Business

Letter from Billy and Jeb at Gates: ‘We Would Like to Thank the Wonderful People of New Canaan’

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We are pleased to announce the sale of Gates Restaurant to a privately held restaurant group based in New Canaan. The plan is to keep the ‘Gates’ name and update the interior design and menu offer. We feel good about passing on such an important part of our lives to a locally based group who understands and really cares about the role Gates plays in the community. We would like to thank the wonderful people of New Canaan for making the past 35 years the most enjoyable experience. We couldn’t have done this without all the love and support we received from the New Canaan families.

Business

Gates Restaurant to Close Sunday; New Canaan Institution Has Been Sold

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Gates, a restaurant that since its opening in 1979 has become synonymous with downtown New Canaan, has been sold and will close Sunday, according to the staff at the Forest Street establishment. The restaurant’s owners—Billy Auer and Jeb and Ceal Swift—informed the staff Monday, said Ash Raci, a bartender at Gates for more than four years. “It was kind of a shock for everybody,” Raci said. The restaurant will be open for brunch, lunch and dinner Sunday, then will close while interior renovations are done for a new restaurant, he confirmed. Swift and Auer had met when they worked together in the mid-70s at Boodles Bistro in Greenwich.

Around Town

New Canaan Taps Social Media, Selfies to Celebrate and Encourage Family Togetherness

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Here’s some data that Kate Boyle and Jacqui D’Louhy had in mind when they thought of ways New Canaan could mark April as Alcohol Awareness Month: Families that have dinner together five to seven times per week are 33 percent less likely to abuse alcohol or drugs. Family time lowers the risk of mental health problems, substance abuse and eating disorders, said D’Louhy, youth and family services coordinator at the New Canaan Department of Human Services. Boyle works there as youth and family services specialist. So this month, the pair are launching a campaign that’s designed to document, share and celebrate family togetherness. During “30 Days of Family,” residents are encouraged to snap photos of what they’re doing with loved ones, and then to share them with the community through Boyle (details on how to do that below).