Preview: What’s In Store for 600 East Putnam Ave at Mike’s Organic in Cos Cob

This week Mike’s Organic kicked off a daily pick up service at 600 East Putnam Ave in Cos Cob.

This summer, owner, Mike Geller, anticipates his grand opening in the former Patio.com building.

On Tuesday, Geller shared a peak inside the building, which has recently been gutted down to its rafters.

Sharing his plans, Geller said, for starters, the vast paved parking lot will be planted with 40-50 trees. In addition, off to the side where there are mostly weeds today, there are plans for an orchard.

In the front of the store, in what Geller described as an activation space, there will be everything from a doughnut machine with hot fresh doughnut, apple cider and hot chocolate; to lobstermen visiting from Maine with super fresh lobster rolls.

Geller plans to have picnic tables and umbrellas for customers to sit and eat outside, as well as a walk-in garden, with everything labeled for people to learn about the flowers, perennials and vegetables.

There will also be an area for private events in the evening.

“If you want to have 50 people come, we’ll do the catering ourselves,” Geller said. “We have our liquor and catering license. We can pour beer or wine, or what have you.”

“And, like we’ve always done at Mike’s Organic in Stamford, you do your event, your friends come and eat delicious food, and then we open up the store for an hour with a private VIP shopping event for you and your guests with 10% off, so they can shop privately in the store among friends.”

Geller also envisions organizing his own, larger Mike’s Organic’s events, including a pig roast for Octoberfest and a 4th of July cookout.

Geller said he does not envision competing with the Greenwich Farmer’s Market, but rather offer an additional way to support local farmers.

“We have lots of really cool partnerships and local brands will come her to do pop-ups and demonstrations,” he added.

The front of the building and sides will all be bumped out, for a total just over 4,000 sq ft.

Geller said plans are on schedule, and gutting of the building went smoothly with no surprises.

“We hope to open later in the summer,” Geller said. “It depends on how the process goes with the town – ARC and P&Z.”

He said he hopes the plans are well received. “We’re beautifying a space that has been an eyesore.”

In future, Geller’s Stamford retail market on Fairfield Ave will close and instead be used for fulfilling home deliveries.

The retail operation will move to Cos Cob at 600 East Putnam Ave.

“And we just purchased a commercial kitchen in Research Park in Stamford,” he added. “We’ll be making all prepared foods for the retail and delivery components of the business there. You need to be able to come here and get a salad or a wrap that you can sit outside and eat at a picnic table, or get a lasagna delivered to your house to eat that night.”

“And we have all those products – local, farm fresh, organic, grass fed – all the things people want. And we’re working directly with the people who grow, raise, catch and make them, so it gives us a chance to make a really good quality prepared food to make life a little more convenient and delicious.”

In the meantime, Geller offers same-day pickup on weekdays from 2:00-6:00pm at 600 East Putnam Ave. Visit mikesorganic.com and place an order by 11:00am.

See also:

Phase One of Mike’s Organic: Same-Day Pickup in Cos Cob