Business

Holiday Shopping in New Canaan: Francos Wine Merchants

By |

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. 

***

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.

Business

Holiday Shopping in New Canaan: New Canaan Music [Q&A]

By |

For this installment in our local holiday shopping series, we talk to Phil Williams, owner of New Canaan Music at 90 Main St. Here’s a transcription of our conversation. ***

New Canaanite: How are things going so far for the holiday shopping season? 

Phil Williams: We kicked things off this season, symbolically and in reality, with the Holiday Stroll on Friday night and Saturday. It really seems to be picking up in earnest. That’s a defining marker.

Business

Maddie’s on Pine Street Closes After 18 Months

By |

Maddie’s, a Pine Street eatery that mainly offered burgers and fried chicken sandwiches, closed this past weekend after about 18 months. A sign on the door at 78 Pine St. reads “Permanently Closed” and includes this message: “With sadness and immense gratitude, we will be closing permanently with our last day being 12/07. It has been an absolute pleasure to have served New Canaan and we thank all of our customers for their support.”

Signed “The Maddie’s Team,” the note is similar to one posted on the eatery’s website. It wasn’t immediately clear why Maddie’s closed.

Business

Holiday Shopping in New Canaan: WAVE on Elm [Q&A]

By |

Today we’re launching a series talking to New Canaan retailers about this holiday shopping season. Our first Q&A is with Heather Satin, owner of WAVE, a jewelry, clothing, accessories and home furnishings shop at 86 Elm St. Here’s our exchange. ***

New Canaanite: How is the holiday shopping season going so far? Heather Satin: It’s definitely picking up.

Business

‘It Was Just Time To Move On’: Connecticut Muffin on Main Street Closes

By |

A mainstay of downtown New Canaan that’s been continuously owned for more than a decade, Connecticut Muffin this week closed its doors permanently. Tuesday was the last day of business for the coffee shop at 108 Main St. Reached by NewCanaanite.com, Christopher Ahumada-Figueroa, son of owner Giannina Ahumada-Figueroa, said it was “just the right time for us to move on.”

“I used to work there for some time but I moved on because I had to pursue my own career,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons why we decided to leave it, because we don’t have the help for it. And apart from that, it was just time to move on.