Business

Future Unclear for Elm Street FroYo Provider Red Mango

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The future of one of New Canaan’s three frozen yogurt purveyors is unclear, as a sign in the window says the business was “closed for vacation” last week and it still hasn’t reopened. Red Mango on Elm Street appears to be empty, gutted of its tables, chairs, counter and equipment. One of the franchise’s three owners (there are 200-plus Red Mango outlets nationwide), Mike Hoover of Queens, N.Y.—the other two are in Westchester—could not immediately be reached for comment. The business at 125 Elm St. is a member of the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce.

Around Town

Sidewalk Sale: ‘One of the Best Ones I’ve Ever Seen’ [SLIDESHOW]

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[acx_slideshow name=”Sidewalk Sale 2014″]

[Editor’s Note: The photos in the slideshow above include participants in a Facebook photo contest that we ran together with Swirl froyo. For information on each picture, just hover over it with your mouse. Thank you to everyone for making New Canaanite’s first-ever Sidewalk Sale so much fun.]

Thousands of deal-seekers descended on downtown New Canaan under a mercifully overcast, even breezy morning and afternoon Saturday for the annual Village Fair & Sidewalk Sale. Visitors shopped, dined, gathered information about New Canaan nonprofits and gave to charitable causes on what many vendors agreed was the best New Canaan Chamber of Commerce Sidewalk Sale in memory. Parts of Elm, Forest and Main Streets were cordoned off for pedestrians during the popular all-day event, as was the Pop Up Park, featuring special dishes from local restaurants and music from groups including the New Canaan Town Band and School of Rock.

Around Town

Sidewalk Sale Sneak Preview: What to Expect This Saturday

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The NewCanaanite.com Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Baskin-Robbins, Connecticut Sandwich Co., Joe’s Pizza and Mackenzie’s. In advance of Saturday’s annual Village Fair & Sidewalk Sale (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), NewCanaanite.com ventured to different shops throughout downtown New Canaan to get some insights into what to expect to see at the different booths this year. One such store is New Canaan Olive Oil located on Elm Street across from the New Canaan Playhouse. The store’s owner, Heidi Burrows, told us that her store will be giving out samples of a variety of products and will offer deals on certain items. “We’ll be doing sales on all of our local jams, all of our sea salts will be on sale for $5, we’re doing gift boxes like a bread-dipper gift box, a salad dressing gift box for $15, and then we’re also doing a buy one get 25 percent off any oil or vinegar,” Ms. Burrows said. New Canaan Olive Oil is not the only local store that will be joining in on the festivities.

Business

Peachwave FroYo on Forest Street Opens for Business

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Frozen yogurt purveyor Peachwave is open for business following a soft launch, officials say, and as plans for an official Grand Opening come into focus, the Forest Street store is planning to mark its arrival in New Canaan this weekend with balloons and music. The approximately 2,300-square-foot space—with stick wood as well as colorful walls, earthy tones on the floor and brightly colored furniture—includes two large areas for customers to lounge, in front and in back, and there’s a small patio out back too. In addition to tables and chairs, customers can sit at barstools along floor-to-ceiling windows, bean bags in back with a karaoke machine in front. Peachwave offers WiFi and TVs in both areas. Danbury-based Peachwave President Gregg Roberts, whose area under the company’s licensee model includes Fairfield and Westchester Counties, said Peachwave long has had its sights set on New Canaan.

Biz on Biz

Biz on Biz: Swirl on Village Critter Outfitter

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In this, our “Biz on Biz” feature, we ask an owner or employee at one New Canaan business to tell us about a favorite thing at another business: an item, a quality, a service, anything. So when Sonny Yi, on-site owner of the popular FroYo purveyor Swirl, told us that he loves the way fellow Cherry Street merchant Shirleen Dubuque, owner of Village Critter Outfitter, deals with her customers, we pressed Yi for more specifics. “A few days ago, there was a lost dog, in the parking lot here,” Yi said, pointing out the window. “It was a family that actually stopped into our store. There were like four kids and one adult so it was kind of crazy, and when the kids jumped out of the car, the dog must’ve come out too, but they didn’t realize.