Tag Archives: Morton Williams

Roundup: Le Penguin, Portables, Jim Himes …

Posted on July 20, 2021 | 4 comments

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Each year, the American Institute of Architects’ Connecticut chapter sponsors a “Connecticut Treasures” contest.

The public is invited to explore the wealth and diversity of buildings from each of our state’s 8 counties. Then they vote on their favorite — based on design, historical relevance, or just because it’s the county they live in.

This year’s theme is “theaters.” The Fairfield County entrant is the Westport Country Playhouse.

Voting ends Friday (July 23, 11:59 p.m.). Click here for details.

Will the Westport Country Playhouse be this year’s AIA state treasure?

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From the Pickle Barrel to Blue Lemon and — most recently — Le Penguin, the building in the corner of Sconset Square nearest the Post Road has been many things.

It will soon be something else. When we find out exactly what, you’ll be the first to know.

(Photo/Molly Alger)

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It took a while. But the portable classrooms at Bedford Middle School are finally back on the road.

They were used when Coleytown Middle School was closed, due to mold. The school reopened in January.

Moving the massive structures was not easy. The turn from into the exit drive, from the north side of the school, was tight. And the parking lots are the the midst of a repaving project, making the going extra tough.

The portables served us well, when we needed them. Now they’re are on their way to some other district, for some other reason.

(Photo/Dan Woog)

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Congressman Jim Himes was in town last Saturday, for a “town hall” meeting at the Westport Library.

If you couldn’t get there — or want another chance to talk to your representative — he’s hosting a virtual town hall this afternoon (Tuesday, July 20, 5:30 p.m.).

Click here to submit a video question. Click here to watch the event, on Himes’ Facebook page.

Congressman Jim Himes, at a previous “town hall” meeting.

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He’s still 8 years away from his driver’s license. But 8-year-old Dylan Rosen got a glimpse of the good life Sunday, at the Westport PAL classic car show.

This Camaro was cool 60 years before he was born. It still is.

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Dylan may be only 8 years old. But I’d bet the farm he can park better than a somehow-licensed driver, who walked away from this job on Riverside Avenue:

(Photo/Michael Chait)

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Still speaking of cars: This morning’s post about traffic woes in town drew plenty of comments.

Stephanie Bass has her own thoughts. This sign sits outside her Old Mill-area home:

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Ben & Jerry’s is on one side of the Middle East controversy. Morton Williams is on the other.

The Vermont-based ice cream maker announced it will no longer sell in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In response, the New York supermarket change is slashing its Ben & Jerry’s products by 70%, will stop promoting it in its weekly ads, and will demote the brand to the “least desirable locations” of its freezers.

That quote comes from Avi Kaner, Morton Williams co-owner, and former Westport 2nd selectman and Board of Finance chair.

He explained: “Of all the places in the world to boycott, Ben & Jerry’s has chosen to target the one Jewish nation in the world.”

Click here for the full New York Post story.

Avi Kaner in a Bronx Morton Williams store. (Photo/Danny Ghitis for the New York Times)

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I try to stay away from beach sunrise or sunset photos. I get up to 10 a day, and can’t possibly use 99% of them. (Gentle hint…)

But this shot was different. Here’s how to make the “06880” sunrise cut:

(Photo/Kevin Carroll)

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George Billis Gallery on Main Street hosts a free, open cocktail reception for its next group show tomorrow (Wednesday, July 21, 5 to 7 p.m.).

Featured artists include Derek Buckner, Julian Cardinal, Alice Federico, Paul Pitsker, Jeffrey Reed and Jarvis Wilcox.

“Key Bird” (Paul Pitsker)

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” image is from Judith Katz’s garden of earthly delights.

(Photo/Judith Katz)

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And finally … on this date in 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk walk on the moon. Ten others have followed. The last 2 — Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt — made the journey in 1972.

There are squintillions of songs with “moon” in the title. These are a few favorites:

4 Comments

Posted in Arts, Beach, Downtown, Education, Local business, Politics, Restaurants, Westport Country Playhouse

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Roundup: Eclipse, Chocolates, Groceries …

Posted on June 10, 2021 | 2 comments

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Did you miss this morning’s partial eclipse of the sun?

Franco Fellah didn’t. Here’s what the amateur astronomer saw:

(Photo/Franco Fellah)

A wider view, courtesy of Jay Walshon:

(Photo/Jay Walshon)

Meanwhile, WCBS-TV’s lead weather anchor — and Westporter — Lonnie Quinn set up for his remote shot at Compo Beach. He had a short commute to work today.

