New Neighbor: Bridgewater Chocolate to Call Main Street “Home”
Contributed photoPress ReleaseBridgewater Chocolate, the beloved Connecticut chocolate brand known for its lineup of familiar American classics made with European techniques, is opening a flagship retail location in Westport on September 15 at 165 Main Street. The opening of the new location follows a successful pop-up experience for Bridgewater Chocolate in the area during the 2021 holiday season.
“Westport had a chance to get a taste of our house-made chocolates with our holiday pop-up last year, and the community welcomed us with open arms. We couldn’t be more excited to be returning this year with a permanent location,” said Jeff Stoeckel, CEO of Bridgewater Chocolate. “We aim to be the iconic chocolate brand in Connecticut and growing our retail presence is a significant part of that.”
The Westport location is the fourth retail location for the chocolate company, which first offered chocolates for sale in Bridgewater, Connecticut in 1995. As the company started to grow, operations were moved to Brookfield, Connecticut in 1999. The 1350-square-foot location in Westport will feature a customer experience designed to be engaging, approachable and delicious.
The flagship Westport location will be the first location of its kind for Bridgewater Chocolate with several unique offerings that will make for a special shopping experience. When customers step into the store, they will be greeted and guided through an in-store sampling experience of Bridgewater Chocolate’s best-sellers. A “By the Piece Bar” will allow chocolate-lovers and chocolate-gifters alike to select a box, choose from a variety of house-made chocolates and customize details for a personalized chocolate selection at every budget.
Known for stunning hinged boxes and hand-tied ribbons, Bridgewater Chocolate is focused on providing an elevated gifting experience. From corporate gifting, weddings and anniversaries, housewarming and host gifts, teacher appreciation and graduation, party favors or just a little thoughtful gesture to brighten someone’s day – or even for yourself - the chocolate shop will offer something for everyone.
Shoppers will have the opportunity to select from items including nostalgic favorites like Chocolate Peanut Butter Patties and the top-selling Bridgewater Assortments, packaged in hinged boxes that range in color from a classic navy blue, holiday red, burgundy or gold complete with a hand-tied bow.
Partners on the project included BA Staging and Interior Design, Brandfuel Co. and Wainscot Solutions.
The store will be open Monday – Saturday from 10 a.m.–6 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. In addition to retail and larger volume corporate sales, Bridgewater Chocolate offers online ordering and shipping across the country.
For more information on Bridgewater Chocolate, visit the website.
New Neighbors: Gofer Ice Cream coming to PRE, Neighboring Fortuna’s Deli
Gofer Franchise Systems LLC. ReleaseToday Gofer Ice Cream announced it will hold a Grand Opening for its new Ridgefield shop on Sunday, November 21, 2021. The company also announced a new ninth area shop will open in Westport in the Spring of 2022.
After many months of construction the Ridgefield shop at 407 Main Street is ready to officially open its doors. Early customer reaction has been positive according to new Franchisee Partner Eric Barrow. “We have been working hard to ramp up the crew and I am very happy with the initial response from the community” he commented. “I have been a member of the local Rotary Club for almost a year and we look forward to getting even more involved in the community now that we are open.” The new location is the chains largest to date and includes a Party Room space in the back of the shop in addition to the full line up of Gofer Ice Cream products. The Grand Opening will be November 21st from 12:30 to 4pm and will feature giveaways, face painting and part of the proceeds will go to local charity Filling in the Blanks to fight childhood hunger.
The company also announced a lease has been signed by new Franchisee Partner Hasni Waheed at 1240 Post Road in Westport, Connecticut. The shopping plaza in the Greens Farms area of town is next to Crate and Barrel. “The location was carefully selected and has many great neighboring tenants like the CT School of Music, Fortuna’s Deli, Splatterbox and many others in the center that provide a great flow of traffic from all demographics.” Commented Jay Ragusa, CEO of Gofer Franchise Systems. “Gofer has a variety of products and something for everybody. With our premium soft and hard serve, plant based and fat free options, I am confident the diverse set of neighboring businesses will benefit from our shop as well. It is a great location with great parking and several nearby schools. I like that it is away from the Main Street area of town. I believe it is similar to the neighborhood Greenwich shop on the Cos Cob town line that has been a huge success since opening in 2003.
