Thursday, February 21, 2019
www.berlincitizen.com
Volume 23, Number 1
Iconic pet supply store Labieniec’s to close By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
After 140 years in operation, Berlin’s iconic family-owned pet supply store will be closing its doors for good. “This type of business is just going away,” said John Connery, who has owned Labieniec’s with his wife, Joyce Connery, for over three years. He said they aren’t able to compete with big box stores and growing online marketplaces. Since they announced the closing, customers have streamed into the store to say goodbye or get some of their favorite items. John Connery
said they’ve passed some of their products to other local stores to make sure they remain available. Customers have been sad, but understanding, Joyce Connery said. While they focused on customer service and experimented with changing their hours and goods, the business was unable to become profitable. “You realize how many people Labieniec’s has touched,” Joyce Connery said. Housed in the same barn it opened in over a century ago, the shop sold pet food and
supplies, gardening equip-
Labieniec's owners Jon and Joyce Connery, with their son Charlie Connery, at the store. After 140 years in operation, the store will close Thursday, Feb. 28.
See Store, A13
Devin Leith-Yessian, The Citizen
Special election Tuesday to fill vacant Senate seat Both candidates running in the 6th Senate District special election are focused on the economy and are looking to bring their experience representing New Britain to the Senate, where they will also serve Berlin and Farmington. Democratic state Rep. Rick
Lopes is facing off against Republican Gennaro Bizzarro for the seat, which was left vacant when Democratic senator Terry Gerratana was appointed by Gov. Ned Lamont as an advisor in the Office of Health Strategy. The race for the 6th Senate District is one of five special elections for the General Assembly following the ap-
pointments of five legislators to positions in Lamont’s administration. The 3rd and 5th Senate seats will also be up for election on Feb. 26, along with the 39th and 99th House districts. As small business owners, both candidates say they believe the state should aim to live within its means, although they differ on the
best way of reaching that goal. Bizzarro, 43, who owns a law firm in addition to serving as New Britain’s corporation counsel, said economic development and spending cuts are a needed relief for citizens. “I’m a staunch fiscal conservative and I think I would be a voice of reason,” he said.
Bizzarro says if elected he would support the renegotiation of state employee benefit packages. “It’s the law of large numbers and if you look at our obligations in Connecticut, the bulk of it is in state employee obligations,” he said. While he would honor the commitments that have alSee Election, A11
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