Calypso St Barth, a women’s apparel shop, opened today at 19 Post Road East in the location of the old Westport Library. From its founding 16 years ago, the retailer, according to its website, has grown “from a modest resort-wear line to a global luxury lifestyle brand with a passionate following.” Westport First Selectman Gordon Joseloff and Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce president Heather Cavanaugh welcomed the store to Westport with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Joining them were (l-r) Brooke Labriola, Erica Forkos, Erin Nordling (area manager) Marcella Moeller (store manager), Judy Eierdam, Selina Pineda, and Amy Barone. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
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Comings and Goings: Destination XL to Debut
Casual Male Retail Group. a Canton, Mass-based chain of specialty clothing retail stores, is replacing its Casual Male XL location at Westport’s 1505 Post Road East with its expanded clothing line under the name of Destination XL. The Post Road East location was the home of Rochester Big & Tall men’s apparel until May 2009 when the shop reopened as Casual Male XL which recently closed while undergoing extensive renovations in preparation for its reopening as Destination XL, a new brand of store within the Casual Male Retail Group. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Book Talk Plug from Proud Mom
Westporter Ann Sheffer took a moment at the Westport Rotary Club meeting today to promote a talk by her son, Brian Reich, at the Westport Country Playhouse on Wednesday at 4 p.m. about his new book “Shift and Reset: Strategies for Addressing Serious Issues in a Connected Society.” Published last month, the work looks at essential strategies the nonprofit community can use to take advantage of rapidly changing technologies and new communication methods in our ultra-connected society. The talk is sponsored by the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County and the Fairfield County Community Foundation. Reich is senior VP–global editor for Edelman, the world’s largest independent PR firm. He teaches consumer behavior and marketing strategy in the Graduate School of Communications at Columbia University and contributes as a Fast Company expert. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Westport August Unemployment Rate Down to 5.8%
Westport’s unemployment rate in August was 5.8 percent, down from 6.0 percent in July and the lowest in eight months, according to the Connecticut Department of Labor.
The August rate was the lowest since the 5.7 figure reported in December 2010. A year ago in August, Westport had a 6.0 percent unemployment rate.
Among suburban Fairfield County towns, Wilton’s 6.0 rate was highest. Greenwich and New Canaan had a 5.9 rate, Weston matched Westport at 5.8, and Darien improved to 5.6.
The department said the number of Westport unemployed in August was 752, down from 777 in July. The August labor force in Westport numbered 12,891, down from 13,012 the previous month, and there were 12,109 employed, down from 12,235 employed in July, it said.
Comings and Goings: Wine Bar to Main Street
A wine bar, Luxe Modern Wine & Cocktails, opens at 190 Main St. probably in November, according to owner Robert Reilly of Redding. He said that the cafe will carry 40 wines that can be purchased by the glass, seven or eight seasonal cocktails, and a selection of 15 cheeses and cured meats. In addition to a bar, there will be a few tables with plans for outdoor tables next spring, he said. The new cafe will be located in the space formerly occupied by Fay Kim Designs that relocated to the nearby space that formerly housed Coco Michelle which closed in August 2010 and relocated to Railroad Place. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Comings and Goings: Calypso St. Barth to Main Street
Workers apply finishing touches today for Calypso St Barth, a women’s apparel shop, that will open at 1 Main St. in the location of the old Westport Library. According to an architect associated with the project, the shop will probably open in early October. From its founding 16 years ago, the retailer, according to its website, has grown “from a modest resort-wear line to a global luxury lifestyle brand with a passionate following.” Other Calypso shops in the Westport area include Greenwich as well as New York City. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Comings and Goings: Benefit Cosmetics Debuts
Benefit Cosmetics Boutique officially opens today at Westport’s 22 Main St., which has been vacant since Katzenberg’s Cafe closed in early 2009. Established in 1976 in San Francisco as a beauty boutique with a whimsical candy store atmosphere, Benefit Cosmetics now has more than 2,000 counters in more than 30 countries. Note the doggie water dish outside. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Beauty Counter Awaits
The interior of the Benefit Cosmetics store opening today at Westport’s 22 Main St. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Comings and Goings: Purple Feet Moving
Purple Feet Inc, Wine and Spirits, located at 1088 Post Road East since 1976 in the shopping center anchored by Barnes & Noble, is relocating to Playhouse Square where it will occupy the space that was the previous home of the Curtain Exchange. Purple Feet said its new shop will reopen in expanded facilities in mid-September. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
From Meat Scales to Computers, 100 Years of IBM
By James Lomuscio
From meat scales, time clocks and punch cards to Watson, an artificial intelligence super power that reads a million books a week, Westporter Mark Loughridge, IBM’s chief financial officer (CFO), tonight choreographed 100 years of his company at the Westport Public Library.
Westporter Mark Loughbridge, chief financial officer of IBM, traced the company’s 100-year history in a library presentation tonight. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com
Before a packed audience in the McManus Reading Room, Loughridge described Thomas Watson Sr., for whom the eponymous supercomputer is named, as IBM’s original visionary.
“He knew that this was an international and global company from the beginning, using technology to solve customer problems,” Loughridge said.
To that end, Watson Sr. changed the name of the Computing-Tabulating-Recording-Company founded in 1911 to International Business Machines, IBM, in 1924.
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