by Thomas Breen
Inside East Rock’s Atticus Market. Something similar coming soon to Westville?
Atticus plans on opening a new market in the former Manjares spot in Westville, with the goal of creating a food business that is specifically tailored to the neighborhood — and that has a potential focus on pizza and ice cream.
Atticus President and CEO Charlie Negaro, Jr. and Westville developer-landlord Thea Buxbaum confirmed that news in an interview with the Independent on Monday afternoon.
They said that they signed a lease on Monday morning for Atticus to build out a new market in the roughly 2,600 square feet of first-floor retail space that the Latin American cafe Manjares used to occupy at 382 West Rock Ave., aka 838 Whalley Ave.
Negaro said he hopes to open the new store within the next six months, ideally by April 2027.
Negaro and Buxbaum said that they plan on hosting “listening sessions” to solicit input from Westville neighbors as to what exactly they want to see at this new Westville Atticus, which will be a “rendition” of the business’s existing market in East Rock. That’s where Atticus sells sandwiches and salads and bread and plenty of other prepared food and fresh produce — and a few books — at 771 Orange St., a storefront that used to be home to Romeo and Cesare’s Italian grocery store.
Negaro said that, “ideally,” this Westville Atticus will focus on pizza — a staple of their East Rock business — and ice cream, which Atticus has not yet branched out into, in part so as not to step on the toes of another much-loved East Rock eatery, Elena’s on Orange.
Will the new Westville Atticus sell books, too? “There’s always a book element in everything we do,” Negaro said.
Atticus has operated a bookstore-cafe on Chapel Street for five decades. It opened its East Rock market in 2021. This new Westville venture will mark its third location in the city.
While what exactly this new Atticus will sell is still TBD, Negaro and Buxbaum were clear on what it will not sell: No alcohol, no lotto, no vapes.
It’s rare to find a business that serves up “good food,” displays “good art,” provides “healthy things that people want,” Buxbaum said. Atticus does all of that. With this new market, she said, “it is really a blessing to be able to give people [in Westville] what they’ve been asking for.”
Negaro estimated that the new business will add 25 jobs, at least. He said it shouldn’t impact the operations of the existing Orange Street and Chapel Street businesses in any way. And he said that he and his staff are excited about this next chapter of Atticus’s growth in New Haven.
Negaro and Buxbaum said they have known each other for many years. (Buxbaum, whose company ArtsLoftsWest — ArLoW — owns the property at 838 Whalley Ave., said she and her husband Gar Waterman have been eating the olive oil ciabatta made by Atticus’s sister bakery Chabaso for just about the entirety of their 30 years in this city.)
When the Independent first reported that Manjares, a beloved neighborhood anchor, would be closing following a landlord-tenant dispute over back rent, Negaro said “35 people sent me” the article. He said he immediately reached out to Buxbaum about leasing the space. (Manjares officially closed in mid-September. Click here to read about a farewell party hosted by the cafe’s owner, Ana De Los Angeles.)
Buxbaum said she got inquiries from 20-plus different businesses interested in moving into the former Manjares spot. After reviewing various applications and business plans, she settled on Atticus.
Negaro said that the newly signed lease represents a long-term commitment that Atticus has made to this new space. Buxbaum said that her standard commercial lease is for five years, and that Atticus negotiated a new number that is longer than five years.
Buxbaum said that Atticus will be making a “huge investment” in the Westville neighborhood with this new market. The Westville community “is very, very supportive” of businesses that pay attention to the needs of neighbors, and she expects Atticus to do exactly that.
“We’re just excited,” she continued. “The way that the inquiries came in” after news of Manjares’ closure came out … “Charlie was the first and most persistent,” and now Atticus will be moving in.