UPDATE Please give to our GoFundMe campaign if you want to help us fight these lawsuits. "Chipping in" when signing the petition only helps get the word out (and thanks to those who have). 

This is a battle for the soul of our community.

Three years ago, nearly 600 members of our community came together - donating generously - to save a beloved neighborhood institution from demolition. We succeeded. The Old Mill Grocery & Deli – a cornerstone of Westport life since 1919 – as a welcoming hub where neighbors gather, friendships flourish, and the aroma of good food mixes with generations of shared memories.

But now, a small and well-funded group of opponents wants to erase that victory. They have filed three separate legal actions which risk destroying everything we’ve worked for – our historic preservation, our inclusive community vision, and the very existence of OMG&D.

Additionally, they have called for a Remonstrance hearing before the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection’s Liquor Control Board challenging their issuance of the liquor license which enables the Romanacci team to offer beer and wine as yet another beverage option to their customers.  

These legal actions attack not only the store and its operators, but also the Town of Westport, the Soundview Empowerment Alliance (SEA), and the heart of our community itself. They aim to overturn decisions made by our Planning & Zoning Commission, deny the community-supported right to serve beer and wine, and strip away the neighborhood-friendly outdoor seating that has existed for generations.

It’s an assault on memory, accessibility, and belonging. And it’s bleeding our nonprofit dry.

 

 

 

 

We cannot stand by while a handful of individuals attempt to dismantle something cherished by many thousands. This isn’t just about defending a deli - and one that has been here long before any of us were alive or living here – it’s about protecting our values: inclusion, historic preservation, and economic opportunity for all. 

These negative actions are hindering SEA from making substantive gains toward its secondary goals of providing job training for people with disabilities – a mission at the very core of SEA, the nonprofit stewarding this project. These efforts, grounded in community trust and social advocacy, are being stalled and undermined by costly and time consuming litigation.    

JOIN US AND DEMAND:

• An end to these lawsuits.
• Protection for community-backed zoning amendments.
• Support for SEA’s mission and the Romanacci team’s right to operate in peace.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
 

SIGN this petition to show overwhelming public support for OMG&D.

DONATE to help SEA cover mounting legal costs: HELP FUND THE FIGHT

CONTACT your Westport RTM representatives and urge them to stand firm.

SHARE this petition widely to rally support from every corner of our town and beyond.

 

 

 

 

The soul of Westport lives in places like the Old Mill Grocery & Deli. If we let this community gathering place fall due to the extraordinary pressures levied by a few, the many lose something far greater than a store – we lose our shared story.

Stand with us. Speak out. Preserve what matters.

#SaveOMGD #PreserveHistoryServeGood #WestportStrong