Each of the 11 cousins in Alex and Doug Stewart’s generation of the longtime local family has worked at one point or another in one of the family’s iconic businesses: New Canaan’s oldest retailer, Walter Stewart’s Market (since 1907) or its contiguous wine and liquor shop, 40-year-old Stewart’s Spirits.
Doug and Alex Stewart of Walter Stewart’s Market and Stewart’s Spirits. Credit: Michael Dinan
Asked on a recent afternoon how their own professional arcs landed both him and one of his little brothers, Doug, at Stewart’s full-time, the affable floor manager and co-owner of the Elm Street store, Alex said with a smile: “It’s like it was meant to be.”
Good thing for New Canaan.
As Walter Stewart’s—anchor of the business community and pillar of the New Canaan community at large, a supporter of countless local causes, events and nonprofits—marks its 107th birthday, shoppers can take advantage of a special promotion serving families in need.
The Stewart’s Elm Street location ca. 1958. Contributed
As Doug and Alex—both former Center Schoolers and South School parents now, explained—the store is teaming up with the Young Women’s League of New Canaan for their annual Thanksgiving Donation Days T-Bill Drive, through this Wednesday, Nov. 5, to provide local families in need with Thanksgiving meals, which will be distributed by Person-to-Person.
With their Stewart’s courtesy card number, customers may donate their “T-bill” balances to the local nonprofit organization of their choice.
Stewart’s in the 1960s. Contributed
A list of the participating nonprofits is posted at each customer check-out.
Shoppers who would like to participate in the Donation Days program may obtain a courtesy card from the store’s customer service staff. Shoppers earn T-Bill rewards with every purchase and may use their T-Bills towards the purchase of select T-Bill Rewards items each week or to help local charities during Donation Days fundraisers held throughout the year.
Happy 107 Walter Stewart’s Market! What a great story of longevity!
My humble story: When our family first moved to New Canaan in 1965, I was not so much taken with the “antiquated” town.
To me, New Canaan lacked the space-age sophistication of Mercer Island, WA where we moved from. Seattle had the Space Needle which seemed so “Jetson Family” like.
(Please bear in mind I was 7 years old!)
But my views of New Canaan quickly changed once I saw Walter Stewart’s Market for there was the futuristic, space-age store I was looking for!
But there were other reasons why I liked Walter Stewart’s Market as well.
a.,) Mr. Stewart himself was such an hospitable, warm, gracious, and cordial manager.
b.) At the time (I don’t know if the store still does), the market featured the S.S. Pierce brand of foods – the premier, top-of-the-line brand name according to my mother.
c.) The helpful and kindly staff – also very creative! Our family was shopping there on Tuesday, November 9, 1965 at just the time the Northeast Power Outage occurred. To me, it was great fun shopping in the dark. While the store clerk was bagging our groceries, he turned to us with a smile, and said, “We are starting a new TV show here, called Lost in Stewart’s!”
To this day I am still laughing. Yes, this was the space-age store I had longed for!
Congrats Walter Stewart’s Market!