Togs employee Lisa Metzger poked her head out of the shop Monday afternoon. She asked a crowd gathered near the Elm Street store, "The wrestling lady's around, right?" Close. But the proper term now is "Senate campaign lady." Republican hopeful Linda McMahon took a tour through businesses around the Village Center, talking to local business owners about issues affecting them.
Most of the conversations were turned toward topics outside of the Senate's purview, however. For example, McMahon chatted about her grandchildren with Denise Buckenheimer, a fellow parent. And yes, she chatted with Metzger about her former gig at World Wrestling Entertainment, specifically the recent show in Bridgeport that Metzger's son attended.
At Baskin-Robbins, McMahon was surprised to learn from owner Anna Kirolikowski that the Main Street location was the most-visited on the East Coast. McMahon guessed that was because of the shop's unique decorating scheme. "It feels like an old general store."
Still, the candidate couldn't resist getting a few digs in here or there. Handwright Gallery and Framing owner Michael Devlin mentioned in a conversation about the local Chamber of Commerce that he didn't join years ago because "Nobody thought outside the box." McMahon quipped, "That has a familiar ring."
Jodi Latina, new media coordinator for the McMahon team, said the purpose of Monday's stroll was to find out what issues are affecting local business owners. The answer for many was simple, but a solution will be complicated: fix the economy. Family Britches manager Mark Gust said, "The last 24 months have been really difficult." He said that while rents keep going up, business has been inconsistent. "[The problem] is primarily the economy," he added. "I'm sick of what the government is doing."
McMahon seemed impressed with the number of locally-owned businesses in New Canaan. When talking with Milestones owner and Chamber of Commerce board member Daniel Milhern, she marveled at the area's tight-knit feel. "That's what makes successful towns," she said. "Successful towns really have that sense of community."
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