Gofer Ice Cream continues to expand in the Fairfield County area and is currently looking to grow upstate in Connecticut as well into nearby Westchester County and Long Island New York areas in the future. Work also is currently underway for opening the eighth location, second in Stamford, at 2367 Summer Street in the Ridgeway Shopping Center. An early 2022 opening is planned. “If all goes as planned we hope to enter our 20th season with nine operating shops.” mentioned Ragusa. “It's been quite a journey for our family and it's great to see the success replicate to other communities, crew members and especially to the Franchise Partner’s family”.
New Neighbors: STEAM Coffee, Uncle Leo’s Donuts to former Desi’s Corner on Railroad Place
Bob Glaser, left, and “Uncle Leo” Spinelli, right, in front of the new STEAM Coffee and Uncle Leo’s Donut shop at the corner of Riverside Avenue and Railroad Place. Photo by WestportLocal.comWith coffee specialties from STEAM and “old school” donuts from Uncle Leo's, the former Desi’s Corner storefront will open its doors on Wednesday after nearly three years of work at the historic Saugatuck corner shop.
Photos and words by Jaime Bairaktaris. The new addition to the Saugatuck community will bring back the corner shop experience to the commuters and Railroad Place diners alike with a much needed renovation. After Desi’s Corner closed in 2019, Glaser and Spinelli joined forces and began to overhaul the space - which had served patrons for generations as a corner store, and prior to the store, the historic location of the Post Office. With the windows covered in paper for years - with only a small sign on the window as a hint in the past few weeks, Glaser and Spinelli took down the paper today and are excited to open this week.
And while a new location - Glaser is no stranger to coffee, and Uncle Leo is no stranger to donuts.
Glaser’s STEAM coffee operated out of the Greens Farms station until the COVID-19 lockdowns drove away the commuters, and forced its closure. Glaser, a longtime Westporter, has been excited about beginning the next chapter and joining the Saugatuck revival.
“Uncle Leo’s Not Just Donut” Shops have brought the Wilton, Weston, and Redding communities together through his old fashioned donuts and breakfasts, with two locations in Georgetown and Wilton. He prides himself on true, “old school” donuts and the community that surrounds his two businesses, describing the families who have frequented the two spaces like family, saying “the kids just know me as Uncle Leo.“ During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Spinelli donated and delivered thousands of donuts and bagels to local healthcare centers for frontline workers - and continued to do so even after lockdowns were lifted.
With the planned redevelopment of the Ketchum Street neighborhood, the corner store will also include digital post office boxes - bringing mail back into the corner for the first time in over a century, and keeping it in Saugatuck for the neighborhood residents. “They’ll rent a box just like normal, and when a piece of mail is placed into their box, they’ll be alerted to it by their phone.” Glaser described as he showed a large portrait of the historic Railroad Place.
STEAM Coffee and Uncle Leo’s donuts will be opening its doors this Wednesday morning at 6:00 AM. With a new staff and newly renovated space, they’re excited to welcome the community into the new Saugatuck corner store.
New Neighbors: La Fenice Caffé and Gelateria Opens on Main Street This Morning
Owner/Operators Simona Silvestri, Salvatore Scuro, and Ricardo Galati stand in front of the counter at La Fenice. After four months of renovations to the former Lucky Brand Jeans storefront, La Fenice celebrates their opening today as the 49 Main Street doors unlock at 8:00 AM - hot espresso, flaky pastries, and fresh gelato waiting beyond it.
La Fenice, Westport is the third storefront for Simona Silvestri, her husband Salvatore Scuro, and their son Ricardo Galati - a dream that’s been years in the making. “We tried to come to Westport seven years ago” sai Silvestri, “but it was too expensive, and there was no space.” After the Lucky Brand Jeans store closed last year, Silvestri stumbled upon the papered-up windows while out for a walk and realized “this was it.” They’ve run La Fenice is both the Greenwich and Rye, New York communities.
With a soft opening last night, crowds of Italians - friends and family of Silvestri - exploded through the front doors of the new downtown shoppe with flowers, exclamations of “Auguri!”, “congratulations”, and wide eyes while looking over the pastries and gelato.
