Stew Leonard, Sr. — founder of “the world’s largest dairy store,” which now sells everything from cashmere to wine, has 7 locations in the tri-state area, and traces its heritage to a milk dispensing machine at the corner of Saugatuck Avenue and Treadwell Avenue — died yesterday at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, from complications of pneumonia. He was 93 years old, and lived in Westport.
A graduate of Norwalk High School and the University of Connecticut’s School of Agriculture, Stew first worked for his family’s business: Clover Farms Dairy in Norwalk.
It was state-of-the-art for its time. with a pasteurizing and bottling plant, and fresh milk delivered daily by trucks (with plastic cows on the front that “mooed” for the neighborhood children).
Stew Leonard, Sr.
In the late 1960s, Stew realized the milk delivery business was going the way of the iceman. His belief that it was time to start something new was driven home when the state informed him that Clover Farms Dairy was in the path of a new highway.
He decided to build a retail dairy store where children could watch milk being bottled, while parents shopped in a farmer’s market atmosphere. In December 1969, Stew Leonard’s opened its doors. It was 17,000 square feet, and carried just 8 items.
Stew Leonard’s grew into what Ripley’s Believe It or Not called the “World’s Largest Dairy store.” It also earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest dollar sales per square foot of selling space. The company is featured in two books by management expert Tom Peters.
Stew was presented with the Presidential Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan, and gave a keynote address to the National Speakers Association. He was named a “Top 50 Visionary” by Supermarket News in 2002, and received awards from Ernst & Young, Inc. magazine and Dale Carnegie. Stew received an honorary doctorate from the University of Bridgeport in 1987.
He published a memoir — “Stew Leonard: My Story” — in 2009.
Stew grew up around the water, and loved Long Island Sound. He won the 1956 North American Water Ski championship, and set a world and national record in point totals for trick water skiing in 1959.
He invented and patented the “Skee-Trainer,” which was attached to a tow rope to teach people to water ski.
Throughout his life he stood at the front door of his Norwalk store greeting customers, often by name.
Stew Leonard’s has grown into a $600 million family owned and operated business. It was named one of Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,” 10 years in a row. The company is run by Stew’s son, Stew Leonard, Jr., with help from his siblings Tom Leonard, Beth Leonard Hollis, and Jill Leonard Tavello. Five of Stew’s grandchildren have also joined the business.
Stew Leonard’s Norwalk store.
A memorial service and burial will be private. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Donations in Stew’s memory may be made to the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation, which helps fund swimming lessons for children in need. It honors his grandson, who drowned in 1989. Click here to send a message to the family. Cards can also be sent to 100 Westport Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851.
Stew is survived by his wife of 70 years, Marianne Guthman Leonard, their 4 children, 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.