Barbara Crolla

‘It’s a Neighborhood’: Local Optometrist Marks 35-Year Milestone at New Canaan Eye Associates

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Dr. Rick Crolla’s foray into optometry began unexpectedly during a summer trip in the late-1970s to his in-laws’ cottage in Charleston, R.I.

He and his new bride—1971 New Canaan High School graduate Barbara Sawicky—were living in Boston at the time. They’d both earned bachelor’s degrees from Central Connecticut State University—she in early childhood and special education, he a secondary education degree in biology and chemistry. 

“The plan was we were both going to teach,” Crolla recalled on a recent morning. “But there were no jobs available when we graduated.”

So Crolla, thinking he’d need additional income to supplement his future pay as a teacher, spent three years earning a second bachelor’s degree, in pharmacy. Yet working as a pharmacist didn’t satisfy Crolla, who during one stint in Quincy, Mass. was held up by a man who pulled a sawed-off shotgun out of a Lord & Taylor bag. 

His father-in-law—Dr. Edward Sawicky, who had launched New Canaan Eye Associates on Elm Street in 1948—turned to him over cocktails at the cottage and asked whether he’d consider going back to school for optometry.

News

Letter: ‘Explore New Canaan’ Brings in $3,500 in Food Donations for Local Pantry

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On Thursday August 22nd the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce hosted ‘Explore New Canaan’ in a bid to attract people downtown and despite some initial rain it was extremely successful, raising $3,500 worth of food donations for the local Food Pantry. 

Even Santa Claus had a hand in the helping the local food pantry as he collected over $400 in cash donations at the sidewalk sales this past July. None of this would have been possible without the generosity of Walter Stewart’s Market. Stewart’s orders and delivers items for the food pantry that they have specifically asked for. The power or partnerships at work in NC! Local, New Canaan moms Rachel Lampen and Kristen Mitrakis, who run Rock Paper Scissors Events were tasked with changing up the Taste of the Town premise, while keeping it fun with the emphasis being the local Food Pantry.

News

Tourism Committee: Mid-Century Moderns Association, Consistent Messaging Among Focus Areas

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New Canaan’s cultural heritage should be spotlighted and promoted, according to a volunteer committee of the town. 

The focus of the Tourism and Economic Development Advisory Committee, known as ‘TEDAC,’ includes increasing resident usage of New Canaan’s downtown area and other attractions, and developing communication strategies using existing platforms in order to bring more visibility to what the town can offer, according to members of the committee. 

Addressing the Board of Selectmen at its July 9 meeting, TEDAC Interim Chair Tucker Murphy described some of the research the committee has undertaken. She said the group has taken up a survey of people who have recently moved to New Canaan as well as an economic study of the downtown area. One of the things Murphy said the committee has discovered is that locals “may not fully take advantage of all we have to offer.” 

“If just the people of New Canaan used all the services and all the businesses that were here, we probably wouldn’t be having this discussion,” TEDAC member Robert Doran said at the meeting, held at Town Hall. The question, he added, is “How do we leverage what we have amongst the people who live in town already?”

“And then reach out to other communities to join us,” he said. Murphy referenced a presentation sent to the selectmen prior to the meeting.

Podcast: Here Comes the New Canaan Sidewalk Sale

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This week on 0684-Radi0, our free weekly podcast (subscribe here in the iTunes Store), we talk to Tucker Murphy of the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce and Steve Karl of Karl Chevrolet about the planning, activities and uniqueness of the Sidewalk Sale & Village Fair, which will be held Saturday. This week’s podcast is sponsored by Walter Stewart’s Market. Look for their signature Model T at Saturday’s Sidewalk Sale for special sales on Connecticut’s freshest local produce. Here are recent episodes of 0684-Radi0:

Business

‘Lilly Pulitzer’ Opens on Elm Street 

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An established women’s clothing store with East Coast locations that include Greenwich has opened on Elm Street. Lilly Pulitzer, a self-described “resort lifestyle” brand that feature printed dresses and swimsuits, opened in part of the retail space at 146 Elm St. that had been occupied by design solutions. Launched in the 1950s in Palm Beach, Fla. by Lilly Pulitzer—whose husband Peter was grandson of Joseph Pulitzer, founder of the Pulitzer Prize—the company makes clothing that suits “happy, colorful and free” moods, according to its website.