Cravings
How do you woo Westporters? Through their bellies. Bill Taibe of Le Farm and Massimo Tullio of Fat Cat Pie Co.—two establishments with devoted fans—is the dream team behind The Whelk, which joins Mario Batali’s Tarry Lodge and Craft Butchery in Saugatuck. We hear other plans: Aux Delices, a specialty food store, in the old Arcudi’s on the Post Road; Spotted Horse on Church Lane, and Bistro 88 at Bridge Square.
Accent
Westport’s downtown keeps adding big retailers, most recently West Elm on Main Street. Most of us are familiar with its affordable, modern yet retro furniture, linens and home accessories. And funky Urban Outfitters plans to open just around the corner on the Post Road in mid-March. Get sprucing!
New Growth
Terrain combines house and garden in an on-site nursery, café with garden terrace, and retail store scheduled to open at 561 Post Road East (in a reversal of nature, supplanting the old Curran Cadillac dealership) in late April. Part of a small chain from parent Urban Outfitters, the store stocks everything from outdoor furniture and garden tools, planters and terrariums, and trellises and tree swings, to vintage weathervanes, garden ornaments, and landscape design and installation.
Buddings
New stores catering to homeowners and gardeners are budding around Westport this spring. Spruce Home & Garden, a retail and wholesale operation, opened last November in the Old Town Hall building at 90 Post Road. The store offers a mix of contemporary and traditional home décor items, garden containers and accessories, furniture, artwork, books, jewelry and seasonal products.