A quick look into the history of 21 Union Street reveals a couple of very different functions: hairstyling and a newspaper that once employed playwright Eugene O'Neill.
According to the "electronic Eugene O'Neill archive" eOneill.com, the address held New London's morning paper, the New London Telegraph, when Eugene O'Neill was living in the city. O'Neill came on when he was in his early 20s at the urging of some family members.
More recently, it held the salon . This has pulled up the stakes and moved elsewhere, the letters gone from the window and a simple "Closed" sign hanging in the window.
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Union Street has some challenges for potential businesses, especially walk-ins. There's no on-street parking in this area, so any visitors have to park on State Street or another nearby site and walk over. Fran's isn't the first place to leave the block, as opted to relocate to a Broad Street location. Yet 21 Union Street is also right next door to the and the , both of which frequently have large crowds for art openings, fundraisers, and other events.
What do you think should go in at this address? Can this downtown side street work for walk-in businesses, or would something else benefit more?
