Stew Leonard's Offers Update On Attempt To Bring Fourth CT Store To Orange

ORANGE, CT — Just over a year after Stew Leonard's confirmed plans to open a long-awaited fourth Connecticut store in Orange had stalled due to proposed rent for the space, a spokesperson for the company confirmed over the weekend that continues to be the case as 2025 heads to a close.

Spokesperson Meghan Bell confirmed Saturday in an email to Patch that efforts to open a new Stew Leonard's store at the Colonial Commons shopping plaza on Indian River Road in Orange remain stalled due to proposed rent costs.

Bell declined to comment further on where plans for a possible store location in Orange currently stand.

In an interview with CT Insider, CEO Stew Leonard Jr. said Wednesday the New York City-based leasing agent for the shopping center, Brixmor Property Group, "is looking for top dollar" and the two parties were still unable to come to terms.

According to CT Insider, Leonard noted if both parties were able to reach a deal and his company leased the Colonial Commons space, the store there would be one of the smallest in the chain. He also stressed he remained bullish on opening a store in Orange.

Brixmor Spokesperson Maria Pace declined to comment on rent discussions or other details of ongoing negotiations with prospective tenants citing company policy, however she noted Brixmor was committed to remerchandising Colonial Commons with a mix of tenants that best serve the needs of the community and looked forward to sharing tenant announcements once leases are finalized.

In May 2024, Bell confirmed the former Christmas Tree Shop space at the shopping center was in the running as a possible spot for a new store location, however she also emphasized at that time nothing was finalized.

Bell later confirmed in October 2024 plans to bring a new store to Colonial Commons had stalled, and the main factor slowing down plans was the cost of rent for the space.

Though it remains unclear for now if Stew Leonard's will ultimately bring the "World's Largest Dairy Store" to the shopping center, Bell previously confirmed to Patch that Orange and other areas of Connecticut relatively near the company's Norwalk headquarters are always under consideration for a possible new store.

"The Leonard family is always on the lookout for a great retail space in a great community," Bell said to Patch. "Orange, as well as other locations in Connecticut, are under consideration."

Most Orange residents are already familiar with the concept of Stew Leonard's opening a new store in their town.

The family-owned grocery chain's last public attempt to open a Connecticut store revolved around a planned location at 161 Marsh Hill Road in Orange.

The Stew Leonard's team tried to get the Orange store approved for nearly 15 years, but the effort was ultimately thwarted by a group of concerned residents who filed various legal motions that kept the store's future tied up in the courts.

At one point, it seemed Stew Leonard's might claim victory after winning town approval and a court decision, however a last-minute appeal granted to residents opposing the project derailed the plans once again.

After legal fees began to mount, the Leonard family turned their attention to expanding outside of Connecticut, building stores in New York and later New Jersey. Since then, no plans for a fourth Connecticut store have been announced.

The last time Stew Leonard's opened a new Connecticut store was in Newington in the spring of 2007, nearly 18 years ago.

In addition to the Newington store, Stew's operates Connecticut locations in Danbury, which opened in 1991, and its flagship Norwalk store, which dates back to 1969, as well as locations in New York and New Jersey.

See also:

• Plans To Bring New Stew Leonard's Store To Orange Shopping Center Stall Over Rent Cost
• Stew Leonard's Eyes Orange For Possible Fourth CT Store Location
• When Will Stew Leonard's Open A Fourth CT Store?
• Hundreds Of Turkeys Handed Out To Families In Need At Stew Leonard's In Norwalk

In 2023, Bell told Patch Stew Leonard's receives quite a bit of interest from property developers and shopping centers in Connecticut about the possibility of opening another one of their "farm fresh food" stores.

At that time, Bell said the family was not actively looking for a new site to build a fourth Connecticut store but remained open to the idea.

"If the right opportunity presented itself, bearing in mind things like a great location, population around the site and even parking," Bell said, "I'm sure they'd consider it."

Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling told Patch in 2023 that Stew Leonard's has been a staple in the city since opening its flagship store there over 50 years ago and has become an integral part of the Norwalk community.

"More than just a grocery store...the company's family-friendly, customer-first business model fits in so well with the city of Norwalk because we are a community that looks out for one another and values kindness and compassion," Rilling said in a statement sent to Patch in October 2023. "Stew Leonard's grocery store has also created employment for thousands of Norwalk residents since it opened, allowing families to live and work in the community they love, a vision we strive for in the city of Norwalk. Any community would be fortunate to have a Stew Leonard's in their town."