Keeping Monroe's Small Businesses in the Black

Shoppers often had to squeeze by each other inside GlenRo Spirit Shoppe Wednesday afternoon, while checking out its selection of wines, beer and other spirits just one day before Thanksgiving.

"Thanksgiving is the biggest wine holiday of the year," said Roy Nealon, the store manager.

Store owner Larry Cass said, "We'll probably sell 250 cases today."

"And 500 for the week," Nealon added.

Black Friday is this week followed by Small Business Saturday — sponsored by American Express — and public officials encourage shoppers to see all that Monroe has to offer.

"Times are tough and people are watching their pennies," said Teri Rotella, Monroe's part-time economic development director. "They're watching where they spend their money and we want to encourage them to spend it in Monroe."

First Selectman Steve Vavrek said there is a plethora of restaurants, pharmacies, furniture stores, gift and consignment shops throughout town. With "three downtown shopping districts" along routes 25, 111 and 34, he compared it to a giant outdoor shopping mall.

"It's all within a 10 or 15 minute drive, so why not do it here," Vavrek said of holiday shopping. "Save your gas. Support your local gas stations too."

Lee Hossler, chairman of the Monroe Economic Development Commission, said one business that is easy to overlook is the Swiss Army Store on Victoria Drive, which offers high end watches, pocket knives and other gifts.

"I think it's important to shop local whenever we can," Hossler said.

Hossler noted how local merchants support town events and sports leagues. "They're part of the society in town," he said. "They support us and we need to support them whenever we can. It goes two ways."

Rotella said, "Just in Village Square you can go to the florist and order flowers for your mother and go to a liquor store to pick up a bottle of wine on the way to Thanksgiving dinner. You can do everything you need to do right here in town."

"Between the supermarkets, the boutiques, the appliance stores the furniture places we're very fortunate," said Ray Giovanni, president of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. "You don’t have to leave Monroe to satisfy anyone’s wants — whether it be family or household."

What Goes Good with Turkey?

At GlenRo Spirit Shoppe, Cass and Nealon recommend reisling and nouveau wines for turkey dinner.

Cass held up a bottle of Hogue reisling from Washington state. "This is a little bit on the sweet side, so it goes well with candied yams, cranberry sauce and stuffing," he said.

Nealon took a bottle of Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau from a display.

"For turkey reds, you want soft reds and nouveau is famous because it's the first wine anywhere in the world for that vintage — and it's always released the day before Thanksgiving," Nealon said. "People come in here looking for it. We'll sell at least 10 cases today."

"It's fun wine and its affordable," Nealon added. "Believe it or not, turkey is the poor man's meat. People should have it with a poor man's wine."