Westport Planning & Zoning Commision Applies to Extend Temporary Outdoor Dining Options; Chefs/Owners Agree
According to a February 22nd application, the Westport Planning & Zoning Commission applied to extend the current temporary outdoor dining options. The application pertains to the many local restaurants using their patios, sidewalks, and other outdoor spaces in order to serve customers without having them indoors.
Local restaurant owners and chefs wrote in to support the extension, such as Match Burger Lobster’s Matt Storch, Rye Ridge Deli’s Scott Martin, Finalmente Trattoria’s Mary Iodice, and Pane Bene’s Tony Rizza and Angelo Capponi.
According to the application, “Since May 20, 2020 over 80 applications for Outdoor Activities were approved by the Planning and Zoning Dept. for local restaurants. Approvals are issued following review by the Fire Marshal’s Office to confirm all COVID-19 guidelines are met and following review by the Westport Weston Health District and other town departments on an as-needed basis.”
The initial application was set to expire on March 31st, 2021. The new application would get rid of any expiration date, allowing flexibility while the Town continues to operate in a pandemic setting.
Sunday Night Supper at The Spotted Horse
The Spotted Horse was busy tonight as customers enjoyed their sunday evening meals on the sun-lit patio.
Tusk Home Store Moving; Liquidation Sale Busy This Week
The final sale for Tusk Home + Design center at 1375 Post Road East was busy Sunday as many came for sales as much as 75% off or more. The store will be relocating to another Westport location that will have “better space for design” according to an employee. The sale will continue through this week while supplies last.
Gold’s Back in Action
Gold’s Deli was busy this afternoon for curbside orders. The deli, founded in 1958, has been a staple for generations of Westporters, and is one of the community’s longest-running businesses. After a recent brief closure, diners rejoiced as orders were once again being filled on the now-normal outdoor tables.
New Neighbors: Grammie’s Donuts & Biscuits to Post Road East
Hot donuts being glazed this morning at Grammie’sThe Grammie’s kitchen at 971 Post Road EastGrammie’s Donuts & Biscuits opened its doors on Wednesday, and has been met by happy customers in search of contactless calories. Located in the back-building at 971 Post Road East, the kitchen is hidden behind Cycle Dynamics - nearly across the street from Starbucks. An exclusively take-out or delivery kitchen - Grammie’s makes it easy to grab food on-the-go and without contact.
Owner Charlie Gihuli pauses during the busy morning rush. The owner is not stranger to the Westport food scene. After leaving his job in May as Operations Director for renowned eateries OKO and The Cottage, owner Charlie Gilhuli wanted to explore the new space in the food world created by the pandemic: good take-out and delivery.
He succeeded when he founded Grammie’s and opened up their ghost kitchen - a space designed to create food that’s exclusively available for take-out or delivery. With Head Chef Ruben Palma and General Manager Jordan Pompei, the trio selected a back-of-house team and quickly designed a mouth-water menu of comfort foods such as specialty donuts, biscuits, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches.
Staff member Abby Jonas meticulously hand-glazes hot donuts. Walking into the small green building, it’s possible to catch a glimpse of hot donuts being dipped into warm glaze, or fresh biscuits with eggs and bacon being wrapped for delivery. But other than the magic seen in the kitchen - there are no chairs, no tables, and no wait staff - just one of the Grammie’s team members there to hand you your order. Orders are exclusively for pick-up or delivery. The simple process makes pandemic order easier, and safer, for those not yet comfortable with dine-in options.
As the kitchen hummed over the incoming breakfast orders, Charlie described the future of lunch and dinner options coming from the kitchen and showed excitement as their first three days in business were under their belts.
Grammie’s Donuts and Biscuits can be ordered online.
Local Love on Main Street: Le Rouge Artisan Chocolates by Aarti
Aarti Khosla from behind the counter at Le Rouge Chocolates, 190 Main Street. Customers wait their turn to enter Le Rouge Chocolates on Valentine's Day. While orchestrating the shop’s holiday orders and taking stock of what was left, Aarti Khosla took a pause when asked how business was this year. “I’m just so humbled” she said softly as her eyes watched the customers waiting for their turn at purchasing her chocolates.
Aarti Khosla owns and operates Le Rouge Artisan Chocolates, a local shoppe located on the garden level of 190 Main Street, next to Joe’s Pizza. Khosla describes her sweet story as starting traditionally in the private business sector, and due to her mother’s good cooking and her own “foodie Genes” - she left the corporate world and jumped into her new role as gourmet chocolatier, opening Le Rouge in Westport in 2014.
