“Less and less masks and more and more people.”
That’s what Anthony Giano is seeing outside of his window on Chapel Street, and that’s what he credits for the recent spate of new restaurants opening in the Chapel West Special Services District. Operations manager for Chapel West, Giano said he estimates that foot traffic in the Yale-adjacent business district now equals or exceeds pre-pandemic levels.
Read the full story at newhavenbiz.com.
Former Chapel West President Vincent Romei Sr. passed away earlier this week. Vin was instrumental in the growth of the district. He was known for his unending work ethic and passion for community involvement. Vin was also a founding member of the Bank of New Haven, a partner and treasurer of L.G. Defelice Construction Company and The Colony Inn of New Haven.
Calling hours will take place on Monday, July 18 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at West Haven Funeral Home at the Green. A formal procession will depart the funeral home at 10:45a.m. for a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated in the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption of Woodbridge, at 11 a.m. Interment will immediately follow in Milford Side Burying Ground, Woodbridge.
Read Vin’s obituary here.
City of New Haven Press release
On Thursday, July 7, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker joined city and business leaders to celebrate the opening of the newest restaurant and bar in the Dwight neighborhood, The Cannon.
The Cannon gets its name from the English soccer team, Arsenal, and is the home pub for local Arsenal fans, the New Haven Gooners. As the only vegan and vegetarian sports pub in town, The Cannon is bringing new life to a site that has been unoccupied in recent years and is a gateway to the historic Dwight neighborhood.
Co-owners Kevin MacKenzie, Tessa Davis and Skyller Melton created The Cannon at the site of a former dry-cleaning business. The partners said they wanted to blend unique vegetarian and vegan eats with local beers, superb cocktails and a sports-friendly atmosphere.
Check out the news stories about the official grand opening below:
Fox61 News - HERE
New Haven Independent - HERE
New Haven Biz - HERE
Press release from Shops at Yale
The 2nd Annual Window Art Stroll & Contest is returning to downtown New Haven on May 7! This event is designed to showcase the walkability of historic downtown and the amazing talent of 30 New Haven and Connecticut artists, while creating a vibrant downtown community.
Artists will paint summer-themed window art on store and restaurant windows on Saturday, May 7 beginning at 9:00am (rain date May 8). The artwork will then be displayed for 3 full weeks through Monday, May 30 for public voting. Free printed stroll maps are available inside participating merchants.
Prizes will be awarded to artists for the best windows via an online people’s choice voting system – First Place $500 to L.L.Bean, Second Place $250 to Patagonia and Third Place $125 to Sneaker Junkies! Best Summer Theme in each district will win $100 gift card to a retailer in that district. Voters will automatically be entered to win 1 of 10 $50 gift cards to local merchants – Villa Lulu, lululemon, Harvest, J.Crew, Basta Trattoria, Urban Outfitters, Claire’s Corner Copia, Walker-Loden, Atticus Bookstore Cafe and Lou Lou Boutiques. Winners will be announced during the week of June 6.
NEW this year, guests will have an opportunity to purchase artwork from participating artists at the inaugural Spring Outdoor Art Sale, taking place on Saturdays, May 14 and May 21 from 11am-3pm on Broadway Island in New Haven (at 56 Broadway). Live music by local musicians will add to the festivities. Rain dates are the following day.
Free parking will be offered on May 14 and May 21 from 11am-3pm at the 150 York Street Garage. Simply bring your parking ticket from the garage to The Shops at Yale tent on Broadway Island for a validation stamp.
Press release
New Haven, CT – Yale University Properties is excited to announce the official ribbon cutting for More Amour Boutique in the Chapel Street Historic District of downtown New Haven on Wednesday, April 6 at 2:30pm.
Immediately following the ribbon cutting, guests can enjoy a DJ from 2:30pm-4:30pm, a performance by local singer STOUT, and light refreshments and hors’ d’oeuvres. More Amour Boutique is an independently owned, woman-owned, and black-owned small business, offering edgy, fashion-forward women’s clothing and accessories that cater to a variety of styles and budgets.
The owner, Kim Poole, is no stranger to the fashion industry, having worked for Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue as a sales associate. She uses her years of experience and expertise from working with name-brand designers when curating her collection of one-of-a-kind, statementmaking pieces. Although many of her loyal clientele is from the surrounding area, Kim has many customers who come from all over the country and make a point of visiting her store when they’re in town. New Haven has always been Kim’s dream location for opening her own boutique because of its walkability and stylish clientele, but her decision to move to this particular space on Chapel Street was one made out of nostalgia.
“I was walking down Chapel Street one day and came across this space that was available for lease, and I knew I had to have it,” says Kim. “It reminded me of the type of boutiques that I would see in my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, and it instantly reminded me of home.”
