Another chapter is ending for Old Mill Grocery & Deli.
Romanacci — operators of the iconic, 107-year-old beachside market — will not renew their lease.
Graziano and Maurizio Ricci — owners of Romanacci — will turn their attention to the continued growth of their business. They open a new Romanacci restaurant in Darien this fall.
In a heartfelt note to “Friends, Neighbors & Our Amazing Community,” the Riccis say:
After 3 wonderful years at OMG, we’ve decided it’s time for us to begin a new chapter.
Despite some very challenging times, it was still, without a doubt, worth every single minute.
(Photo/Dave Dellinger)
From the very beginning, your support, friendship and loyalty have meant more to us than we can put into words.
You welcomed us into this community, supported us, celebrated with us, and made this place feel like so much more than just a business. It became part of our family.
Saturday morning, at Old Mill Grocery & Deli.
And because of that, we want to say “thank you” the best way we know how: with a community party. We invite everyone to join us for one last special evening together.
On Tuesday, September 29, starting at 5 p.m. we’ll have food, drinks, and a little gift for each one of you — and for your beloved four-legged friends — as a small way of showing our appreciation for everything you have done for us over these 3 years.
And please remember: This is not goodbye. It’s a see you later.
For everyone who has contributed to the prepaid house account, we want you to know that your support does not disappear with the closing of this chapter. We will honor those accounts at all of our Romanacci locations.
We are also committed to doing everything we can to help Soundview Empowerment Alliance and the next operator make the transition as smoothly as possible. Our hope is that OMG remains open, thriving, and part of this wonderful community for another 100 years.
Thank you for believing in us, supporting us, and making these 3 years truly unforgettable.
We hope to see every one of you on September 29 so we can raise a glass, share some food, and celebrate the memories we created together.
With love and gratitude,
The Romanacci Family
The OMG crew, 2025.
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Soundview Empowerment Alliance — owners of Old Mill Grocery & Deli — say:
Soundview Empowerment Alliance could not have asked for better partners or stewards of this special place.
From the moment they became tenants and stewards of Old Mill Grocery & Deli, they understood and fully embraced SEA’s mission of “preserving history and serving good,” supporting both with their trademark grace and enthusiasm.
They leaned in creatively and did their best to bring the community together, offering great food and drink, friendly service and accessible prices.
Among the Romanacci innovations: special candlelight dinners at the communal table. (Photo/Carol Alexander)
They also worked through some significant and costly challenges along the way, maintaining their composure, commitment and good humor throughout.
Our hats are off to them, and we wish them every success with their next (ad)ventures.
In anticipation of their departure at the end of this month, SEA has been working hard to identify the next operator to carry on OMG&D’s more than 107-year tradition of serving the community with food, beverage, convenience and connection.
Old Mill Grocery & Deli, decades ago.
We are in active discussions with several strong prospective operators, including successful well-known local operators. Each brings considerable experience, energy and an understanding of this community. We are optimistic that one of them will emerge as the right partner to carry the stewardship of OMG&D into its next chapter.
While Romanacci’s chapter at OMG&D is coming to a close, OMG&D itself is very much continuing, and SEA remains committed to preserving this historic gathering place for generations to come.
With enormous gratitude to our wonderful community and supporters,
Jim Hood & Ian Warburg, on behalf of Soundview Empowerment Alliance
(Photo/Ed Simek)
(“06880” reports regularly on the Old Mill Grocery story — as we do with all local news. If you enjoy coverage of business, the beach and Westport life, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Old Mill is a nice store for folks a few times a year, and perhaps the immediate/close-by locals find it useful for “quick shops”. But it’s far too often romanticized as a sustainable business when it obviously is not. Sure, it’d be great if a family-style shop could be sustained there, but the reality is that it simply can’t generate sufficient revenue to hit acceptable profitability levels for an annual cycle (not just during the 3 months of summer!). Many have tried but it seems like it’s a structural problem which shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who has run a business. Guaranteed that the next operator (if there is one) will run into similar issues. Sad news but reality.
It is unfortunate, but based on the succession of shuttered operations, it should be pretty clear that there is not an economically sustainable business at this location. The locals that love it apparently don’t love it enough while it is not particularly a “destination” that attracts non-locals.
As for the ongoing alcohol debate, it is questionable whether an even a liquor license would make a difference over the long haul given the failure of other local restaurants (Allen’s, Positano) that had liquor licenses.
Perhaps the Soundview Alliance should consider furthering its broader mission by developing the property as a group home or, maybe, affordable housing. Either that or really ramping up fundraising efforts to subsidize the next operator.
It’s destined to become a single family home. But with FEMA and local zoning allowances it will rise two stories above the current structure and block a bunch of views.
I know it’s a longshot, but woukd the town consider making it another “sandbar”/ town owned restaurant/deli? It’s one of the best gems in Westport and may be the only way to retain it. No restaurant owner can or should take the risk of the ongoing legal fights with neighbor.
So why then would it be prudent for the town to assume the ongoing legal fights, etc.? That’s a loser strategy for our tax $ !!!
I have a better idea. When every voter in Westport receives their $5,000 dollar check from Trump, that he promised three times this week, everyone will donate half the money to buy the place for the town! It will then be renamed THE TRUMP-HART RESTAURANT and the best restaurant in town!!!! If more money is needed to buy it, then donate the entire $5,000.
Oops.. I made a spelling error. The restaurant will be named Trump & Hart” — One Kitchen, Two Egos. (I-Ran out of options). But let’s make sure that the restaurant remains open!
