The Porch at Christie’s — the latest iteration of the Cross Highway store that has served the neighborhood, and beyond, since 1926 — will close December 21.
Owners Andrea and Bill Pecoriello say:
It is with a bittersweet heart that we share some important news. While we’ve cherished every moment at The Porch, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors December 21.
The Porch at Christie’s
This was not an easy choice, but it is one that will allow us to fully dedicate our time and resources to the growth and expansion of Sweet P Bakery.
The Porch was originally created to be the retail home for Sweet P Bakery, our non-profit bakery dedicated to providing training and meaningful job opportunities for adults with disabilities.
Over the past 3 ½ years, The Porch has grown beautifully, becoming a beloved community gathering spot. However, to truly focus on Sweet P Bakery’s growth and impact, we have to make this difficult choice.
We’ve poured our hearts into developing our new colossal cookie gift boxes, which are now available for nationwide shipping through sweetpbakery.org. This exciting expansion allows Sweet P Bakery to continue growing and creating even more opportunities. Our incredible team of 12 bakers will be baking these delicious treats you’ve come to love from our commercial kitchen in Norwalk.
Rest assured, your favorite Sweet P treats won’t disappear, We’re working on ways to continue offering them in various locations. We’ll keep you updated on where you can find specific items. In the meantime, explore our growing list of wholesale partners or get your colossal cookie fix at sweetpbakery.org.
We are exploring many options for a new tenant to take over the beautiful space on Cross Highway. If you know someone who might be interested, please reach out.
To all of our customers, many of whom have become like family, thank you. Your kindness and support over the years has meant the world to us. We especially loved serving our young guests and hope they continue spreading our message of kindness and inclusion.
Greeting customers at The Porch.
We’ll be open until December 21, serving delicious food and sharing our warm hospitality. We’ve even extended our hours on Thursdays and Fridays until 4 pm to welcome middle and high schoolers for after-school snacks.
Please stop by to say goodbye and hello.
In the words of Dr. Seuss, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
With gratitude,
Andrea and Bill Pecoriello and the team at The Porch
You guys are phenomenal! Please reach out to RachsHope.org so we can collaborate! TeamRachsHope@gmail.com. (We also have a very special friend that we share.) So many ideas about how we can all continue to make the world a better place!
Very sad and disappointing. The Porch has become an integral part of the community plus where will I get my blueberry muffins? Is there anything we can do to turn this around?
Sad news indeed.
A phenomenal chapter at The Porch ends. What a great chapter it was, thanks to the Pecoriellos. Grateful for their contributions to our community. The Porch at Christy’s has been a treasure and a pleasure.
The next chapter may be quite different under the new zoning rules just adopted for food establishments in residential zones: alcohol consumption is now allowed indoors, and out, and outdoor dining can be set up pretty darn close to adjoining property. The easiest way to make $$ in food service is to serve alcoholic beverages.
And we thought community gardens were a security risk. Hold on.
So sorry to hear that sad news! Our family moved to
Westport 50 years ago and our children walked to Christie’s every day. The eventual transition to The Porch was a gift to the entire community in so many ways. Andrea’s warmth, her special staff, good food and delicious chocolate scones!!! will all be missed!
My unbounded thanks to Andrea and Bill for the amazing and wonderful existence of The Porch at Christie’s. As the grateful parent of a Sweet P baker, I have had a somewhat inside glimpse into how very hard they and their staff have worked to help better the lives of everyone involved in this grand experiment in kindness and generosity. I hope their work will continue to flourish through Sweet P Bakery, but it is with great sadness that we say goodby to The Porch.
Heartfelt thanks for delicious breakfast treats and lunch. Most of all, I’ll miss the sweet and joyful vibe of the owners and staff. Sending warmest wishes for continued success in your business and wonderful mission.
Across from Christie’s and a few hundred yards down the street is a house with a barn. I was in contact with the gentleman who owns that house and barn, but I can’t remember his name. I sent him a picture of the outside of his house from the 1940s and he wrote’ that’s where my kitchen is’ If he is reading this, please contact me again! My uncle had a farm there and the last time I was in the house was in 1952, which is the same year I was in Christie’s.
So many places have disappeared because of the pandemic.
Because they just didn’t deliver quality products.
That was not the case with The Porch. Food. and baked goods were superior.
The Porch was truly a place we thought would become a staple in our community.
It was a place where people with disabilities were given a chance to learn from very dedicated individuals who helped to make a difference.
While we wish you the best in your future endeavors.
You will be missed in a time when permanence is a word that seems to be rarely achieved .
All the Best,
Arlene and David Gottlieb
The Porch was a wonderful go to place with good food and
Good people .
I hope you will be able utilize these wonderful employees as you expand Sweet P treats
I can’t believe it. We live around the corner and loved it. Sunday morning after 7:30 Mass I’d stop in for muffins and the lady at the cash register always greeted me with a smiling face. Without doubt, the best french fries in town!
Dan Ashley
60 summers ago,we Always stopped at Christie’s on the way home from the Patterson Clubby mom always bought corn-on-cob there. I’m now in western Mass.with my husband & our amazing son with special needs. There is Nothing as Unique as ‘The Porch’ up our way! We applaud the Pecoriellos and the Westport community for making this place what it is.
Too bad. That location has gone through more owners over the years. Good location. Look at the Merritt Superette which has lasted 50 or so years. I would suggest a convenient store which the daily commuter can stop by on his/her way home from work and pick up dinner or the necessities of the evening. Or appeal to the Staples kid who wants a burger after school. Poor Tim Purcell loses another tenant.