Linda's Blog
Signs of Growth in Southington, But Taxes a Big Concern
On a sweltering day during my tour of small businesses in Southington, I stopped in Anthony Jacks Wood Fired Grill and spoke with three women having a late lunch. They all pledged their support for my campaign, including the Democrat among them, who said she was ... More »
Main Street Middletown On the Right Track
On my tour of Main Street Middletown, I visited Amato’s Toy and Hobby Store during its 70th anniversary celebration. I was fortunate to be there when the owner had set up his antique model-train collection. Diane Gervais, daughter of Amato’s 85-year-old owner, and I couldn’t help but ... More »
Bethel Businesses and Customers: “Please don’t forget us”
Claudia Syx, a receptionist at a property-management firm in Bethel, can point to a number of friends who have left Connecticut for the South, where she says jobs are more plentiful and the cost of living not as high. “We’re going to end up pricing everybody out of ... More »
Hardship and Hope in Litchfield
Litchfield business owners are grappling with the weak economy like other entrepreneurs across Connecticut. On my Main Street Tour of Litchfield businesses, I stopped by Fahey Associates, Realtors, on the green and talked with Christine Gemelli, a residential and commercial lender for Webster Bank. These days, she’s ... More »
Ridgefield Small Businesses Prefer The Lunch Pail Approach
To compete with a national office-supply store, Squash’s Ridgefield Office Supply has adopted the “Cheers” mentality. They know every customer by first name, said store manager Bill Bellion. Customer service is so personal, staff makes deliveries with the owner’s car. That personal contact has kept them in ... More »