Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

October 12, 2021

Downtown dining, shopping celebrated at New Haven event

Photo | Liese Klein Lauren Zucker of Yale University Properties speaks at an event to promote downtown New Haven shopping and dining.
By Liese Klein

Most downtown New Haven businesses have survived the pandemic so far. Now is the time to help them to thrive. 

That was the message of city officials on Tuesday announcing efforts to bring more diners and shoppers downtown. 

Outlining a slate of promotional events through the holidays, Lauren Zucker of Yale University Properties said, "We’re really doing this to support and continue to support our downtown merchants. We have been working really closely with all of our merchants throughout this pandemic to initially really help them survive, and we would love to move on to helping them thrive."

The College Street Promenade, a pedestrian-only outdoor eating area, was the site of the gathering. Many of the restaurants along College are participating in the city’s Restaurant Week, which was extended to two weeks this year and ends on Oct. 16.

The 22 restaurants participating this year offer prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus, with a portion of the proceeds dedicated to Connecticut Foodshare. 

“Sidewalk Saturdays,” a shopping promotion that debuted last year, returned on Oct. 9 and is due for another round on Oct. 16 from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Dozens of stores and vendors will present their wares outdoors. Parking is free at the 56 Broadway and 255 Crown St. lots with a same-day purchase of $25 or more from Shops at Yale retailers. 

At the event on Tuesday, New Haven Economic Development Administrator Mike Piscitelli said that the city's businesses are starting to recover from the worst of the pandemic, with employment numbers improving and nearly 1,000 building permits issued this year, with another 650 set for spring. 

"We're starting to see the progress really take hold," Piscitelli said. 

The expansion of outdoor dining citywide has helped sustain the downtown restaurants which make up many of the Town Green District's 800 businesses, Executive Director Win Davis said. "Cafe culture is what our district is really trying to promote here," Davis said. 

Contact Liese Klein at lklein@newhavenbiz.com.

Sign up for Enews

Most Recent

Most Recent

0 Comments

Order a PDF