The fact that the old Westport Library building — opposite what will soon be the former Klaff’s — now houses a Starbucks is seen by some longtime Westporters as a symbol of how the town changes.
Another symbol is on the way. Freshii — a strangely spelled “fast casual” restaurant offering salads, burritos, wraps, quinoa and rice bowls, yogurts, breakfast, soups, juices and smoothies, all made with high-quality, fresh ingredients — opens soon in the same former library building.
The address is both 1 Main Street, and 19 Post Road East. There will be entrances on the Post Road, and Parker Harding Plaza.
The franchisee — who owns the rights to all of Fairfield and Westchester Counties, though this is his 1st location — has a name as odd as Freshii.
Jon Blob (when his German grandfather arrived at Ellis Island, “Bloh” somehow changed) has a background in restaurants — via the financial world. He’s invested and analyzed plenty of them, and is very excited about this one.
“I spent almost 2 years thinking about career paths other than New York finance,” Blob says. “I have a good handle on restaurants.” He heard about Freshii, did due diligence with the CEO, and loves “where the brand is going, and what it stands for.”
Still a bit of work to do, to freshen up Freshii’s entrance.
Founded in Toronto, and now in 70 or so locations internationally, Freshii is part of a growing market niche. It offers healthy, quick meals — sit-down or takeout — that’s in between fast food and an upscale restaurant.
Blob says the demographics of Westport are perfect for Freshii: “a health-conscious, fit, active customer base, with disposable income.”
Freshii will seat 25 inside, and 25 more outdoors on a Post Road patio.
And — this being Westport (and the former library) — there’s free WiFi too.
Sounds interesting…however the demographic description…”health conscious, fit, active customers base”…all great….but then…like the needle scratching the surface of a record…”disposable income”…. The catch all phrase for…it’s going to be really expensive… How about a restaurant…that says all that… ” Health conscious, fit, active customer base” but instead states at a “great value”! At least give us Westporters’ the illusion that our disposable income has great value!
These guys are smarter than their prospect market. “Disposable income” translates as: “A fool and his money are soon parted.”
No better place to start a business just like Willie Sutton always went for the banks.
This could be a nice addition to Westport. When some don’t want ‘chains’ in our town, does this qualify as one?
Get on the wagon you saw before anyone else.
U smart lady.
Luv ya.
M
Sent from my iPhone
Marty Bell 5 Covlee Westport CT 06880 (o) 203 349 5025 (m) 203 856 0607
OK, so its going to serve “breakfast.” But what kind of breakfast; didn’t get the idea that it was going to be eggs, bacon, french test, cornbeef hash, breakfast fries, grits, or any of those combinations. What is for breakfast?
Dan, do they have a menu with pricing?
The website does not have prices for Westport. I looked at the company website, and randomly chose a location (downtown Chicago). Here’s the menu for that location, with prices: http://chicago.menupages.com/restaurants/freshii/menu
I thought a dictionary definition of “disposable income” might be in order, so I checked Merriam-Webster’s online entry, and noticed there was a feedback option… here goes:
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up disposable income? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
THE DEFINITION: Portion of an individual’s income over which the recipient has complete discretion. To assess disposable income, it is necessary to determine total income, including not only wages and salaries, interest and dividend payments, and business profits, but also transfer income such as social-security benefits, pensions, and alimony. Obligatory payments, including personal income taxes and compulsory social-insurance contributions, must be subtracted. Disposable income may be used for consumption or saving.
THE QUOTE: “Blob says the demographics of Westport are perfect for Freshii: ‘a health-conscious, fit, active customer base, with disposable income.'”
SOURCE: 06880danwoog.com
http://06880danwoog.com/2013/09/02/freshii-finds-a-foothold/#comments
WHY: Comments posted to this popular Westport CT blog suggested a concern that food at Freshii, a restaurant soon to open, would be expensive. That was my first thought too. But then, with an irrepressible wordsmither’s knack for advertising copy, I thought that since the restauranteur is said to have a strong financial background, perhaps his off-putting promotional quote had been unintentional. There must be more to the definition of “disposable income” than first impressions suggested. So, I came to the Merriam-Webster site to look it up!
(But only a look at the menu prices will give us an idea whether the firebrand Mr. Blob was “recoining” his branding phrase, or not.)
“Beware of the Blob.”
Well, lets see. Take that Chicago menu with prices, bump them up about 99.9% to bring them to the northeast and here in Westport in particular, maybe another 25% for good measure, and Freshiiii should help a lot of people dispose of their income.
Heck, I’m Canadian but have never heard of it. Then again, Ontario, like Quebec, would prefer to live alone. Why not just have another Starbucks across the road like everyone else?
Oops. Just looked it up and found THREE in my city. I guess I’m just too old to care. However, I still do like the idea of battling Starbucks!
I’m from Toronto and LOVE Freshii. Whether you’re having a salad, soup, or rice bowl you tick off all the added extras you’d like on top and voila! your custom meal is prepared. I’m a huge fan of the rice bowls – actually delivered to you in those waxed cardboard Chinese takeout containers. Delicious! Westport is SO lucky! (I now live elsewhere and there’s no Freshii here…..) I hope you enjoy.
Is waxed cardboard recyclable?
Am I geographically challenged? By Post Road patio, do they mean the old Needle Park or the small open space in front the HSBC entrance?
Let’s see how close they are to the West Coast menu…