Historic Greenwich Property Changes Ownership After Generations With 1 Family

GREENWICH, CT — A historic Greenwich property housing what is believed to be Connecticut's oldest continuously operating retail business - The Round Hill Store - was recently sold, marking a new chapter for the longtime local landmark.

The property at 369 Round Hill Road in Greenwich's backcountry, which features the store and a separate service station, along with a small house and barn, was sold in late August by the Strain family to Chuck Royce and family, and the Brumberg family - local residents who have taken ownership under the name "Round Hill Preservation Society."

It was not immediately clear what the sale price was.

The Round Hill Store was established in 1801, two years after the death of President George Washington, and two years before the Louisiana Purchase.

The store was originally located on the southwest corner of Round Hill and Old Mill Roads, facing east. It operated as a stagecoach stop and as a post office from 1830 to 1901, according to the Round Hill Association. The building was later moved across the street to its present location.

In 1915, William Strain purchased the store, and a service station and oil delivery business was added as cars became more popular and advanced.

The businesses and property remained in the Strain family for 111 years, most recently under the ownership and operation of five sisters, William Strain’s great-granddaughters.

The store now offers deli foods, general household provisions, and specialty gifts.

Robin Strain Vanacore has operated the store with her husband since 2003, while Sandy Strain Regan and her brother-in-law, John Wood, have taken care of the service station.

For Vanacore, the time was right to sell the property. She has been involved with the store since the age of 10, and she began working there at 16 with her sisters.

"It's time," she told Patch in a recent phone interview. "It's a lot of work, and it's tiring. There's no one else to take it over. An offer was made, and it was good timing."

Vanacore noted her family has turned down several offers for the property over the past 10 years or so.

"This opportunity arose, and the reason we were very interested in it was because of who was buying it. Chuck Royce has a reputation for buying historic properties and putting in a lot of effort and money to renovate them and bring back their historic significance," Vanacore said. "The store was built in 1801 and it's just a gem. We were thrilled that he was interested, so that's really what prompted us to move forward with it."

Notably, Royce, a financier and mutual fund manager, led the effort to restore the historic Ocean House in Watch Hill, RI. Attempts to reach him for comment on the Greenwich property were unsuccessful this past week.

Vanacore said she is under contract with Royce to continue running the store as a tenant. Wood will also continue to run the service station as the new owners decide what to do with the property.

"I want to hear from the community about what they want, what they need and what will work best for them," Royce said in an announcement from the Round Hill Association.

"It is important that we do our best to continue operations and build upon what the Strain family has stewarded for generations," Brumberg added.

The Round Hill Association, a neighborhood group founded in 1942, supports the new ownership.

"As we express our heartfelt appreciation for the generations of care and dedication that have sustained the Round Hill Store, we welcome its next chapter with great enthusiasm and excitement for what lies ahead," said Round Hill Association President Brendon DeSimone in an announcement.

Vanacore said the store building needs major renovations and cosmetic changes. She said she hopes the food service side of the business will be expanded.

"There's a lot of possibility there," Vanacore said. "I don't know what [Royce's] plans are. I know he has an architect looking at the property to see what the possibilities are. We'll be involved, I'm sure, with his ideas and suggestions. I'm sure it will turn into something fantastic."

The Round Hill Store has served as a central hub for the Round Hill community for decades.

"People just loved to come in and hang out," Vanacore said. "It used to be a place where people would gather just to share information, especially on the weekends."

One memory that stands out to Vanacore is working alongside her grandmother and serving about 30 schoolchildren who would come in to buy penny candy.

When more people owned horses, residents would ride in, hitch their horses to the store railing and come in to chat about town happenings.

"I learned a lot from my grandmother about running a business and how not to run a business," Vanacore said. "It was a great learning experience. It gave us all a very good sense of work ethic, family, and community."

The store also played a critical role in backcountry fire safety.

Vanacore's family helped start the Round Hill Volunteer Fire Company, and her father served as chief there for 16 years.

Since there was no central fire station at the time the station started operating, there was a direct line to the store for anyone in the backcountry who called in a fire.

"A red light would blink every time a fire call came in. We'd answer the phone and get the call out," Vanacore said.

As her family begins a new chapter, Vanacore described the sale of the property as "bittersweet."

"It's an heirloom to us and our family that is no longer ours. That's the bitter part," Vanacore said. "But the sweet part is that it's going to be taken care of by a very special group of people, and the community is behind it 100 percent."