Two new small businesses may be coming to Wilton Center very soon.
Tonight, Monday, Oct. 27, the Planning and Zoning Commission officially receives new applications in order to schedule public hearings for Theo’s General Store and Folkways Wilton, LLC.
Folkways Wilton is a package store proposed to open at 16 Center St., the shopping center known as Old Post Office Square (10-24 Center St.) that is home to CT Coffee & Grill, Eco Chic Salon and Red Rooster.
Theo’s General Store, a combined dry goods store and coffee bar, is proposed for 126 Old Ridgefield Rd., in a space that previously was the home of a chiropractor’s office in the rear of the building that sits across from Wilton Library.
The P&Z Commission, which is holding a solely electronic meeting at 7 p.m., is also scheduled to review a new application and schedule a public hearing regarding an addition to its zoning regulations for municipal field lighting.
Folkways is connected to Folkways Wines, a Croton Falls, NY-based wine delivery and distribution company that serves Fairfield and Westchester Counties.
The proposed package store is approximately 1,100 square feet in size and was formerly a real estate office. The applicants have proposed to undertake interior renovations to the space, with no exterior modifications or additions to the building proposed.
The package store will require a special permit for the WC Zone, and cannot be within 500 feet of a public or private school, or a house or worship.
The application package includes the full list of all entities that abut the property within 500 feet; the list does include the Community Nursery School of Wilton at 9 Hubbard Rd.
“The installation of a small package store within existing space is not expected to have an impact on the site’s natural characteristics or surrounding environment as no new construction or addition to the existing commercial building are proposed,” the application states.
Old Post Office Square currently has a total of 54 shared parking spaces, including three ADA spots.
The application for Theo’s General Store includes limited interior demolition, installation of a new ceiling and recessed lighting, and the installation of a built-in coffee bar. No changes are planned to the exterior.
The total indoor area for the store is 1,300 square feet.
The store will have an open floor plan for the sale of dry goods, including olive oils, pasta, glassware and candles, as well as a coffee bar with a sit-down area for customers. Baked goods, including muffins and bagels, will be brought in daily, as there will be no cooking facilities on the premises.
The story is being opened by Jacob Fisher and Casey Romaine, a husband-and-wife team who moved to Wilton a couple of years ago from New York City who said they “immediately fell in love with the town’s charm and sense of community.”
The duo is excited about the opportunity to contribute something warm and welcoming to the Town Center, and have named it after one of Wilton’s newest residents, their 5-month-old son, Theo.
As a preview, Fisher said that their “focus is on carefully curated items ranging from international artisan pantry staples, like olive oil to homewares like ceramics. With an emphasis on showcasing the local talent and bounty of Fairfield county, the store aims to carry local seasonal produce and farm-grown flowers as well as products from artisans based in the surrounding area.”
He added that the hope is to foster a strong sense of community in Wilton and create a shopping destination for residents in surrounding towns.
The store will be open six days a week, from 7:30 a.m., to 5:30 p.m., and closed Mondays.
Editor’s note: the story has been updated with additional information from the applicants behind Theo’s General Store.