Kidville, 1572 Post Road East, dedicated to children’s activities and located in the former location of Goodwill Industries, opens on Sept. 15 with an open house celebration for the public from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., according to owners Rob and Valerie Gutman. Valerie said the celebration features use of the gym, arts and crafts and live entertainment by the Rockin’ Railroad band. The 4,800-square foot store offers a children’s boutique shop, birthday parties, classes for newborn to 5-year-olds in music, dance, art and pre-school enrichment, a gym and KVU—Kidville University classes. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Touch of Europe, a bedroom linens, comforters and accessories store, will relocate from 291 to 279 Post Road East within Playhouse Square in about 10 days, according to owner Mikle Muller. Muller, who is known best by her first name—pronounced “Mik-lay”—has operated the business in Westport for 30 years, the last 15 at its current location and, prior to that, 15 years at 135 Main St. She said she will carry the same inventory but in a smaller shop with correspondingly lower rent. Muller said she has no intention of retiring. “I worked all day, six days a week (for the past year the store has closed Sunday and Monday) for 30 years,” she said. “What would I do?  My husband passed away two years ago. This is my life.”  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The Saugatuck Craft Butchery will close at end of business today and will reopen across the steet, 580 Riverside Ave, in phase 2 of the Saugatuck Center development in about 10 days, according to Samantha Garwin, director of marketing. The business says it is is “the first whole animal butcher shop in Connecticut” and proclaims itself “an old fashioned butcher shop with modern day ideals.”  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The office and retail building at 180 Post Road East, one-time home to a movie theater and present home to Michele’s Pies and La Villa Trattoria restaurant, has been sold for $11 million, according to a filing today in the Town Clerk’s office.

The sale includes 180 Post Road East and adjacent parking at 11 Bay St.. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Cushman & Wakefield photo

The sale includes $10.6 milliion for the building and $400,000 for an adjacent parking area at 11 Bay St., according to the filing.

The seller was a limited liability company whose principals are Jo-Ann Price and Bernard Nevas, children of the late Westport attorney Leo Nevas, who died in 2009 at age 97 and had extensive real estate holdings in the Westport area.

The buyer was a limited liability company whose principal is listed as Salvatore Campofranco, founder and managing member of real estate investment company Luzern Associates LLC in Wilton. It owns and operates multifamily apartment properties and suburban office buildings in the northeast.

UPDATE Save the Children and Westport developer David Waldman said today that a contract had been signed for sale of the international charity’s headquarters at 54 Wilton Road. The sale price was not disclosed.

Save the Children and developer David Waldman said a contract of sale on the building at 54 Wilton Road was signed today. Cushman & Wakefield photo

Waldman disclosed the sale in a noon talk to the Westport Rotary Club and Save the Children confirmed the transaction in a statement several hours later. Waldman said he and an unidentified partner were the buyers.

Save the Children spokesman Jeremy Soulliere said: “Save the Children is delighted to announce that we signed a contract today for the sale of our 54 Wilton Road building.

“The final closing is not expected to occur until November. In the meantime, we are looking to relocate nearby to a property that will be suitable for our growing operations. Our move will not occur before the end of the year.”

By James Lomsucio

Westport’s Downtown 2020 Committee today chose the RBA Group, a company one of whose principals is a Westport resident, to be the consultant to design a master plan of development for the downtown.

Lou Gagliano, chairman of the committee called it a milestone in a very long process.

“It’s a very good decision, and we’re very pleased,” Gagliano said. “It’s a milestone in a very, very long process, and we look forward to working with the Planning and Zoning Commission.

“We will met with them on Sept. 12 to talk about our decsion and the process together,” he added.