This building has plenty of stories to tell, which fits in perfectly with this year’s all-school theme: The Power of Storytelling. A new story that emerged on Friday, November 22, aligns perfectly with the mission of Loomis Chaffee: a commitment to the best self and the common good. 

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for Win-Some Finds Thrift Shop, located at 208 Broad Street in Windsor center, took place on Friday morning. The store officially opens November 30. Both the thrift store and the Blue Dragonfly Gift Shop in town are part of Family Partnerships of Connecticut, an agency that assists individuals with special needs. The gift shop donates part of its profits to local charities. Like the gift shop, the thrift store will employ people with special needs and donate part of its profits. 

“This means so much, to be able to provide more employment for our individuals,” said Susan Miller, who established Family Partnerships of Connecticut in 2001. “And I think Windsor is on the verge of revitalizing its downtown, and we want to be a part of it.” 

Ms. Miller was one of many people gathered for the ribbon-cutting, complete with cake and coffee and a plaque with a proclamation signed by Windsor Mayor Nuchette Black-Burke.   

Diane Bernier will manage the thrift store. She had been looking for a space in town and talked with Economic Development Director Patrick McMahon. He told her about the space and mentioned that Ms. Miller had been thinking about a thrift shop, too. “It’s a match made in heaven,” Ms. Bernier said.

 

“It’s a thrift shop but it is a store with a purpose,” Ms. Bernier continued. “And Loomis did a fantastic job making this space so beautiful. We are thrilled.”      

The building, known as the Colonel James Loomis House, holds significance for Loomis Chaffee. The Windsor landmark, a Federal-style house on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1820 for Col. James Loomis, according to the Windsor Historical Society. Col. Loomis owned a general store in the town. The children of Col. Loomis and his wife, Abigail, became the Founders of Loomis Chaffee. 

The house, notes the historical society, passed from the Loomis family to the Andrus family in 1878. Elliott Andrus was the town blacksmith. In 1970 the Andrus family sold the building to what was then known as Connecticut Bank and Trust and eventually became Bank of America. In 2017, the building came up for auction by Bank of America, and Loomis Chaffee purchased a piece of its history. 

The goal, said Loomis Chief Financial Officer Rich Esposito, was to find a business that would “add to the vibrancy of the downtown and help the community” as well as one that “aligns with the values of the town and the school.” Rich, who serves as treasurer of the First Town Downtown Organization of Windsor, indicated that the thrift store fits those criteria well.  

Loomis will lease the first floor of the building to the thrift shop and retain the second floor for internal use. “The town of Windsor, the Economic Development department, and the Chamber of Commerce have been great partners during the process. So, too, has the Loomis Chaffee Physical Plant, which worked on the first floor to get it ready for the new business,” Rich said.  

“This also is a sustainable business,” Rich said, noting that otherwise previously owned clothes might be thrown out. “We think it is a great pairing. We have always emphasized [when searching for a business] that this is to help the town and that we’re part of the community.” 

As he looked about the room on Friday, with potential workers from Family Partnerships of Connecticut involved in the opening ceremonies, he said, “You can see what this is all about.” 

Local business people and officials also attended and shared their optimism. Andrew Surprise, the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, described the Win-Some Finds Thrift Shop as another step in revitalizing downtown. Town Manager Peter Souza said it is “fantastic to see this historic building reactivated.” Said Mr. McMahon, “Thank you to Loomis Chaffee for seeing the vision of Windsor center and trying to advance it.” All three talked about the opportunities it would give people with special needs. 

Loomis and Windsor High School students are expected to get opportunities, too. Ms. Bernier said she has been in touch with Heather Henderson, the Loomis Chaffee director of community engagement, about students volunteering.  

Ms. Bernier also has been in contact with Loomis Chaffee archivist and teacher Karen Parsons about artwork for walls of the shop. After the holidays, Ms. Bernier said, she plans to have pictures of James and Abigail Loomis and their children in the store.  

No doubt the Loomis family would be pleased with the newest incarnation of the house where they once lived.