A new coffee shop is planned for downtown New Canaan.
The town Building Department on Jan. 19 received an application for about $40,000 of interior demolition work at 20 Burtis Ave.
“Convert existing salon to a coffee shop,” the application said. “Interior walls and new finishes. Existing bathroom to remain. Construct countertops and storage areas.”
It’s unclear what the new coffee shop will be called, when it’s planned to open or whether it’s a second location from an existing local merchant—the applicant could not be reached for comment. (Established coffee shops and sellers in New Canaan include Zumbach’s, Walter Stewart’s, Greenology, Green & Tonic, Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks.)
A rendering submitted with the application shows a coffee bar inside the front door on the left, with tables and stools, an on-site roaster and grinders, “nitro” cold brew tanks and areas for merchandise and mail-order fulfillment. It’s about 1,117 square feet overall, the application said.
The commercial space used to house Burtis Nails.
Burtis Avenue stands to gain dozens more residents soon. In November, the Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously approved a mixed-use development overlooking the corner of Cherry Street and Burtis Avenue with 25 residential units, located within two multi-family buildings and four townhouses. (That project had originally come in as a 26-unit development in January 2022, after contiguous parcels at the corner were sold for a total of $6.1 million.)
The property at 20 Burtis Ave. last was purchased in 2002 for $640,000, tax records show. It is owned by a local woman via a limited liability company, according to Connecticut Secretary of the State records.