Around Town

‘Giving to the Community’: Fred Astaire Dance Studio Marks One Year on Main Street

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Launching their first-ever business last year, Amy Cherrez and Marko Micic envisioned creating a community of some 30 to 40 locals who enjoyed learning how to dance, both for fun and competitively. In the past 12 months of running Fred Astaire Dance Studio on Main Street—located in the second-floor space at number 111, formerly Caren Forbes—the couple has not only exceeded those goals but has also flourished in unexpected ways. Cherrez, a native of Ecuador, and Micic, who is from Serbia, have been giving lessons and developing dances for competitions and showcases with more than 60 people, about 80% of them New Canaan residents, they say. They’ve also offered free lessons to local nonprofit organizations and schools and showcased their talents at community events such as “Groove on the Green” at New Canaan Library, the Sidewalk Sale and Holiday Stroll. This month, the business marks one year—a milestone that Cherrez and Micic plan to celebrate with a party to be held at 7:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct.

Boob Protect

New Canaan Couple’s Breast Protection Device Lands in Prominent Retail Store

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A New Canaan couple’s athletic brand, Boob Protect, has landed its first retail placement at Darien Sport Shop. 

A breast protection insert for female athletes, Boob Protect was co-founded by town resident Christian Murphy and his brother-in-law, Matt Plavoukos, in January 2025. The idea was inspired by Murphy’s childhood friend, who originally founded the product “Boob Armour” in Australia. Christian Murphy and his wife, Stacy Murphy, who serves as COO of Boob Protect, have spent months researching and pitching their product, ultimately culminating in this new partnership with Darien Sport Shop. “It’s hard to overstate the significance of this partnership; it’s huge,” Christian Murphy said of his product finding a new home. “To be in such an established, iconic Fairfield County institution in Darien Sport Store is a huge vote of confidence in the product and the need to offer breast protection for female athletes.”

He continued: “The visibility this placement will bring is extraordinary and will help raise awareness for breast health in women’s sports.”

Christian Murphy detailed the process of putting Boob Protect on the store’s walls, describing that his team reached out to Darien Sport Shop, and the store was incredibly receptive to the idea.

Business

New Canaan Resident Launches ‘Neilism’ Daily Affirmation App

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Sitting down at his kitchen table, engulfed by personal turmoil and the grip of a global pandemic, New Canaan resident Neil Charran couldn’t help but wonder, “How did I get here?”

While pondering this question, Charran was inspired to grab a pen and start writing:

You are enough. You’re going to get through this. Everything is going to be okay. They were the words he wished he’d heard—the truths he wished he’d known—in the hardest moments of his life. “I found myself looking for little sparks of hope and wisdom to get me through each day,” Charran told NewCanaanite.com on a recent morning.

Business

Back-to-School Shopping Underway in Local Stores

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New Canaan shops are preparing their back-to-school displays ahead of the new school year. Manager of Groove Judi Anders described that the store is “starting to see business pick up as people return to town for back-to-school shopping.”

Multiple other stores in town reiterated this sentiment, as their sales have increased with the fall season approaching. Groove has started to curate their back-to-school shopping inventory and currently offers a wide array of school materials and clothing options for both genders. “We have a little bit of everything in here,” Anders said. “We sell girls’ clothing of all ages, and we carry boys up to size sixteen.”

The store sells backpacks, lunchboxes, bag charms, key chains, and several other smaller necessities for the school year.

News

‘Doppio’ Italian Restaurant Opens on Main Street

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[The NewCanaanite.com Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates.]

The owners of an established Italian restaurant in Greenwich on Monday opened a new location in town. Doppio is located at 62 Main St. The word means “double” in Italian, a reference to Joseph Barresi, owner of the restaurant, and his brother, Louis Barresi, who is executive chef. “We have a lot of nice New Canaan families that go to our Greenwich location frequently, so when this spot became available, we were very excited to take the opportunity and do our thing,” Joseph Barresi said. “The town welcomed us with open arms,” he said.