Preserving History
The Heart of Old Mill
​
The Old Mill Store has been at the center of Westport’s shoreline life for more than a century. Built in 1919, it began as a modest trading post serving farmers, oystermen, and travelers along the old Hillspoint Highway, then a vital coastal route connecting communities up and down Long Island Sound. Over time, it became far more than a store. It became part of Westport’s soul.
​
As the town grew, farmland turned into neighborhoods, and the shoreline shifted from working coast to summer haven, the Old Mill Store remained — year-round, steady, and familiar. It is the oldest continuously operating retail establishment in Westport and the last remaining market or food shop within a mile and a half of the beach. From its earliest days, it has welcomed local laborers, residents, and visitors seeking a cup of coffee, a snack after a swim, or a simple moment of connection by the sea.
​
“It’s a labor of love to preserve a historic property, and to ensure that future generations get to learn about and experience our community’s history, while also benefiting from the expanded mission. This is a very special, important, and impactful project. It is so important to the town of Westport, and the entire state, that projects like this get done.”
— Jen Tooker, First Selectwoman, Town of Westport
​
The store stands within walking distance of the Mill Cove and Compo-Owenoke Historic Districts, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Together, they preserve the stories of Westport’s transformation from farmland to seaside retreat. The Old Mill Store itself is one of the few surviving examples of Colonial Revival and bungalow-style architecture from the early 20th century — an era when cottages dotted the shoreline and neighbors knew one another by name.
​
Bob Weingarten, House Historian for the Westport Museum of History and Culture, describes it as “an historical asset that should be praised and receive a Connecticut State Preservation Award,” placing it alongside treasured landmarks like the Legacy Theater in Stony Creek.
​
Westport’s historic character, however, has been slipping away as century-old homes and gathering places are demolished to make room for new development. In this climate, the community’s effort to save the Old Mill Store was not just about preserving a building — it was about preserving belonging. When the threat of loss became real, hundreds of residents rallied together, donating their time and money to ensure the store’s survival. Out of that collective act of care, the Soundview Empowerment Alliance (SEA) was born.
​
A Living Landmark
​
Historic records trace the store’s lineage back to its builder, Harry F. Sherwood, who opened it in 1919. It passed from one family to another — the Giorochinos, the Youngs, and eventually Kenneth Montgomery, a beloved but famously messy shopkeeper affectionately nicknamed “Dirty Kenny.” Though the shelves weren’t always spotless, Kenny’s heart was generous. When he died in 1985, he left his estate to the Westport YMCA, a gesture that spoke to the store’s enduring spirit of community.
​
After Kenny’s passing, the store continued under new owners, including the Yiovanakos family, who renamed it Elvira’s in honor of a loved one. For decades, Elvira’s was where children caught the school bus, where workers grabbed breakfast, and where neighbors met for pizza or ice cream after a long day. Five generations have memories rooted in that small wooden building — a reminder that history isn’t only written in books, but lived in places like this.
​
Through the years, the Old Mill Store has welcomed a steady stream of famous faces — Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, Martha Stewart, Keith Richards, Donna Summer, and even F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, who stopped in while living in Westport during the writing of The Great Gatsby. Yet its true claim to fame has always been its everyday regulars: the countless families who’ve passed through its doors, building a shared story that stretches across a century.
​
Preserving History. Serving Good.
​
By the time the “for sale” sign went up in 2021, the Old Mill Store was the last of its kind — the final link to a more human-scaled Westport, where neighbors gathered, talked, and looked out for one another. The community refused to let it vanish. SEA was created to preserve this historic site in perpetuity and to carry its legacy forward through a new mission: Preserving History. Serving Good.
​
Today, the Old Mill Grocery & Deli once again serves coffee, sandwiches, and warmth to all who walk through its doors. It stands not just as a reminder of what Westport once was, but as a promise of what it can still be — a community that remembers, includes, and cares.