Restaurant, Retail Big Box Stores Likely Replacing Fireside Inn

By John Voket

As was anticipated in a report in The Newtown Bee last week, the popular Fireside Inn catering establishment and the parcel it resides on was sold last Friday. A development group called Highland-HC, LLC based in Ridgefield paid $2,925,000 for the real estate and an undisclosed sum for the business, according to listing agent Robert Cascella.

Mr Cascella, who is a former first selectman of Newtown, and Douglas Rose worked the listing for Coldwell Banker Commercial Scalzo Group of Bethel. The principal for the LLC is Trish Breede of Ridgefield, but the property will be managed by Brunetti and Sons Property Management, LLC of Newtown.

William Brunetti, who spoke to The Bee following the sale, said much of the renovation work will also be handled locally through his contracting business. Both he and Mr Cascella said the ideal new tenant would be a big box retail operation like a Pier 1 Imports or similar retailer.

“I believe the buyer is interested in negotiating for a high-end traffic producer, and not a number of smaller boutique businesses,” Mr Cascella said. “There are already plenty of those on South Main Street.”

Mr Cascella explained that these types of larger retail tenants will drive customers to a new upscale restaurant which is planned for the front of the lot in the space occupied by the Fireside Inn bar and café. He said, pending local approvals, the buyer will also seek to construct a new freestanding building near the rear of the lot, probably intended for another single retail user.

The former owners of the property will have no involvement in the new enterprise, and as of the date of sale, the catering business was permanently closed. Mr Brunetti confirmed that no future catering of any kind will be conducted at the location going forward.