Alpen Pantry Goes Under New Ownership, Closes For Renovation

GREENWICH, CT — Gary Kelley has owned Alpen Pantry, the go-to sandwich spot at 23 Arcadia Road in Old Greenwich, for 40 years. But now it's time for retirement.

He recently sold the business to husband and wife team, Drew Nemetz and Frannie Willsey. The duo announced this week that Alpen will close for renovations and reopen in early November. Although there's new ownership, the same great taste residents have come to love will stay the same, they said.

The opportunity to purchase the business came about six months ago, but the sale became official on Oct. 1, according to Willsey.

"We heard through a friend that Gary was thinking of selling the business. It was a little bit of word of mouth, and we just jumped on it. We went right in and said, 'We're your buyer.'"

Alpen Pantry holds a special place in the hearts of Nemetz and Willsey. Nemetz grew up in Old Greenwich, and frequented the spot for sandwiches as a kid. He even brought Willsey there on their second date about 10 years ago to grab sandwiches before going to Tod's Point.

"It's such a staple," Willsey said. "It's a flavor of home. People so often say, 'Oh, my friend is home from college, she has to go straight to Alpen to get a sandwich.' It was the first meal I had after I gave birth to my twin babies."

Favorite menu items include the Stilton sandwich: ham, swiss, turkey breast, lettuce, tomato, and tasty blue cheese dressing served on Russian black bread; the Gobbler: turkey breast, lettuce, tomato and unique Russian dressing on black bread or a hard roll; or the Rondele: turkey breast with garlic and herb cheese served on black bread with lettuce.

But Willsey said all of the sandwiches are "winners."

"The quality of the meats and cheeses is really just top notch.These are recipes that have been around, and it's the same menu that they've had for the last 40 years. These are really time-tested recipes, unique combinations, and some unusual sandwiches you won't find anywhere else," Willsey said.

Because of that, the new ownership will be keeping the menu exactly the same.

"We want people to know that they have nothing to fear. Everything is going to be the same on the menu," Willsey said. "It's going to taste the same, and we're going to have the same employees that have been there for over 15 years. They're really the pros. It's going to be new-look, same great taste, just updated."

Renovations will include brightening up the space, improving the aesthetics, and bringing in new furnishings.

Nemetz and Willsey hope to introduce weekly specials in the future, and increase the catering side of the business. Nemetz has several years of experience in the restaurant industry, most notably at Eleven Madison Park, Roberta's in Brooklyn, and nearby Bartaco. More recently, Nemetz worked in management for Happy Cooking Hospitality in New York City.

Kelley, now the former owner, was born and raised in Old Greenwich. He said he's going to miss meeting and interacting with the people who have come into his store for four decades.

"I've seen generations of people come in. My friends I went to school with, they've grown and had kids, and their kids have moved into Old Greenwich and they have kids. It's generations and generations. I'm going to miss them very much," Kelley said.

Kelley took pride in the Alpen Pantry menu, which has about 19 gourmet sandwich options featuring a wide variety of imported cheese, Schalle & Weber meats, and other gourmet foods.

"We're better than everyone. Our food is the best. We have no additives, no preservatives, and no hormones in our meats. Our bread choices are fantastic. Our black bread is amazing. I just think that we are a real sandwich shop, which there aren't many of. I think we're special and unique," Kelley added.

But what he'll miss the most is his staff.

"They're like family. We take care of each other. I'm going to miss them most of all out of everything. That's going to be the hardest thing," he said.

Kelley noted that he's looking forward to seeing the new-look Alpen Pantry reopen next month.

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