Old Greenwich Wants and Needs The New Arcadia

Sometimes an idea just makes sense. I mean, makes sense in the kind of way that it makes all the reasons not to do it seem trivial and beside the point. Take the sandwich, for example. Legend has it that a nobleman named the Earl of Sandwich put the meat he was to be served between two hunks of bread in order to eat in on the go without said meat slobbering down his presumably ruffled sleeves. History does not recall who might have been first to add cheese, but the Earl allegedly set off a wave of happy “now why didn’t I think of that” followers to spread this novelty throughout the land, and not once did the Ye Olde United Fork and Knife PAC complain. It just made sense.

Know what makes sense in Old Greenwich? Locally run businesses providing services to local residents. Local residents, who want to stay in town, set up shop and be a part of the fabric of our community. is, in it’s current incarnation, primarily a coffee shop. It’s also a gathering place, a hang out, a place to meet with friends. Most people you talk to will tell you they consider the location a very important thread in the tapestry of town, what with the look, feel and ambiance of the building itself. However, it’s also a tough place to make a buck.

Look, the landlord’s got to eat, too, so he’s entitled to make a fair rent on the place. And let’s face it, few people are coming from central Greenwich to visit a charming coffee shop, so the primary patrons have to be folks from Old Greenwich, Riverside and the surroundings, and there are only so many of us. So when the new owners, guys with a healthy track record of running a food service business in town, say they want to modify Arcadia to be a more traditional family style restaurant, which includes the serving of beer and wine, well, I think it just makes sense, and the town should see it that way as well.

There are some interesting rules on the books right now that would allow the town to deny the application for the beer and wine permit (not a full liquor license, the b&w permit effectively means no bar, no bar crowd) and/or the change in zoning to allow a “restaurant.” But other local restaurants support Arcadia, many local groups and organizations have written in support, merchants, residents and elected officials have all lined up behind the project. Why? A healthy, thriving Arcadia draws people into town, which in turn encourages additional shopping at other locations, which makes it more likely for other potential retailers to take a chance on Old Greenwich real estate and open more stores to accommodate the demand. There are too many empty storefronts in Old Greenwich, and while it’s a heavy burden to put on one fledgling restaurant, a successful new Arcadia can be a beacon for others who are thinking of opening a shop in town.