Richard Cummings, Jr. president of the Westport National Bank, today welcomes the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce members to the Chamber’s holiday business after hours monthly networking session. It was held at the bank’s offices at 1495 Post Road East. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

A new retail business, You Name It!, opens Monday at 1765 Post Road East opposite the Stop & Shop supermarket. According to owner Westporter Elaine Shay, the 700-square feet store sells a broad range of merchandise to individuals and businesses wanting any picture or text reproduced on any item—either singly or in bulk quantity. “We print everything but money” said Shay, who moved to Westport in 2007 after a 20-year career as a litigation attorney in private practice in Brooklyn, N.Y. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

UPDATE Five Guys Burgers and Fries, a fast food chain, is to open in early January at 538 Post Road East, in space previously occupied by Totally Kool women’s apparel. The Five Guys chain was founded in Arlington, Va. in 1986 and has expanded to 450 locations in 25 states. The Westport restaurant is its eighth location in Connecticut with others in Newtown, Orange, Brookfield, New Haven. Avon, Wethersfield, and Mystic. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

UPDATE Members of Westport-based Local 371 of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union were back at The Fresh Market today on Post Road East, just as they were when the store opened in October. (See WestportNow Oct. 14, 2009) The Fresh Market store is a nonunion operation, and Local 371 contends it does not pay area standard wages and benefits. The company’s public relations manager, Drewry Sackett, said in a statement: “We’re pleased to have been able to bring 90 good jobs to the Westport area, and we’re proud of our reputation for fair treatment, fair compensation and fair benefits.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Just in time for the cold weather, Sunny Daes Ice Cream is scheduled to open soon at 30 Riverside Ave. (See WestportNow, June17, 2009). The site was formerly occupied by King’s Service auto repair. Owned by Sergio Keskin of Trumbull, the ice cream chain also operates two shops in Fairfield and one each in Trumbull and Stamford. Westport’s Ben & Jerry’s ice cream store at 14 Post Road East closed its doors last month (see WestportNow Oct. 28, 2009). (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

A Westporter with broad experience in traditional and new media has been hired as chief operating officer of a new nonprofit Connecticut online news operation aimed at filling the growing void in coverage of Connecticut’s government.
Westporter James A. Cutie (r) described The Connecticut News Project today at a Yale Law School media symposium in New Haven. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com/Yale Law School photo

James. A. Cutie, a 16-year Westport resident and in his new job two weeks, described plans for The Connecticut News Project today at a media conference at Yale Law School in New Haven.

He said the project’s mission is to “increase transparency and accountability” in Connecticut’s government.

Cutie, 58, lately has been involved in several venture capital companies. Earlier, he spent 17 years with The New York Times Company where he was president and CEO of The New York Times Information Services Group.

Westport’s newest personal trainer facility, the Fitness Factory, has opene at 1200 Post Road East in the retail and office complex that is anchored by Crate & Barrel.  Owned by Westport residents Andy Berman, 36, and Marysue Teplitz, 48, the facility employs 15, including 10 personal trainers specializing in sports specific training and weight loss. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce tonight unveiled its new logo at a reception attended by approximately 75 people at Rizzuto’s Wood-Fired Trattoria and Bar, at 540 Riverside Ave. Lisa Thygerson (r), president of the Chamber, said “by creating a new signature emblem, the Chamber seeks to solidify its stance as a progressive, ever-evolving organization committed to the needs of its member businesses.” With her is Richard Gordon, board president. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Mitchells, the Westport-based family-owned upscale clothier, is set to acquire San Francisco-based Wilkes Bashford Company as part of the high-end department store chain’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.
Jack Mitchell: Confirms deal in works. Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

“If we can work things out, if the process goes through okay, we’ll acquire their assets,” Jack Mitchell, CEO of Mitchells, told WestportNow today.

Founded in 1966, Wilkes Bashford operated its six-story flagship store in San Francisco’s Union Square. It also opened stores in Mill Valley, Palo Alto, and Carmel, Calif. but the Mill Valley store and the Carmel store were closed in the last two months.

Under the proposed agreement filed with the Bankruptcy Court, Mitchells would pay $4.6 million in cash, subject to inventory adjustments. However, the transaction is subject to a competitive bid process to allow for higher or otherwise better offers.