Evident by the lively italian conversations buzzing around the room, everything is proudly imported from Italy. “Everything” Silvestri explained, “except the fruits - those are freshly grown in the United States.”
Coffee? Italian import. Cookies? Italian technique. Gelato? Secret Italian recipe. The freezer? Shipped directly from Italy. The owners? First generation Italian immigrants.
Silvestri and her family came to Connecticut from Lecce, Italy in the Puglia region, or the “heel” of Italy’s boot, with their culture and family traditions being carried through their work at La Fenice right here on Main Street.
The store will be mainly managed by Silvestri’s son Ricardo, a Wilton High School graduate and Quinnipiac University Senior. “I grew up helping with the business. Most of the people here tonight remember me as a ten year old working with my parents” he said as his parents looked on.
Galati said that the store will open today from 8:00 AM until 10:00 PM, adding “We’ll see what works, and we’ll look into staying open later if we see we need the flexibility“ he said.
La Fenice is located on the beginning of lower Main Street, at 49 Main Street, and serves savory breakfasts, pressed panini lunches, and sweet gelato desserts. Stop in to say “Ciao” to Westport’s newest neighbors.
New Neighbors: Romanacci Transforms the former Commuter Coffee on Railroad Place
Romanacci Italian Restaurant has moved - and grown - next door, celebrating a larger space with more options at the historic 46 Railroad Place storefront.
Romanacci Manager Maciej RoginskiThe train station neighborhood was alive late last night as the last customers of the evening left, and manager Maciej Roginski and his crew began to prepare for today’s crowds. The restaurant - owned by Graziano and Maurizio Ricci - opened on Thursday, adding a large italian eatery to the area with a full service dining room, bar, and outdoor seating.
The Ricci’s made the decision to move to the larger space next door to expand their italian menu and create a permanent option for local diners. The space was transformed from the former Commuter Coffee eatery, which closed in June of 2018 after over four decades of service. The Commuter’s former windowside pink booths and large corner counter have been replaced with natural woods, exposed lighting, and natural accents - with a full bar overlooking the kitchen, and outdoor seating available on the deck over Railroad Place.
The restaurant is known for their italian specialties and pizzas, and now adds a larger food locale in the heart of the ever-changing Railroad Place community. They’re open Sunday - Thursday from 11AM until 10PM, and Fridays-Sundays from 11AM until 11PM. Roginski described the new opportunities the larger space gives them, with a future of live music and continued success in the area all within view.
More information can be found on their website, romanacci.com
New Neighbors: “Hook’d on the Sound” Pushes Through a Rainy Memorial Day Weekend
Nadine Wilf, General Manager, stands at the counter with Beck Lewis, a University of Miami freshman. Hook’d on the Sound celebrated its brick-and-mortar opening this month on Compo Beach - an exciting transition as the staff and 86 year old building prepare for the summer season in Westport.
The staff at Hook’d stayed warm behind the counter as only a handful of brave souls walked the shoreline this Memorial Day weekend - a time when the beaches celebrate their opening and the community marks the beginning of the warm season.
Although the screen door swung open for the first time this month, the restaurant team ran a large food trailer last year, when their contract officially began with the Town of Westport.
The interior of the local beach shack was renovated completely, with all new appliances and designs put in place throughout the structure. However the comfortable feeling of the former Joey’s by the Shore remains as staff greeted the customers at the famous building-wide countertop.
Managed by Nadine Wilf, Hook’d on the Sound is open seven days per week and offers a variety of breakfasts, snack-shack foods, as well as larger entrees, deserts, and healthier smoothies and bowls made-to-order.
The Compo Beach concession stand the day after Hurricane Sandy hit in October, 2021. The structure’s adjoining brick walls collapsed during the storm, and the famous boardwalk patio floated several feet away. Photo by Jaime Bairaktaris. Although a wash-out of a weekend, the staff remained positive - describing the community’s warm welcome during such a cold holiday weekend.
The Compo Beach concession stand was built in 1935, with extensive renovations being done to the building and adjoining bathhouses and lockers after Hurricane Sandy destroyed parts of the brickwork in 2012.