This is my last comment so I’ll get serious- “preserve this place’s ability to operate as it has for 107 years.” Don’t make this a tear down! This is Westport history that goes back, like I said, 107 years! Do what you have to do to continue the business. I wish I had a real solution, but I don’t because of the lawsuits. Maybe a “ Preservation Award? Houses get them.
You want to trust the town after they got into business with someone that owed significant back taxes, did a poor job at compo, and then paid them money to GTFO? Lol
It has always been great for the area and a way of getting together as neighbors. A place a child could run an errand
to for his/her mother!
Gruil Brittania might be interested but it truly met the needs
of the neighbors year round in the “olden” days. Doubt it
was ever a profit maker!
shame on that woman who is ruining it because the kids laughing outside the store. why did she move there?
I’m sorry to read this. Such a great crew of folks there. I don’t know what the answer is.
I’ve been on a coffee crawl for the best iced latte. I’ve traveled from
Fairfield to Darien, and Old Mill has the best. I’m so sorry to see the
Romanacci’s leave.
I think someone needs to buy it and build a three story “modern barn” residence.
There is no reason to protect any aspect of historic Westport when the very town has spent decades erasing its history.
OMG probably tired of the haters in the ‘hood, some of who don’t reside there full time and don’t show their faces when in town. They are very successful restauranteurs and don’t need the aggravation I’m guessing….
How sad…you will be missed
Thank you Team Romanacci for giving OMG your all with excellent products and service.
I wish the Soundview Alliance the best of luck in finding a new operator or non profit purpose for the property that will benefit the residents of our town and Old Mill community.
thank you OMG and Romannici for the service you have provided our community over these past 3 years!!!
Robin Tauck and the Van Dorstens must be so happy they destroyed the deli.
When NYC finally absorbs Westport and makes it their own, Mayor Mandani can use his “magic touch” to lower the prices at OMG by 30%.
Problem solved!
The litigious neighbors win, lovely, maybe someone can remind everyone of their names?
There has been a lot of thoughtful discussion since Dan’s post about the transition at Old Mill Grocery & Deli. We thought it might be helpful to add a little history and context, particularly around the question of whether a business can succeed at 222 Hillspoint Road.
We believe it can, and the history gives us good reason to feel that way.
Elvira’s was profitable for more than two decades. It supported Stacy and Nick, their family and employees, and helped them build meaningful equity in the property. When they sold in 2019, it wasn’t because the business had failed. They were ready to retire after many years of extraordinarily hard work.
Romanacci has also been profitable at Old Mill.
Their decision to move on doesn’t mean a business can’t succeed here. It simply means that, for a growing company with several locations and other opportunities, the return at Old Mill hasn’t been enough to justify the considerable time and attention the location requires.
That’s an important distinction.
The last several years have also brought challenges that earlier operators didn’t face to the same degree. Unfortunate legal disputes consumed a great deal of time, money and energy that otherwise could have gone into improving and growing the business.
But there is another side to that story.
Thousands of residents, neighbors and visitors have supported preserving Old Mill. Many hundreds contributed financially to save it back in ’22. And many more continue to show, through their ongoing donations, patronage and affection for the place, how much they want this neighborhood institution to remain part of the community.
It’s also worth remembering what this place has been for more than a century.
The property has operated commercially since 1919. For generations, it wasn’t simply a place to buy a sandwich. It was opened as The Old Mill Store, and soon after became The Old Mill Grocery & Deli, always a place for groceries, prepared food, beverages, ice cream and the everyday things people needed. Stopping there was simply part of living in the neighborhood.
Some of that habit has been lost over the years. COVID changed routines. The neighborhood changed. Delivery services changed the way all of us buy food and household necessities.
Those are real challenges. But we don’t think they mean a business there is no longer viable.
We think the opportunity is to create an updated version of the neighborhood market that worked here for generations: great prepared food, groceries, beverages, convenience items and other permitted offerings, with reasons for people to stop in throughout the day and throughout the year.
There is also one very important difference between Old Mill and most commercial properties.
Its owner, Soundview Empowerment Alliance, is a nonprofit.
SEA was created by this community for two purposes: to preserve this historic neighborhood institution and to create opportunities for young people with disabilities.
Preserving History. Serving Good.
SEA didn’t acquire 222 Hillspoint Road as a real-estate investment, and our goal isn’t to maximize the financial return on the property.
We measure success differently.
If Old Mill remains a thriving neighborhood gathering place, and if it also creates opportunities for young people with disabilities to learn, work and grow, then we are accomplishing what the community created SEA to do.
That matters economically as well.
We can offer the next operator a modest, commercially reasonable rent designed to help the business succeed rather than trying to extract the maximum possible return from the real estate.
So for us, the question isn’t really whether Old Mill can work.
It’s whether we can find the next right operator to create the 2026 version of the neighborhood market Westport has embraced for more than a century, one that respects what this place has been while adapting to the way people live today.
Based on the history of the property, what we’ve learned over the last several years, and the conversations we’re having with prospective operators, we believe we can.
We’re not out to recreate Elvira’s, or Kenny’s before it.
Our aim is to support the next generation of operators of the Old Mill Grocery & Deli, enabling it to remain the special place – the heart and hub – this community will continue to embrace for decades to come.
With gratitude,
Jim Hood
Ian Warburg
On behalf of Soundview Empowerment Alliance