Business

‘The Impact Is Staggering’: Downtown Merchants Make Case for Controlled Sandwich Board Allowance

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Chris Kilbane, owner of downtown mainstay New Canaan Toy Store, first placed a sandwich board outside his Park Street shop after earning “Best Toy Store” honors from Moffly Media. The main idea, Kilbane told town planning officials Tuesday night, was to promote the Best of the Gold Coast designation. What he quickly discovered, however, was that the sandwich board helped steer foot traffic into New Canaan Toy Store—something that’s become increasingly important and more difficult for mom-and-pop retailers. “It seems so small, but the impact is staggering,” Kilbane told the Planning & Zoning Commission at the group’s regular meeting, held in the Douglass Room at Lapham Community Center. “You have to understand how it is to run a business in New Canaan at this point, or any brick and mortar store.

Around Town

Q&A on Young Women’s League Annual Easter Egg Hunt

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Here’s something that doesn’t matter when you’re a kid looking for candy-filled Easter eggs: It’s raining outside. The Young Women’s League of New Canaan made accommodations for this icky weather by holding the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, at New Canaan High School. The event starts at 9:30 a.m today—Saturday, April 5—and benefits the Young Women’s League Giving Fund. NewCanaanite.com caught up with the organization’s president, Nicole Cribbins, to talk about the community event, the league’s work and the Giving Fund, specifically, and the critical importance of participation from our businesses. Sponsors for the Annual Easter Egg Hunt are Playland, Cobble Court Interiors, Bankwell, New Canaan Cleaners, Pepé Motors, Zumbach’s Gourmet Coffee and New Canaan Toy Store.

Around Town

New Canaan Taps Social Media, Selfies to Celebrate and Encourage Family Togetherness

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Here’s some data that Kate Boyle and Jacqui D’Louhy had in mind when they thought of ways New Canaan could mark April as Alcohol Awareness Month: Families that have dinner together five to seven times per week are 33 percent less likely to abuse alcohol or drugs. Family time lowers the risk of mental health problems, substance abuse and eating disorders, said D’Louhy, youth and family services coordinator at the New Canaan Department of Human Services. Boyle works there as youth and family services specialist. So this month, the pair are launching a campaign that’s designed to document, share and celebrate family togetherness. During “30 Days of Family,” residents are encouraged to snap photos of what they’re doing with loved ones, and then to share them with the community through Boyle (details on how to do that below).