SIMSBURY, Conn. — Two Simsbury moms are getting ready to make their life-long dreams a reality. They are launching neighboring businesses built around their unique passions.
Stephanie Civitillo is bringing her love for Cajun food and culture to life.
“Everything here has a story,” said Stephanie Civitillo, owner of Roux. “The pictures, the blue color, the building itself.”
Right now, the mom of four is transforming this one-time general store in Simsbury into a restaurant and retail space celebrating her southern roots.
“Now, there is a lot of fear and anxiety,” said Civitillo. “I’m hoping this place will be a place of peace for people.”
It’s not the only construction underway at Fidler's Green. Right around the corner is Civitillo's friend, Amy Sheehan. She's getting ready to open up the Coffee Spot.
“I am just excited about having the community,” said Amy Sheehan, owner of The Coffee Spot. “Having people I know, just come in, and enjoy the space.”
Like Civitillo, Sheehan is taping into the building’s charm hoping to offer something for everyone - and you’ll likely find her family helping out too.
“The is a reading room behind me,” said Sheehan. “That has a free library, So people can take a book, leave a book, we have a dining room where people can set up their laptops, and work if they want to, and we have a back porch area where a local artist is painting a mural, so it will feel like you were on your back porch.”
The women are leaving decades in banking and insurance behind and are sharing advice for others looking to get their dreams off the ground.
“Make sure you have the right people around you,” said Civitillo. “They can help you see the vision and help you Be honest about where the pitfalls are.”
“Pick a spot, do it, there is never really a good time,” said Sheehan. “If you wait until Covid is over, or wait until something is perfect, you are never going to have the opportunity.”
Roux is looking to get grab and go food off the ground in a couple of weeks, and both businesses hope to be open for indoor dining this spring.
If you’d like to learn more, about some of the special offerings that Roux will be offering, you can visit their website or follow them on social media at Instagram or on Facebook.
And, if you’d like to learn more about The Coffee Spot you can visit their website or follow them on social media at Instagram and Facebook.