A new business has officially opened along Whaley Avenue in New Haven. It’s a small shop, but it’s a big signal, according to city officials about the development in the Whaley Ave. corridor.
“When I came to the US, I lived across the street, I lived on Whaley Ave most of my life,” said Eddie Eckhaus, owner and operator of Lea’s Falafelhaus on Whaley Ave in New Haven.
Eckhuas was born in the West Bank of Israel, but is a New Haven native. He moved to New Haven when he was 10 and graduated from Wilbur Cross High School.
The new shop, though small, has a strong flavor. The idea is to bring a taste of hometown to the Elm City.
“It’s just a curse I have, making good falafel,” Eddie said.
City and business leaders from the area joined him Wednesday for an official ribbon-cutting. They said that while small, Lea sends a big signal about economic development along the Whaley Avenue corridor.
“We want to have more Ma and Pop to make it a more walkable district,” said Alan McCollum of the Whaley Avenue Special Service District.
McCollum noted that businesses like Lea are what they are trying to attract. The corridor is also part of a multimillion-dollar bus rapid transit upgrade, and a $7 million, 55-unit housing project. It’s all a sign that Whaley Avenue is on the rise, officials said.
“We work hard with the city to make sure it’s always safe, always clean and a place you want to visit,” McCollum said.
Back inside Eddie, he knows it’s a small shop, but he prefers to keep his operations small.
“That’s why our menu is not too extensive, so that we can be the best in our field,” he said.
And he plans to continue offering the best, well into the future.
“We will continue to serve the best falafel we can,” Eckhaus said.
