[Editor’s Note: Today, we at NewCanaanite.com are launching our business directory, “Biz Direct,” with a listing of New Canaan Music—you can find it here. It offers locals the ability to rate and review the business (as with comments on New Canaanite, the areas are “gated” and require manual approval by the editors) and includes photos, a Q&A with owner Phil Williams and an interactive Google map as well as a description of the business, contact and hours information and links to New Canaan Music’s website and social media accounts.]
Phil Williams, a town resident since 2001, took a circuitous route in opening his music shop in downtown New Canaan.
A Ridgewood, N.J. native who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Lynchburg College before moving to New York City, Williams for years worked as a financial controller in Manhattan.
Though he worked full-time as a corporate professional, Williams also nurtured his interest and talent as a guitar (and mandolin) player—and songwriter. Then last year, the father of two decided to put everything behind pursuing a vision of owning his own business, one that would “give back to the community” doing what he knew best.
“I know music, I know instruments and I wanted to fill the void that was left here in New Canaan,” Williams said on a recent afternoon from the approximately 1,200-square-foot shop down “the alley” beside Chef Luis. “There was definitely a need when Merit [Music] and Norwalk Music closed. There was a big gap and seeing what we’ve done here over the past year has proven to me that we met a need.”
New Canaan Music opened in July 2013 and marked one year in town during the Sidewalk Sale. We’re thrilled to feature Phil and New Canaan Music as our debut listing on NewCanaanite.com.
As with every news article on the site, we are creating each business listing ourselves, including photos, and absolutely will work immediately toward adding every business—and organization (nonprofits, churches, schools, public facilities)— in town.
Local business owners can fill out this form to kickstart the creation of a basic listing on NewCanaanite.com. We will move as quickly as possible in building out the directory.
Please look out in our daily newsletter for future spotlights on our local businesses, with a call to rate and review them.