Allan Appel Photo
New Haven’s newest pawn shop will be graced by a backdrop of trees bordering the Bishop Woods Bird Sanctuary.
Tuesday night the Board of Zoning Appeals granted permission for Joseph Candella to establish the precious metals pawnshop at the pictured site, 500 – 504 Foxon Boulevard.
It’s set back some 25 yards from the busy road. Its business neighbor to the west is a Dunkin’ Donuts, to the east, a coin-operated laundry.
That laundry’s name is Little Giant, perhaps because the tree line behind the establishments echoes the profile of other area geographical landmarks.
The operator, Joseph Candella, has pawn shops in Waterbury, Bristol, and Wallingford. This will be his first in New Haven. He has had a license to operate this type of business since 1992.
Commissioners expressed concern that larger items like electronics and bicycles would not accumulate on the property.
“I deal mainly with precious metals and jewelry, not bicycles and that kind of thing,” Candella reassured them.
Candella with Dell Drive neighbor Nieves.
The commissioners attached a condition to the approval that there be no outside storage or display of such items, should he deal in them.
A neighbor Leo Nieves rose to express privacy concerns. The shop is bounded by residential Daniels Street to the north and Dell Drive to the east. Nieves said he’s been living on Dell Drive for 30 years. “We like our privacy. We are not against your customers,” he said.
Nieves added candidly that he simply didn’t want to see them.
He asked Candella if he would build a fence.
In a blink of the eye Candella replied, “I’m all for privacy. If zoning doesn’t restrict it, I’m for it. I’ll even let residents choose.”“
Although the zoners said no such requirement existed in law, they were happy enough to concur.
Candella gave his card to Nieves.
They quickly agreed that a 6‑foot-high vinyl white fence would be erected concealing the scenic pawn shop from neighbors on both the north and east.
The BZA commissioners attached the building of the fence as a second condition of the approval. The item passed unanimously.