(Photo/Matt Murray)

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Last year — as students graduated, sad and largely uncelebrated during the pandemic — Aarti Khosla decided to help.

The owner of Le Rouge Handmade Chocolates decided to give a chocolate heart to every graduate in the Bridgeport school system.

Thanks to her customers, she did.

This year, graduations are a bit more normal. But — now a new “tradition” — the gifts continue.

There are 1,081 graduates in the Bridgeport district. So far, 275 have been “sponsored” by Le Rouge clients. Over 800 are still needed — by Tuesday.

It’s easy. For just $8 — “the cost of a coffee and croisssant,” Aarti says — anyone can sponsor a chocolate heart. Click here to help.

Speaking of $8 — last year, Aarti notes, “the smiles on graduates’ faces were priceless.”

“Give a Little Love” with chocolate hearts.

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Congratulations to Westport’s newest Emmy winner!

Michael Carey — part of NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football team — was part of the crew awarded the prestigious prize for “Outstanding Live Sports Series.”

Carey — a segment producer — is a 2001 Staples High School graduate. He captained the ’00 boys soccer team.

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Amazon may or may not be taking over the world.

But the shopping behemoth is taking over Avi Kaner’s parking spots.

Every morning at 8:30, the former Westport 2nd selectman/Board of Finance chair — and, more importantly for this story, an owner of the 16-store Morton Williams grocery store chain in New York — sees trucks part in front of 2 of his Upper East Side markets.

Workers appear. For the next 5 hours, Crains’ New York Business reports, they use hand trucks to deliver groceries to residents who ordered from Amazon online.

“They use it like a warehouse,” Kaner says. “The city is allowing these places to block our business.”

An Amazon spokeswoman described the scene as an “exchange point.”

Kaner notes that Morton Williams’ sales in residential areas are down only 5-15% from pre-COVID levels, but that stores in business districts are still doing just half of their previous numbers. (Click here for the full Crains’ story.)

Avi Kaner in a Morton Williams store. (Photo/Danny Ghitis for the New York Times)

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Next up at the Remarkable Theater: “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

The superhero film shows tomorrow (Friday, June 11, 8:30 p.m.; gates open for tailgating at 7:30). Click here for tickets and more information.

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The Westport PAL car show set for June 20 has been postponed to July 17. It’s still 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; still at the railroad station parking lot near Railroad Place and Franklin Street); it still features cool cars, food and raffle prizes.

Tickets are still $15 each. But kids — that is, anyone under 12 — are still free.

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Naturally, “Westport … Naturally” shows a deer or two, every once a while. This pair was too cool for school.

(Photo/Tracy Porosoff)

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And finally … today, people across the Northern Hemisphere can watch an annular (partial eclipse) of the sun. Because no one has recorded a song by that name, this will have to do.

2 Comments

Posted in Education, Entertainment, Local business, Sports, Staples HS, Transportation

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Avi Kaner On CNN: Supermarket Sales “Very Intense”; New Yorkers “Resilient”; Worries About Supply Chain, Transportation

Posted on March 13, 2020 | 5 comments

This morning, CNN Headline News viewers got a look at the coronavirus crisis from inside a New York supermarket.

Avi Kaner — known locally as a former Board of Finance chair and 2nd selectman — is co-owner of Morton Williams, the 16-store New York chain.

Speaking in front of an Upper West Side shelf stripped of toilet paper, he described the last 10 days as “very intense.” Yesterday, Morton Williams had a near-400% increase in sales.

However, Kaner said, customers — in lines all the way to the back of the store –were “resilient, polite, and disciplined.”

While Morton Williams is not rationing any goods, some distributors are.

Kaner’s 2 biggest concerns are the supply chain, and transportation. He worries that employees might not be able to get to work.

For the full interview, click below.

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Posted in Economy, Environment, Local politics, People

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It’s In The Bag: Avi Kaner Says New York City Is Not Like The ‘Burbs

Posted on January 30, 2020 | 5 comments

On March 1, New York state’s plastic bag ban takes effect.

Westport has had one since 2008.

Avi Kaner knows both places well. He served our town as 2nd Selectman and Board of Finance chair.

But it’s in his role as owner of New York City’s 16-store Morton Williams grocery store chain that he’s quoted in today’s New York Post.

Avi Kaner in a Bronx Morton Williams store. (Photo/Danny Ghitis for the New York Times)

The new state law allows retailers to charge 5 cents per paper bag. Morton Williams won’t do it.

They’d lose money, Kaner told the paper. Paper bags cost 13 cents each. Plastic bags are just 2.5 cents apiece.

Instead, his chain will stock up on the sturdy reusable bags that they already sell for 99 cents. They’ll also offer cotton and polyester bags for 15 to 20 cents — about what they cost.

