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The Barn, a drive-through grocery store has opened at 1110 E. Main St. — just off Exit 9 from I-95 — and owner Aegina Angeliades is hoping it will be as successful as it has been on Long Island. The Barn has long been a favorite of Long Island moms, Angeliades said. It makes it easier for mothers to pick up a few groceries instead of having to take the kids out of the car to go into a grocery store for a gallon of milk, she said.
"It is about 80 percent females, moms especially," she said. "Just because of the convenience. So moms love us for that."
It was known as The Dairy Barn but Angeliades dropped "Dairy" from the name after she took it over about four years ago. At the time, there were 33 locations. The company currently has 25 locations on Long Island.
The location has two drive-through lanes. A motorist stops at a sliding door that opens for the clerk to take the order. Cash, credit and debit cards are accepted.
"Nobody really gets out. The whole idea is for it to be a drive through," she said.
Other than the staples of milk, eggs, bread and juice, coffee has become a big seller.
"The morning coffee has become a big hit on Long Island," she said. The Dairy Barn didn't focus on coffee, and Angeliades said that was one of the first things she moved aggressively to have in The Barn in Stamford. After tasting various brands they settled on Chock full O'Nuts Upper West Side coffee, she said.
Stamford is the first location outside of Long Island. The idea came from a consultant to the company who is from Stamford, Angeliades said. About four years ago, the consultant told them the building was for sale about and Angeliades said they bought it soon after.
However, she said it took a few years to get zoning issues, especially about the twin drive-throughs, resolved before they could get the certificate of occupancy and open last week.
The location is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Once the weather improves, it will stay open to 11 p.m. It may stay open 24 hours but she hasn't made a final decision on that and said that will be driven by customer demand.
Angeliades said if they are open to expanding throughout the area but want to see how the Stamford location does.
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