** MEDIA AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITY**

Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling to Issue Proclamation in Honor of
Stew Leonard, Sr.’s 90th Birthday

Birthday Celebration with Members of the Leonard Family, Stew Leonard’s Team Members, Customers, and Brien McMahon High School Choir

WHAT:
Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling will issue a proclamation in honor of Norwalk native Stew Leonard, Sr.’s 90th birthday on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. at Stew Leonard’s in Norwalk.

Stew Leonard, Sr. will be on hand with his wife of 67 years, Marianne, as well as Stew Leonard, Jr. and members of the Leonard family as well as Wow the Cow, longtime Stew Leonard’s Team Members, and customers. The Brien McMahon High School choir will sing “Happy Birthday” and cake will be served to all.

Immediately following the proclamation and birthday celebration, media and customers are invited to stay for the Norwalk store’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting celebration, which will begin at 5:30 p.m. Santa will spend the evening mingling with the children and handing out candy canes.

WHO:
Stew Leonard, Sr. was born on December 1, 1929 in Norwalk, Connecticut. A graduate of Norwalk High School and the University of Connecticut’s School of Agriculture, Stew got his start in his family’s dairy business at Clover Farms Dairy in Norwalk. The eponymous dairy store he opened in 1969 grew into not only the “World’s Largest Dairy store” according to Ripley’s Believe It or Not, but also earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the highest dollar sales per square foot of selling space. The company has also received worldwide acclaim for excellence in customer service and quality and is featured in two of management expert Tom Peter’s books: A Passion for Excellence and Thriving on Chaos. Today, Stew Leonard’s is run by Stew’s son, Stew Leonard, Jr. and has grown to become a $500 million business, with seven grocery store locations. It has been named as one of FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for ten years in a row.

ABOUT STEW LEONARD’S:
Stew Leonard’s opened its doors in Norwalk, Conn. on November 30, 1969, as a 17,000-square-foot dairy store carrying just eight items: milk, ice cream, cream, butter, eggs, orange juice, bread, and fruit punch. Today, Stew Leonard’s seven locations carry 2,200 items, chosen specifically for their freshness, quality and value. Over the past five decades, the farm fresh food grocer has sold more than 60 million bagels, 40 million sticks of butter, 30 million gallons of milk, 25 million cartons of eggs and 10 million pounds of filet mignon.

WHEN:
Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 2019 at 4:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Stew Leonard’s Norwalk store under the red and white striped tent
100 Westport Avenue, Norwalk, Conn.
Store Phone: (203) 847-7213

MEDIA CONTACT:
Meghan Bell, Stew Leonard’s
203.750.6107 or [email protected]

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