But that wasn’t Kaner’s money quote.

Here’s what he told the Post about the difference between people in the town where he lives, and the city where he works:

“A lot of people don’t carry around reusable bags when they are commuting. It’s not like the suburbs where you have the bags in your car.”

(Click here for the full New York Post story. Hat tip: Peter Gold)

Avi Kaner with a different kind of environmental issue: plastic bottles. (Photo/Buck Ennis for Crain’s New York Business)

5 Comments

Posted in Economy, Environment, Local politics, Media, People

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Avi Kaner Hopes To Kick This Can Down The Road

Posted on February 17, 2019 | 20 comments

Avi Kaner is a poster boy for civic involvement.

He’s chaired Westport’s Board of Finance, and served as 2nd selectman. He and his wife Liz are active members of Chabad of Westport, and lead philanthropic efforts in this town and Israel.

Now, Avi Kaner is a poster boy — and cover subject — in a battle against expansion of a New York law.

When Crain’s New York Business ran a long story on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to expand the state’s nickel-deposit law to include plastic and glass bottles containing juice, coffee and tea concoctions, plus sports and energy drinks, they illustrated it in print and online with a photo of a less-than-pleased Kaner — holding plastic bottles.

(Photo/Buck Ennis for Crain’s New York Business)

This issue has nothing to do with the Westporter’s civic work. His day job is co-owner of Morton Williams. That’s the family-owned chain of supermarkets, primarily in Manhattan, focused on fresh, organic, specialty and international foods.

Crain’s says Kaner “isn’t relishing the thought of folks bringing in a lot more bottles and cans” to his West 57th Street location. Morton Williams recently spent $10 million, turning the ground floor and lower level into retail space.

“We keep this place nice and clean, in fitting with the neighborhood,” Kaner told Crain’s. “The last thing we need is people bringing more of their garbage here.”

Customers can return up to 240 items a day. They are first stored near a street-facing window, then in the basement.

“It’s not an optimal use of space in a store where rent is $200 per square foot and every inch of shelving counts,” Crain’s says. Workers who sort the returnables earn $15 an hour.

Kaner is not anti-environment.

“Anything that can be done to prevent waste and help the planet is a good thing,” he told Crain’s. “But the economics of recycling don’t work for a business like ours.”

To read the full story — including its possible impact on curbside recycling — click here.

(Hat tip: John Karrel)

20 Comments

Posted in Economy, Environment, Local politics, People, Politics

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Avi Kaner Does Bloomberg

Posted on September 1, 2017 | 1 comment

Westport knows Avi Kaner as our 2nd selectman.

Yesterday, the rest of America knew him as a grocery store expert.

Kaner was interviewed by Bloomberg TV. The subject was Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, and how rival businesses can compete on price.

The owner of Morton Williams — a 15-store New York supermarket chain — could not see the graphics being shown. If he’d been able to, Kaner says, he would have responded specifically to them.

Avi Kaner on TV.

Nonetheless, he did a great job answering questions like how responsive suppliers will be to Kaner compared to Jeff Bezos, and how to avoid a price war when Amazon/Whole Foods doesn’t mind one.

For Kaner’s deep dive into all things avocado, guacamole and banana, click here.

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Posted in Local politics, Media, People

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2nd Selectman Can’t Get Turned On

Posted on March 22, 2016 | 8 comments

The New York Times just posted an interesting article on a technological phenomenon most of us have recently wondered about: Why the new digital-chip credit cards don’t work.

And the star of the piece is Avi Kaner.

The story begins:

Avi Kaner, a co-owner of the Morton Williams supermarket chain in New York, has spent about $700,000 to update the payment terminals at his stores.

Trouble is, he cannot turn them on.

The new terminals can accept credit and debit cards with embedded digital chips, a security feature meant to reduce the number of fraudulent purchases.

But before the payment systems can work, they must be certified, a process that Mr. Kaner and many retailers around the country are waiting to happen. In the case of Morton Williams, the holdup has lasted several months.

Avi Kaner in a Bronx Morton Williams store. (Photo/Danny Ghitis for the New York Times)

Avi Kaner in a Bronx Morton Williams store. (Photo/Danny Ghitis for the New York Times)

Kaner, of course, is not only an owner of the 15-store, 70-year old grocery retail chain.

He’s also Westport’s 2nd selectman.

When he’s not worrying about produce or credit cards, Kaner helps our town run smoothly.

Much more smoothly, in fact, than that digital-chip credit-card rollout.

(For the full New York Times story, click here.)

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Posted in Local politics, People, technology

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