Governor Jodi Rell Gives Honor To Thames River Wine & Spirits

NL Wine, Cheese Shops Honored With State Main Street Award

By Michelle Mileham, Special To The Day
Published on 6/20/2006 in Business » Business Local


New London — Thames River Wine and Spirits and Brie and Bleu, both located on Bank Street, were honored Monday night by Connecticut Main Street Center, a nonprofit organization that helps communities revitalize their downtowns.

At the organization's 10th annual meeting at the Crocker House, the two local businesses, both owned by Charlotte Hennegan and Fred Argilagos, received the award for Adaptive Re-use of a Building. Wine and Spirits and Brie and Bleu took over the building they occupy in 2004. It houses a two-story granite basement that has been turned into an upscale wine cellar. It was described by Penny Parsekian, executive director of New London Main Street, as having “a Tuscan atmosphere.”

“They (Hennegan and Argilagos) gave that location and that building a rebirth,” said John Simone, president and chief executive officer of Connecticut Main Street. “Wine and Spirits and Brie and Bleu helped downtown New London become great again.”
Before the meeting, Hennegan said she couldn't take all the credit for the revitalization of the building.
“It is thanks to the people who owned the building hundreds of years before us who didn't ruin such a great building,” Hennegan said. “I am very thankful for getting this award, which is a first for us.”
New London also received two awards Monday night, for Volunteer Recruitment Effort and Public Relations and Organizational Communications.

New London's Main Street Center is one of 35 such groups in Connecticut participating in the Main Street project. Connecticut Main Street is part of the National Main Street project, which encourages the preservation of historic districts across America and restoring prosperity to downtowns and neighborhood businesses.