Around Town

‘We Are Supporting Each Other’: New Canaan Merchants Keep Business in Town

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When walking down Elm Street on a sunny Saturday afternoon, it is more than likely that one will hear a couple visitors from New York City or beyond lament that New Canaan seems to be ripped from an episode of “Gilmore Girls.” Indeed, this town offers many of the same surface qualities as the fictional Star’s Hollow, with a beautiful downtown and quirky residents and business owners. The similarities go deeper, however; on the show, it is not uncommon to see Luke, the owner of the local diner, cross the street to buy supplies from Doosey’s Market. It’s a perfect illustration of local charm; these two small businesses support each other while also contributing to the integrity of the town. If it seems too good to be happening in real life, it’s not, and businesses right here in New Canaan are using the same model.

Business

New Canaan’s Most Popular Cars

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“Next Station To Heaven,” “Home of the Rams,” site of the Philip Johnson Glass House and … birthplace of Caffeine & Carburetors. New Canaan loves cars. In a town of nearly 20,000 residents of all ages, the Office of the Assessor counts 17,245 on its Taxable Motor Vehicle Property List for the most recent year. Here’s a look at the 10 most popular automobile makes on the list:

 

Once again, Chevrolet is distinguished as the only car company that has entries on the top-4 most popular makes (#2) and models (#3 with the Suburban, leap-frogging the Lexus RX since one year ago). Asked to account for the Suburban’s popularity, Karl Chevrolet Vice President Steve Karl said it’s “because it answers the needs of families so well.”

“It is roomy, comfortable and easy to drive, despite its large exterior appearance.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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New Canaan Fire Department officials at about 11:15 a.m. on Monday responded to a request from Officer Allyson Halm—head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section—to assist in corralling a baby deer that had become trapped in a backyard on Millport Avenue. Halm said the firefighters were highly responsive and helpful, and the animal was freed. ***

The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday approved a contract between the Parks Department and Karl Chevrolet for two trucks: a new low-boy that will cost a net of $50,644 and a new pickup truck that will cost $41,670. Those costs reflect what officials called generous trade-in price discounts from the local dealership. “I think the Karls are being very nice to us,” First Selectman Rob Mallozzi said.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm will help call Bingo next Wednesday at Lapham Community Center. ***

Saying neighboring communities are seeing overnight thefts from cars, the New Canaan Police Department is urging residents to ensure their vehicles are not left unlocked, especially with keys inside them. A list of theft prevention tips can be found at the bottom of this article. ***

A homeowner on Smith Ridge Road is evicting two people from her property, court documents show. There is no mention of failure to pay rent—the homeowner and evictees appear to be related.

Business

New Sponsors Step Up To Support NC Softball; Program Sees Rapid Growth

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For decades, iconic New Canaan business Karl Chevrolet has sponsored—and continues to sponsor—little league baseball teams in town. The national Chevrolet company runs a program that distributes funds to specific youth leagues through the 1927-established Elm Street business and local Chevy dealers. This summer, Karl Chevy is expanding its support to include one of New Canaan’s rapidly growing sports for girls: softball. “We’ve met a couple of families from the program and they asked for help,” said Steve Karl, a VP at Karl Chevy and former Bantam league Huron who graduated in 1980 from New Canaan High School. “We said yes, we would do it this year.”

Sponsors for softball have nearly doubled year-over-year, according to Jeff Fortmann, a town resident handling community relations for New Canaan Softball.