Category: Business - Page 106

Sunday, October 18, 2026

Talking Business

Many entrepreneurs, mostly female, met today at the Westport Library’s McManus Room for a business workshop hosted by The Refinery, a Westport-based entrepreneur accelerator program for women-led companies. At the lectern is Wendy Davis who heads Gest Vision, Inc, a medical technology business. According to Jennifer Gabler, a business partner of Westporter Janis Colins, founder of The Refinery, the purpose of the workshop is to review entrepreneurial business models and develop strategies for attracting and securing investment funding. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Saturday, April 4th, 2015

Comings & Goings: Saugatuck Fabrics Grand Opening

There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony today to mark the grand opening of Saugatuck Fabrics, 47 Saugatuck Ave. Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe and Selectman Avi Kaner joined co-owners Ida Boci (red and black dress) and ) and Lenora Silber, who are both Greece-born and are cousins, along with friends and family. Silber, a New Canaan resident, and Ida Boci of Fairfield, worked together in a Norwalk-based custom upholstery business before setting out on their own. “We have a lifetime of experience in working with designers in both new furniture upholstery and furniture reupholstery to make your favorite furniture new and feel like new,” Silber said The space formerly was occupied by Cake Suite, which closed in December. For more information, visit http://www.saugatuckfabrics.com. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Friday, March 27th, 2015

Breaking Bread to Mark Balducci’s Reopening

Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe and members of the Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market staff today perform a ceremonial bread slicing led by store manager John DePace (c) to mark the reopening of the store at 1385 Post Road East following an extensive renovation. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Ready to Go

The chef prepared food section at Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market, 1385 Post Road East, has been greatly expanded as part of its extensive renovations. A formal reopening ceremony took place today. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Market Chat

Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe and wife Mary Ellen chat with Judy Spires, CEO of Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market, today at the grand reopening of the Westport store at 1385 Post Road East. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Cheese Lover’s Delight

A greatly expanded cheese section is part of extensive renovations at Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market, 1385 Post Road East, which had its grand reopening today. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Thursday, March 26th, 2015

Comings & Goings: Mario’s Place Changing Ownership

UPDATE Westport’s iconic Mario’s Place, 36 Railroad Place, is changing ownership and will change names. The new owners, Vicente and Nuve Siguenza, say they expect the transfer to become final in mid-April. They are owners of Cava in New Canaan, Harvest in Greenwich and New Haven, Scena in Darien and 55 Degrees in Fairfield. The Westport location will continue to operate as Mario’s Place until Saturday, April 4 and will then change its name to Harvest, a farm-to-table restaurant concept, according to the Siguenzas. An employee at Mario’s said the staff had been notified on Monday that the business was being sold. Frank ”Tiger” DeMace, co-founder of the restaurant with the late Mario Sacco, died in 2012 at age 78. (See WestportNow July 26, 2012) The DeMace family will retain ownership of the property and the Siguenzas will operate their restaurant under a long-term lease. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Friday, March 20th, 2015

Comings & Goings: Tierra Restaurant Closes

Two weeks after denying a report that it had closed (see WestportNow March 4, 2015), Westport’s Tierra Restaurant in the basement of the Old Town Hall, 90 Post Road East, has closed, according to Rob Haroun, who owns the building. The restaurant with Latin-inspired cuisine had been open less than one year (see WestportNow May 30, 2014). “We’re sorry to see them leave,” said Haroun. “Meanwhile, we’ve been approached by a number of potential tenants looking to enter the Westport market and would not be surprised if an announcement is made in the next few weeks.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Thursday, March 19th, 2015

SoNo Baking Company & Café Owner Pleased With Opening

SoNo Baking Company & Café owner John Baricelli said today that Wednesday’s opening day at the new 44 Church Lane location was “very crowded thanks to much social media. Customers were taking photos and posting online. We did especially well with coffee and breakfast pastries.” He said he is working with the Chamber of Commerce to schedule a grand opening celebration by the end of March. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Monday, March 16th, 2015

Comings & Goings: SoNo Baking Opens Wednesday

SoNo Baking Company & Café opens Wednesday at 7 a.m. at 44 Church Lane, according to Patti Jonker (above), partner of owner John Barricelli. She said customers will see some familiar faces among the SoNo staff since SoNo hired several who worked at Java, which occupied the same space before closing at the end of 2014. Hours are 7 a.m-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and until 4 p.m. on Sunday. The fare includes hot breakfasts such as waffles and pancakes as well as fresh pastries, cookies and many other menu items, Jonker said. The café is also open for lunch and Sunday brunch. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com