As “06880” reported Sunday, Romanacci will not renew its lease at Old Mill Grocery & Deli.
After 3 years they’re concentrating on their other restaurants, including a new one in Darien.
Several “06880” commenters questioned whether any operator can succeed at the 107-year-old beach neighborhood location.
Jim Hood and Ian Warburg say they can.
As 2 of the principals of Soundview Empowerment Alliance — the owners of the property — they write:
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 2 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.
Nicky and Stacey Yiovanakos at their familiar spot. Under their ownership, Elvira’s was profitable.
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.
Legal disputes involving a gelato cart, outdoor tables and alcohol sales consumed time, money and energy. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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 2022.
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.
Old Mill Grocery has stood — and served — for over 100 years.
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.
Saturday morning, at Old Mill Grocery & Deli.
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 2 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 and Ian Warburg
On behalf of Soundview Empowerment Alliance
(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Send submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com. To support this hyper-local blog with a tax-deductible contribution, please click here.)