Sunday, October 18, 2026

Weeds and Unhappiness Grow Around Former Three Bears

Neighbors on Westport’s Newtown Turnpike are become increasingly unhappy with what’s become of the former Three Bears Restaurant which had a brief run as Tiburon before the successor restaurant suddenly closed last month (See WestportNow July 27, 2009). In addition to weeds growing around the building and notices plastered on the front door, someone left a note to the former Three Bears owner, telling him “Shame on you.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Douglas Healey for WestportNow.com

6 thoughts on “Weeds and Unhappiness Grow Around Former Three Bears”

Michael Stuttman says:
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 11:25 am
Fortunately, we can count on the ever vigilant P&Z;to protect the neighborhood if the property falls into the hands of a developer. LOL.
Reply
chip stephens says:
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 11:40 am
Has the health dept entered the premises to see if the food and perishables are removed? Or else this becomes a health issue.
It is a shame someone cannot incentivize businesses like this, the bridge market and other vacant businesses to open with assistance until the economy moves on. Desperate times necessitate desperate measures we need leadership to save the character of our town, there seems to be a vacuum in the business development (tax revenue generating) concern.
Reply
John McCarthy says:
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Unfortunately “Demolition by Neglect” is a very real tool used by some property owners and developers. I have no knowledge of what is happening at this specific property; but as this article from the CT Trust for Historic Preservation points out it is a real threat to many properties in the state
http://www.cttrust.org/index.cgi/1050
Reply
Nina Streitfeld says:
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 1:33 am
I am glad other neighbors of The Three Bears property have voiced their concern about the Three Bears property. The restaurant was supposedly the oldest continuous restaurant in Connecticut. Doesn’t the property deserve some sort of designation as an historic site to be preserved? Perhaps our town can do something to identify and persuade an appropriate buyer to take it over for a use consonant with the lovely residential neighborhood in which it is located. I hope so.
Reply
Dorrie Harris says:
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 3:42 am
There’s now a “For Rent” sign on the front door too. Having lived down the road for decades, I’ve never seen it in worse shape due to the overgrown weeds (the building itself looks to be in fine shape…well, except for the front door.)
It’s really a shame.
Reply
James Solomito says:
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 7:31 am
I find it sad how everyone here is complaning about the property and commenting about helping business get started in westport. It shows how out of touch you really are with today’s world. You talk as if this is a tragedy.
The tragedy is that I worked there along with several other emplyees when it was Tiburon and we were not payed for our services in excess of $10,000. Also Steve Vazzano was no longer the owner then. The owner was Tom Mckeon and he lives in Fairfield.
Reply