More Amour Boutique, located at 1130 Chapel Street in New Haven, is open Monday-Saturday, 10:00am-7:00pm. Convenient hourly parking is available at The Shops at Yale parking lot located at 161 York Street, behind Harvest Wine Bar & Restaurant and the Yale Center for British Art. Visit TheShopsatYale.com/Park for directions.
“We are excited to celebrate the opening of a new business at The Shops at Yale and delighted to welcome a woman and minority-owned small business to New Haven,” said Lauren Zucker, Yale University Associate Vice President for New Haven Affairs and University Properties. “Yale University’s community investment program supports independently-owned businesses, bringing jobs to New Haven residents and expanding the city’s tax base.”
New Haven Restaurant Week is back. Connecticut’s highly anticipated celebration of dining throughout Elm City will take run from March 27 through April 9.
The program features dining deals at 53 participating restaurants across the city, including Chapel West’s Heirloom, Chaps Grille, EST EST EST Pizza and Atelier Florian. For the full list of restaurants and menus click here.
The program invites diners to sample the incredible array of eateries that make up the City’s culinary scene. The Shops at Yale will offer free 2-hour parking with a same-day purchase of $25 or more from participating restaurants at lots located at 255 Crown Street (behind Pacifico and South Bay) and 56 Broadway (across from Apple). Park New Haven will offer a $5 parking rate during lunch in the Crown Street and Temple Street Garages. Offer is applicable March 27 – April 9 between 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Press release
New Haven, CT – The Shops at Yale and the Whitney-Audubon Retail & Arts District invite local visual artists and musicians of all skill levels to submit their information for participation in free contests as well as paid opportunities for events and activations in downtown New Haven. For more information about each opportunity, including a link to the electronic submission form, visit theshopsatyale.com/callforartists2022.
Musicians
Instrumental Soloists
Join us in creating a vibrant and inviting downtown by filling the air with the sweet sounds of music. Paid outdoor performance opportunities are available during key weekends and holidays throughout the year for instrumental soloists. Musicians will be asked to provide their hourly rate on the “Call for Visual Artists & Musicians” form.
Bands
Music is a key component of every public event that we do. Paid outdoor performance opportunities are available during our biggest events of the year, as well as our Live Outdoor Music Series, from 12:30pm-3:30pm on Saturdays, July 23, 30 and August 6, 13, 20, 27 (rain dates are the following day). Bands will be asked to provide their hourly rate on the “Call for Visual Artists & Musicians” form.
Visual Artists
Window Art Contest
We are excited to announce the return of the 2nd Annual Window Art Stroll & Contest, taking place in downtown New Haven in May. The Shops at Yale and the Whitney-Audubon Retail & Arts District invite all professional and amateur artists, students, and artist groups of two to submit their proposal to paint a family-friendly, summer-themed window on May 7 (rain date May 8). The artwork will be painted directly on storefront windows and will be displayed for 3 weeks, from Saturday, May 7 to Monday, May 30, along with a name plate and contact information for each artist. Winners will be chosen via a people’s choice voting system for chances to win more than $1,000 in gift cards to local retailers and restaurants. In addition, participating artists will be invited to sell their personal artwork at the inaugural Spring Outdoor Art Sale on Saturdays, May 14 and 21 from 11am-3pm on Broadway Island in New Haven at 56 Broadway.
Mural Demonstrations
Selected artists will be hired for a mural demonstration, where they will paint a provided 4ft wide by 8ft tall wood mural (primed white) from 11am-3pm on Broadway Island in New Haven at 56 Broadway. The outdoor mural demonstrations are in conjunction with the Live Outdoor Music Series on Saturdays, July 23, 30 and August 6, 13, 20, 27 (rain dates are the following day). The murals should reflect the theme of "Historic New Haven", “A New Haven Icon or Landmark”, or "Future New Haven". The finished murals will be displayed in downtown storefronts with the artist’s contact information. Stipends of $400 per mural will be provided to each selected artist.
Chalk Art Contest
Come one, come all! The Shops at Yale invites all professional and amateur artists, students, and artist groups to participate in our 5th New Haven Chalk Art Festival, on Saturday, October 22 (rain date, October 23) from 12-4pm. This event is a contest open to the public, where artists compete for more than $2,500 in gift cards, creating a family-friendly 4ft by 4ft fall-themed chalk artwork on the sidewalk using washable chalk sticks. Artists will register to compete in one of the following age divisions: Teen (ages 13-17), Adult (ages 18+), or Adult Group (18+ *minimum of two artists). There is no entry fee, and free chalk, free snacks, and free parking will be provided to participants.
Chapel West welcomed G Cafe Bakery with its official grand opening on Friday, Jan. 28. G Cafe, located at 1177 Chapel St., is a family-owned, European-style eatery, espresso bar & bakery. G Cafe also has locations in Branford and Tweed Airport.
Read the news story written by the New Haven Independent and check out G Cafe’s website for hours and ordering information.