Brie & Bleu Tastes Success with Connecticut Main
Street Center

Charlotte Hennegan, a self-styled "fomer hippie" with a taste for opportunity and hard work is the owner of Brie & Bleu, the gourmet cheese market and bistro located on the waterfront in New London's historic downtown district and featured in a recent CL&P TV campaign.

"My story really begins over 30 years ago with a flower shop," says Ms. Hennegan. "I started with the Thames River Greenery in downtown New London and it all grew from there." After teaching herself floral arranging, Ms. Hennegan realized that people buying flowers often accompanied them with a bottle wine or gift of cheese, which led her to open Thames River Wine & Spirits and Brie & Bleu.

When the Connecticut Main Street Center came to New London, Ms. Hennegan and other New London business owners saw an opportunity for getting assistance with their downtown beautification plans, initially funding the Center with higher taxes specifically set aside for the Center's efforts toward obtaining downtown revitalization grants. "Main Street Center has been very effective for us," comments Ms. Hennegan. As a result of her hard work, vision, and investment in renovating the building which houses her wine and cheese shops, Ms. Hennegan received Connecticut's Main Street award for best re-use of a historic building.

"With help from CL&P, New London's Main Street program has been instrumental in the development of new businesses such as Brie & Bleu," states Ms. Hennegan. "The Main Street Center has really been a shoulder for me to lean on and I am truly appreciative."