Business

Expanded Caffeine & Carburetors Launches Sunday

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New Canaan residents, business owners, traffic police and volunteers are eagerly awaiting the arrival of an estimated 2,000 classic car enthusiasts downtown Sunday morning for the 2014 debut of “Caffeine & Carburetors.”

A grassroots event launched four years ago by town resident Doug Zumbach—owner of the eponymous, gourmet coffee shop on the corner of Grove and Pine Streets—Caffeine & Carburetors has become popular enough that, under its founder’s direction and with support from town officials and the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce, it’s grown into an inclusive community occasion. Zumbach—owner of a 64 Plymouth Fury, ‘72 Porsche 911T and ‘77 Porsche 930 Turbo—told NewCanaanite.com that he’s parking one of his own cars in front of the iconic clock midway up the main drag of Elm Street, a spot that will bookend a line of cars that will run the length of Pine and then, for the first time, jag up Park and then down Elm. “I want a certain continuity, a flow for the show,” Zumbach said. “I want a visual continuity as well as physical cars to be down there [on Elm]. Mine is going to be there.

Business

Elm Street Businesses Gear Up for Sunday’s ‘Caffeine & Carburetors’ 2014 Debut

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Saying they’re eager to support and participate in a hugely popular local event that’s expected to draw 2,000 people to New Canaan, independent business owners on Elm Street are revving up for Caffeine & Carburetors on Sunday, the 2014 debut. Businesses such as design solutions at 146 Elm and New Canaan Music across the street are opening their doors on a day they’d normally be closed. Chef Luis is opening earlier than usual and setting up outside so that the classic car enthusiasts expected to gather in New Canaan—coming from as far away as Maine and North Carolina—can grab a quick bite as they walk around. This is the first year that the 8 to 11:30 a.m. event—brainchild of Zumbach’s Gourmet Coffee owner Doug Zumbach, a New Canaan resident—will see the overflow from Pine Street come to Elm Street. When Pine hits about 75 percent full, police and volunteers will start directing the vintage and specialty automobiles to the top of Elm Street (at Brotherhood & Higley) and then they’ll start filling in spots down from there.

Business

Town Soundtrack: New Canaan Music Told of Teardowns, New Construction

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Here’s a timely Monday morning ditty from Phil Williams and Jim O’Neill at New Canaan Music. NewCanaanite.com stopped into the downtown shop and told the pair about the two 1934 homes that came down in just the past month—to be replaced by new construction more than triple the size—as well as the divisive discussion around the future of 22 Green Ave. There, a 1908 home and barn have been on the chopping block with a new home planned (ultimately, with a special permit granted by the Planning and Zoning Commission, the barn will be saved). We asked for a song of their choice to help present the news. As always, Phil and Jim, thanks for the music:

via YouTube

Local Merchants

New Canaan Music: Banjo, Ukelele Trending in Town

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By Michael Dinan

via YouTube

[NewCanaanite.com asked Jim O’Neill and Phil Williams of New Canaan Music to give townies something they’d like on a Tuesday morning, and they came up with “Rocky Top”—have a listen. Jim is on a “u-bass” and Phil a Martin D-41.]

Phil Williams, owner of New Canaan Music—located down the alley at the top of Elm Street—says two instruments are trending right now among musicians and aspiring musicians in town: ukelele and banjo. “People want to do something different,” Williams said Tuesday morning from inside the store he opened six months ago. New Canaan Music offers instrument rentals and sales, as well as lessons. Banjo lessons are trending especially among women in town, he said.