It seems as if suddenly there is change in the air around Cornwall Bridge, and I’m not just referring to the leaves or the temperature, or even the rain at long last.
A quick drive-by on Route 7 these days reveals moving trucks at the Country Market, a candle shop opening next to a construction site that was Housatonic River Outfitters, and Suzie’s Sweets up and vanished from the Cornwall Bridge Gardens! What’s going on?
Well, as reported in the October 2022 Chronicle, the Cornwall Country Market has been put up for sale. The prospective buyer is Will Schenk, although the sale is not yet final. According to Will, if the purchase goes through as expected, he plans to re-open as soon as possible, hopefully before the end of this year. He noted that while he plans changes, the store would retain its basic character and continue to serve the community with fresh food, selected staples, and local specialties.
As for the candle shop, Andrea Appelbaum has opened Plaid Rooster Co, selling natural handmade soy candles at 22 Kent Road South, near the Post Office in Cornwall Bridge. Andrea started her business in Newtown in 2020 and sells to thousands of retail stores in every state. As some of you may know, the rooster is the mascot of Newtown, hence the name of her company. Andrea, her husband and their young son spend weekends at Woodbridge Lake in Goshen and she thinks of Cornwall as a calm, serene and beautiful retreat. She has plans for candle-making parties and intends to open a gift shop next door.
Adjacent to Andrea’s shop is where Housatonic River Outfitters used to be. Will Schenk now owns this space and his exciting vision for it includes wholesaling imported cocoa sourced directly from Colombian farmers with his business partner Tyler Forve. He also has plans for a café with “a huge wood grill” where people can meet up with others in the community.
Just down the road across the bridge and technically in Sharon, Megan Mollica runs Cornwall Bridge Gardens. She says she is focused on creating a sense of community in Cornwall Bridge with a place that can attract families. She intends to stay open all winter, building a greenhouse and putting out Christmas trees and holiday wreaths. But the biggest change is that Suzie’s Sweets bakery has departed. Megan describes this as an “amicable business decision,” and fully intends to eventually find someone to move into that vacant space.
We caught up with Susan Saccardi and asked her about her plans. She told us she “loves cooking for the community and is already looking into other opportunities to make my baked goods available again.” And she is back at it, taking orders for pick-ups Friday or Saturday at the Local or her bake stand on Route 45. Email her at suziesweet11@gmail.com to place an order.
— Bob Meyers
📷: Bob Meyers
Featured photo above: Will Schenk displaying imported pure Colombian chocolate
Cornwall Bridge Gardens
Cornwall Bridge Gardens
Andrea Applebaum at her Plaid Rooster Co candle shop in Cornwall Bridge.
Candles being made at Plaid Rooster Co. in Cornwall Bridge.
