Rumors of Stew Leonard and his army of robot farm animals invading Derby are so persistent Mayor Anita Dugatto issued a statement Monday to tell people it’s not true.
“Mayor Dugatto has reached out to Stew Leonard personally about the opportunity to establish a location in Derby,” her office wrote on Facebook. “She was informed that the company has no interest in adding a Derby store at this time since they are currently busy with growth in other areas.”
For months the rumor mill has been saying Stew Leonard’s, a regional chain of grocery stores, is moving to 656 New Haven Ave.
The shopping plaza lost its two anchor stores — Walmart and Adams, a grocery store — in 2016.
In July, the Valley Indy reached out to Stew Leonard’s to ask if the company was considering Derby.
“Stew Leonard’s is focused on building our sixth store in East Meadow, N.Y. but we are always on the lookout for great new locations for potential stores,” a company spokeswoman wrote in an email. “I don’t believe the 656 New Haven Ave property is on our radar at this time, but Derby is a great town and I know we have many shoppers in that area.”
In the Facebook post Monday, Dugatto’s office played down the impact Walmart’s exit had on the local tax base, though no dollar amounts were listed.
Update: the town clerk sent over the following information about Walmart: “According to the Derby Tax Collector’s Office, Wal-Mart paid $21,844.68 in Personal Property Taxes in 2016.”
“Despite its grand footprint, Walmart (as a tenant) did not pay a large amount of property taxes to the city of Derby. While every tax dollar is important, the greater value of this anchor tenant was in its capacity as an economic driver for neighboring businesses, an employer, and the convenience it afforded to area residents.”
The statement concluded by saying the city is working with leasing agents to find a tenant for the two large, vacant spaces.
While Stew’s might not be coming, the Derby Planning and Zoning Commission were scheduled Tuesday to review a plan to put a brewery in a vacant industrial space on Roosevelt Drive. So we got that going for us.
Click here to read a previous Valley Indy story on “Bad Sons Beer Company” and click here to follow the owners’ progress on Facebook.
