Popular Greenwich Pastry Shop Moves To New, Not Very Far Location

GREENWICH, CT — Anyone hoping to find DiMare Pastry Shop's new location won't have to look very hard. The town favorite has been in business in Greenwich for 43 years, and had been located at 1245 E. Putnam Avenue for over four decades.

It has since moved to a smaller spot behind the original location at 1243 E. Putnam Avenue. According to Maria DiMare, who co-owns the shop and their larger Stamford location with her sister, Sabrina, the new shop was previously their kitchen.

Looking to downsize, the owners decided to split the space in half and redo the kitchen to be their new store. DiMare said the front is going to become a Jersey Mike's Subs shop.

A grand opening celebration is scheduled to take place Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the new shop.

"We wanted to downsize and do less work, because we have a big store in Stamford where we bake everything," DiMare said. "It was economical, because it's a lot less money and rent. We could do everything out of one store and just drop it off there."

The Greenwich shop still has a chef who makes all the pastries there, but cakes and everything else are now made at the Stamford shop and brought over to Greenwich.

DiMare said they also wanted to "slow down a little bit," as a smaller space would enable her and her sister to take some more time off and spend it with their family.

"We've been [in town] for 43 years, so we didn't want to lose all our Greenwich clientele. We're like a staple in the community, so we didn't want to lose that part of it." DiMare said. "We're family-owned and operated; the customers are people we know and have become friends. You see them on a regular basis, and you know them by their first name."

The new location comes with some big advantages. For one, everything is brand new, including the employees' uniforms. According to DiMare, the new space gives off a "fresh" feeling, and customers have responded enthusiastically to the update.

"Our loyal customers get us and are just happy we're there," DiMare said. "There's not much complaining going on."

The only real challenge the owners have faced since "moving" is needing to re-educate customers on ordering items ahead of time.

"There's a learning curve, because not everything is made [in Greenwich]," DiMare said. "Before, customers would call right away and we could whip something up, so now we want to train them to try and give us 24 hours notice."

DiMare also emphasized that the Greenwich store still has a great selection. With so much to choose from, it can be a challenge for an unfamiliar customer to decide on what they want.

"I always tell customers I recommend what they like, because everyone has such different taste," DiMare said. "Our number-one seller is strawberry shortcake, but I don't like strawberry shortcake. So I always say you should get something you like. If you like chocolate, I would try a chocolate fudge cupcake. Cannolis are always a good thing for someone to try. They're made fresh there, and they fill them as they need."

Still, the long success of DiMare Pastry Shop is dependent not just on its great selection and products, but also on its loyal fans, who still show up every week clamoring for their favorite local baked goods.

"I just want to thank our clients for being loyal and supporting us through the years, and especially now with the move," DiMare said. "We all greatly appreciate it."