Pepperidge Farm Leaves Newtown

After nearly 20 years in business at 150 South Main Street, the Pepperidge Farm thrift store moved this week to Stepney corner in Monroe.

“We really didn’t want to leave Newtown – it’s a great community – but we had a very big problem with the traffic at that location on Route 25,” said John Monk, general manager of Pepperidge Farm’s thrift store unit.

Mr Monk said the Newtown location, on a slight curve in the road, posed a definite hazard for customers trying to make left turns into and out of the parking lot, especially during rush hour.

“Nobody in their right mind would try to cross over traffic at that time,” Mr Monk said. “It was a real tough spot because of the constant stream of traffic.”

Mr Monk said the Newtown store closed Tuesday evening and the Monroe store opened Wednesday morning with the same staff including long-time store manager Charlene Barney.

The new store is located at 435 Main Street, at the corner of Route 25 and Route 59, five miles south of the previous location, in the Stepney Plaza, a small shopping center that also houses Brooks drug store, Blockbuster Video and People’s Bank.

“It’s a little bigger store, brand new, with better parking, and I think the customers will like it,” Mr Monk said. “We will be able to offer a larger selection. I know that some customers (from Newtown) may not be able to shop there as frequently, but they can still go and stock up.”