No More Coffee for Commute from Cannondale

The abrupt closing of Café au Lait, the coffeeshop at the Cannondale train station, remains something of a mystery.

The small coffee and espresso vendor, which was open only during peak train hours, seemed to vanish very mysteriously. Everyone, from neighbors such as the Wilton Sports Shop to town officials like the town clerk and planning and zoning board, seems to have no idea why.

What does that mean in light of the revitalization ideas buzzing around town for a coffeeshop at the Wilton train station?

The business, which leased space at the train station at 22 Cannon Rd., held a permit in the name of Thomas Hill. Mr. Hill's last known address in town was on Seeley Road, and the phone at that address has been disconnected.

Town Assessor David Lisowski didn't know the reason the shop closed but he received a letter from Hill on Dec. 18 of last year stating that the business was closed. A business must notify the town when it closes so that they don't continue to accrue taxes.

"But they never tell us why they are closing, " said Lisowski.

The assessor suspected the issue might not be business-related since it appeared that Hill had left town around the same time that the café closed its doors.

When asked what he thought of a coffeeshop opening at the Wilton train station, he said, "Gee whiz, I don't know why they wouldn't be successful. If I was taking the train, I'd want to get my coffee everyday."

Stephanie Barksdsale, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, has insight into what Wilton shoppers want and why.

She didn't know that the café had closed and was surprised to hear the news. She noted that the shop didn't have running water for a long time, which had been a big issue for a foodservice establishment, but that they had obtained water last year - so she assumed things were looking up rather than down for coffee drinkers that commute from Cannondale.

She mentioned that the shop was accessed only by people that rode the train, as few others visit the out-of-the-way train depot. Barksdale also mentioned that the peak time for New York City commuters at the station is around 5:20 a.m. - just in time to catch the only non-stop a.m. train into the city from that station (and too early for many other passers-by to visit the store).

When asked if she believed a coffeeshop at the Wilton train station would be a savvy decision for some entrepreneur, she said that the situation could be similar, that few non-commuters visit the station and, therefore, the shop might be wholly dependent on that business. She also noted that such an establishment might lose business to the center of town, but that if their products were unique, they might pull in additional customers to make up for it.

"It's likely that the morning commuters have a set routine. You'd have to get them to change those habits," she said.