 Main St., Spa & Nail New Canaan Inc. is a sole proprietorship offering manicures and pedicures, according to documents on file with the New Canaan Building Department. 

Its principal is a Milford resident, according to Connecticut Secretary of the State records. It’s unclear when the business is planning to open. Its managing principal could not be reached by phone or email. Spa & Nail New Canaan will use the street address 116 Main St., according to an application filed Nov.

Business

‘Resource360’ Opens on Main Street

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A one-stop shop for home improvement has opened in the heart of downtown New Canaan. Located at 99 Main St., Resource360 is the brainchild of town resident Todd Sell, a veteran property renovator who launched the business to assist homeowners with both kitchen and bath retail needs as well as services such as property management and interior design, and professional referrals for suppliers and trades such as painters, electricians and plumbers. “People are starting to come in,” Sell said Thursday from the front retail area at Resource360, featuring concrete countertops and custom cabinetry. “The people that come in really like our mix of products and they’re asking a lot of questions. It’s been a good start.”

Those patronizing the business are often preparing to do home renovations or “beginning the process of looking at countertops and cabinetry and lights and mirrors,” among other building materials, he said.

Business

Local Holiday Shopping: Pet Pantry Warehouse [Q&A]

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For the final installment of our holiday shopping series, we stopped into Pet Pantry Warehouse at 21 Grove St. and talked to Sara Roman, an assistant manager with the family-owned and -operated company. 

Here’s our interview. ***

 

New Canaanite: How is this holiday shopping season going for you here? 

Sara Roman: Overall, we’re good, busy as usual. This location’s really big in the community, so a lot of people know this store. They come here on a regular basis.