‘We Are Really Close’: Pine Street Concessions Building Nearly Finished, Actively Seeking Vendors

The new Grand Central-style marketplace that’s been taking shape on Pine Street since construction started last fall is nearing completion, and its owner said he’s now actively seeking four or five food- and beverage-related businesses to operate out of it.

Peter Lane of NCLC said he’s in conversations with prospective vendors regarding Pine Street Concessions at 75 Pine St. (check out its new website here).

Those vendors likely would need another six to eight weeks to get set up in the 1.5-story, 3,000-square-foot metal, framed open structure, which is designed to resemble an old railroad building.

“We have go to finish the streetscape with the lampposts and street trees, and we have got to finish the mechanicals inside and painting and some decorative elements of the building are still to be finished, so we are close, we are really close,” Lane said.

A floor plan of Pine Street Concessions shows an open event space with table and stool dining areas and a beverage bar immediately on the right, with two market spaces on the left and food and dessert retailers straight ahead, with bathrooms in the back.

The vendors will include a butcher/small market, chef-driven gourmet food entity, dessert (ice cream and baked goods) provider and wine bar/craft beer vendor, Lane has said. The beverages provider would be expected to obtain a liquor permit in order to serve the drinks, he has said.

Though no vendors have absolutely committed at this stage, a few prospective tenants are showing “strong interest,” Lane said, and he encouraged local and area food and beverage professionals seeks a small, busy venue out of which to work (vendors will have their own prep areas/kitchens) to contact him.

“We’ll see how it shakes out with the ultimate lineup,” Lane said.

A centerpiece of the Pine Street Concessions site plan approved last April by the Planning & Zoning Commission is its plaza out front, made possible in part by a plan to carve out a large parking area to the east of the marketplace (the area formerly occupied by New Canaan Cleaners, now on East Maple Street).

Announced one year ago with a physical rendering that followed, Pine Street Concessions will feature brick paving throughout the plaza, and original plans called for an existing curb cut for cars beside Tony’s Deli next door.

Those interested in contacting Pine Street Concessions should visit its website, sign up for alerts and email info@pinestreetconcessions.com.