Whalley Avenue development highlighted at small business grand opening

A new business has officially opened their doors along Whalley Avenue in New Haven. It’s a tiny storefront, but a big signal, according to city officials about development on the Whalley Ave corridor.

“When I came to the US I lived right down the street, I lived on Whalley Ave most of my life,” said Eddie Eckhaus, owner and operator of Lea’s Falafelhaus on Whalley Ave in New Haven.

Eckhuas was born in Israel’s West Bank, but he’s New Haven through and through. He moved to New Haven when he was 10 and is a graduate of Wilbur Cross High School.

His new storefront, though tiny, packs big flavor. The idea was to bring flavors of home to the Elm City.

 “It’s just something I was cursed with, making good falafel,” Eddie said.

City and business leaders from the area joined him Wednesday for the official ribbon cutting. They say, though small, Lea’s sends a big signal of economic development along the Whalley Avenue corridor.

“We would like to have a lot more Ma and Pop to make it a more walkable district,” said Alan McCollum with the Whalley Avenue Special Service District.

McCollum notes it’s businesses like Lea’s they are trying to attract. The corridor is also part of a multi-million-dollar bus rapid transit upgrade, and a $7 million-dollar, 55-unit housing project. Those are all signals Whalley Avenue is on the upswing, officials said.

“We are working hard with the city to make sure it’s always safe, always clean and a place you would always want to come,” said McCollum.

Back inside Eddie’s, he knows it’s a small storefront, but he prefers to keep operations small.

“That’s why our menu is not that big so we can be the best at what we do,” he said.

And he plans to keep offering the best, long into the future.

“We’ll keep serving you the best falafel we can,” said Eckhaus.