For many students this year, Christie’s Country Store is the place to be. With a bus stop right outside, and a quick 0.8 mile walk from Bedford, students stop there all the time right after school to grab a bite and catch up with their friends.

At 161 Cross Highway, from 3:00 to 4:30 on school days, you’re bound to find middle and high schoolers from Coleytown, Bedford, and Staples, having a quick after-school snack at Westport’s oldest country store. According to Christie’s owner, John Hooper, Christie’s “We draw a very diverse group.”  He said that the store attracts all sorts of townspeople, not just the middle and high school students.

Children who go to Christie’s can also have house accounts for their family, so they don’t need to bring their own money, although many still bring some cash to pay, and some even just hang out and wait for their parents to come with payment.

Lunch is the big draw, and Christie’s most popular product is the “Christie’s Classic,” a grilled chicken with cheese, bacon, lettuce & tomato on a roll. It is one of Christie’s’ “signature sandwiches,” as its website says. The store serves both breakfast and lunch, including omelets, salads, sandwiches, and many more deli items.

Christie’s was founded by Christine Massiello in 1926 when her parents asked her to open a farm stand to sell the family’s fruits and vegetables. That vegetable stand grew into a three room market and a gas station.

“Christie’s is unique in Westport,” says 8th grade LA teacher Mr. Rexford. “I’d hate to see it go.” He remembers the “really old” ladies at the “really old” register when it first opened. “They worked really slow,” said Rexford. “I miss that about Westport.”

In 2008, a man named Bob Corroon bought the property.  He decided to remove the interiors walls to make the space much bigger. Corroon also saw that the electricity, plumbing, heating and air conditioning needed some fixing, so he made sure that all those problems were fixed.

Corroon kept the name Christie’s to remember it’s history. But, Bob was very busy, and he knew that this job needed full time attention. So, the next year, John and Renee Hooper purchased the business and turned it into the Christie’s we all know today. John used to be a co-general partner of a restaurant, so he quickly hired some chefs who helped in the restaurant itself, but also helped start up catering, which is now a big part of the store.

The most amazing thing is the name, Christie’s Country Store,  has lasted over decades, including six different owners. Christie’s is 92 years old and has kept its name since the very beginning.

Christie’s is located in the northeast corner of Westport, along with the Rolnick Observatory, Wakeman Town Farm, and many other familiar Westport locations.

Overall, Middle and High Schoolers of the Westport Public School District are going crazy for Christie’s Country Store.