Valentine’s Day is particularly special in the chocolate world, with a line outside her cozy storefront even on the afternoon the day-of the holiday. Customers at Le Rouge humbled Aarti this year as social distancing forced them to wait outside while waiting to purchase their loved-one’s treats; not one person complained about the delay. Aarti said that business was busier on Saturday than on Sunday, theorizing it could have been due to a forecast of bad weather and families leaving for vacation on Sunday.
Some of the few handmade chocolates left on Valentine’s Day. Regardless, the community turned-out to support this local business - one that supports the community just as much.
Through a program named “Give a Little Love”, Aarti hand-makes $8 chocolate hearts that customers are encouraged to give to neighbors, friends, family, and other community members as an act of kindness - with 10% of the sales going towards a charity. In 2020, Le Rouge was able to donate $4,800 to various local non-profits.
During the pandemic, Aarti wanted to continue to give back to her community by putting a smile on others’ faces. She successfully made and donated 2,625 chocolate hearts to every single senior graduating from Bridgeport’s 5 high schools, and to hundreds of frontline workers, in addition to nearly 600 other chocolate items donated to other local community members. The project was a labor of love that surely made the triumphs and little victories a little sweeter.
According to her website, Aarti was born in India and has lived around the world - gaining an appreciation for flavours and people she was able to meet throughout her travels. With her chocolates and her dedication to helping others - the Westport community is lucky to have had her land right here on Main Street.
Le Rouge Artisan Chocolates can be purchased online or from the Main Street storefront.
Owner Ellie Kim Helping her Customers
Compo Farms florists owner Ellie Kim helps a customer this morning select a floral arrangement. The owner and her team have been known to leave around 3:00 AM on Valentine’s Day after preparing flowers, then return just hours later to open the shop for customers.
New Neighbors: Pauli’s Deli & Bagels Opens on Post Road East
Pauli’s Bagels & Deli at 538 Post Road East, next to Five Guys Burgers & Fries. Sylvia at the helm of Pauli’s Deli & Bagels this morning. Pauli’s Deli & Bagels opened this week at 538 Post Road East - serving homemade bagels, pastries, deli sandwiches, and gluten free options to customers. This is the second location for the family-owned business, with the other located on Main Street in Norwalk since 2005.
The business will be open every day from 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM, and can be reached online.
Another Busy Day on Main Street
Main Street sidewalks were well-used today as many took to them to wait in line for their favorite stores, or walked them with friends to enjoy the sunshine. Businesses are beginning to turn the leaf towards the hope of Spring, with winter gear sales slowly starting to hit the local shopping market.
10.8 Billion Dollar 2020 Grand List Announced; Down 5.4% from 2019
Town Assessor Paul Friia announced today that he signed the October 1, 2020 Grand List as required by state statute.
The net 2020 Grand List of $10,830,370,714 represents a decrease of approximately 5.4 percent from the net 2019 Grand List of $11,445,273,580 and was due mostly to the recently completed revaluation of October 1, 2020. The Grand List is the sum of the net assessed value of all taxable property – real estate, motor vehicles, and personal property.
While the overall Real Estate Grand List declined from the 2015 assessments, the actual percentage of change without the revaluation influence was an increase of just under 1.0 percent. This increase is a result of continued new residential and commercial construction as well as renovation activity that occurred within the last assessment year. Work was completed on the new assisted living facility at 1141 Post Road East and the gas station at 1830 Post Road East, while work continues on the condominium development at 500 Main Street and residential units at 41 Richmondville Road. Westport remains a community of great interest to businesses and new residents as evidenced in the significant increase in sales since the beginning of 2020.
While real estate is updated based on the market values determined every five years, motor vehicles and personal property is valued annually. The increase in the Motor Vehicle Grand List was approximately 3.9%. The Personal Property Grand List remained largely unchanged from last year, due to both the closure of businesses and a slowdown of new business openings resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Totals:
Real Estate: $10,148,497,205 (93.70%)
Motor Vehicle: $364,441,700 (3.37%)
Personal Property: $317,431,809 (2.93%)
TOTAL: $10,830,370,714 (100%)
Top 10 Taxpayers 2020:
Connecticut Light & Power Inc. : Pers. Property ($140,509,070)
60 Nyala Farms Road LLC: Real Estate ($83,338,970)
Bedford Square Assoc LLC: Real Estate ($53,321,200)
Equity One Westport Vill. Center: Real Estate ($ 33,126,100)
Byelas LLC: Real Estate ($24,856,700)
Aquarion: Real/Pers. Prop. ($24,148,760)
LCB Westport LLC: Real/Pers. Prop. ($22,302,600)
1735 Ashley LLC: Real Estate ($20,310,860)
285 & 325 Riverside LLC: Real Estate ($19,470,500)
Ronnie F Heyman Trustee: Real Estate ($ 18,214,400)