Sandy Hook Center Neighbors Will Co-Host ‘Holiday Gathering’

By John Voket

New faces will be welcoming holiday gift buyers, hungry guests and craft lovers to familiar places in Sandy Hook center this weekend when the new Wishing Well boutique and Mocha Coffee House co-host “A Holiday Gathering.” The event, which is the third such activity organized by craft show planner and folk artist Stacey Olszewski, kicks off Thursday, November 15, and extends through Sunday, November 19.

While guests peruse the vast selection of crafts, healthy foods, snacks, home goods and fashions at Tamara Doherty’s Wishing Well at 5-A Glen Road, visitors can sip select hot teas and gourmet coffees, enjoy a baked treat and check out live local music with new owners Scott Wolfman and Rob Kaiser at Mocha.

The collaboration amongst these new Sandy Hook tenants, who all recently occupied existing business locations, is being viewed as another way to bring increased traffic to the local commercial center which in recent years has enjoyed an aesthetic streetscape makeover along with improvements at a parkway extending southward along the Pootatuck River.

More than 30 areas artisans and products including Ms Olszewski’s own Old Green Road line of collectibles will be featured at Wishing Well, and according to Ms Doherty, any item that can be packaged appropriately can be incorporated into a custom gift basket to take away or ship anywhere in the world in time for holiday arrival. She recently relocated to the commercial space, a converted residence just north of the Glen and Church Hill Roads intersection, after her five-year-old Internet gift basket business, WellBaskets.com, “…outgrew two houses.”

In the course of her move she decided to partner with Ms Olszewski whose network of hundreds of crafters and artisans, many from Newtown and the region, was looking for a place to display their creations. The partnership has already yielded a trendy cozy environment with treasures dotting virtually every surface and square inch of wall space.

The creative integration of healthy and wellness-infusing snacks, natural and organic food items mix nicely with the many knick-knacks, woven home goods, fashions, and one-of-a-kind wares in the front rooms of Wishing Well, while the rear production area is reserved for creating the many “well baskets” that wing their way to local and far-flung destinations as either personal gifts or corporate premiums.

Store employee Danielle Fredricks not only creates some of the baskets, but her woven fleece ponchos are becoming “the standard uniform” of many of the shop’s staff and regulars, Ms Olszewski said.

“We also have hand loomed shawls and purses by Cheri Fickett and Clare Yacashin,” she said of the Newtown crafters whose creations share the space. “We also feature Pat Beardsley’s hand crocheted rugs made from recycled bed sheets, Pat Martin’s Father Christmas soft sculptures, Cris Fadus’ Button Bracelets and Emelia’s Special Sauces, Joy Knapp’s Mystical Elves and Santas, Sandy Ferris’ Holiday Snowmen, and Santa’s Great Holiday Gifts.”

Kathy Murdy, Chris Raissis and Teresa Hicks all contribute their decorative folk art, along with Newtown High School student Emily Snyder’s reversible purses, and Nancy Belanger’s knitted felted handbags. Additional merchandise available at the show will include hand-hooked rugs, quilling, Santas, snowmen, elves and dolls, American Girl doll fashions, ornaments, dried florals, fraktur, pottery, and handmade cards.

While visitors mill about Wishing Well, Mocha will offer refreshments, free wi-fi access, an art exhibit by local artist Pat Cordelli, and live music Thursday through Saturday evenings. Wishing Well employee Kevin King joins Mocha staffers Garrett Uhde and Aaron Cesnick for a night of high-spirited rock Thursday, while Sandy Hook native JD Hill steps into the spotlight to share his impassioned brand of classic/indie rock vocals and funky guitar Friday evening.

Newtown Bee associate editor and musician John Voket teams up with Brendan Walsh for a lively night of acoustic jam music Saturday beginning at 7:30 pm. Visitors to Mocha are even invited to purchase coffees, teas and pre-packaged treats to bring to Wishing Well for inclusion into gift basket purchases.

Mr Kaiser and Mr Wolfman said their recent acquisition of the quaint coffee house was the realization of a shared business venture the pair had been discussing for years. While they are committed to keeping the best of what has already been established at the location, greatly expanded seating including a wrap-around deck, new teas and coffees, and a soon-to-be introduced selection of soups and paninis will round out their offerings.

“In the few short months we’ve been here, we’ve hosted live theater, book discussions, jam sessions, political meet-and-greets, new mother’s support groups, and all sorts of great music,” Mr Wolfman said.

“It’s a great space for music and small groups, but ultimately, we’re in the coffee business,” Mr Kaiser added. “So as we were taking over, our first mission was to travel the region and learn about bringing in the best new selections of coffee and teas.”

The shop currently features Simpson & Vail teas and a wide variety of seasonal and stock coffee, lattes, and other hot and cold beverages.

“It’s not home, and it’s not work,” Mr Kaiser said. “We’re trying to make this a wonderful third space people can get a coffee and take a few minutes to sit and enjoy themselves.”