By Andy Brophy

WESTPORT–Labor Day had blue skies, moderate temps and a comfortable breeze, but Westport merchants and employees didn’t mind working on the federal holiday created in 1894 to honor American workers.

“There’s a sense of peace when the salon’s quiet and I’m able to get my projects done,” Bianca Bazante, owner of The Artist Loft, a hair studio on Post Road West, said during a brief break from touching up walls in her salon.

Bazante said working on holidays was a good opportunity for her to “pour back into the salon,” and she said working on days many people have off wasn’t unusual for her. “I used to be open every day,” she said. “I just started taking Sundays off. That’s brand new for me.”

Jayson Roldan, an assistant manager at 2nd STREET, a used clothing store on Main Street, likewise wasn’t fazed by working on Labor Day. “I have no problem with it. I don’t really celebrate Labor Day,” he said.

Roldan added, “It is time and-a-half holiday pay so it is worth it for me to come into work.”

2nd STREET was “pretty busy” on Saturday and Sunday, Roldan said, and he thought it would be busy Labor Day afternoon too because while the store didn’t have a sale on the holiday, he figured many shoppers would assume it did.

Caitlyn Moody, a sales associate at Madewell, a women’s clothing store on Main Street since 2009, also cited holiday pay as an added incentive to work on Labor Day. “I don’t mind it at all,” she said of working on the holiday.

Eve Gianni, gallery manager at Clarendon Fine Art Westport, which opened on Main Street three and-a-half years ago, said she chose to work on Labor Day because she loves her job and is surrounded by beautiful artwork. “I get to share beauty with the world,” she said of her job. “And it’s potentially a good day because people are off and have the opportunity to come in.”

Nevertheless, Gianni said Labor Day was “a wonderful thing to celebrate.”

“This country was definitely built on the backs of a lot of people,” she said.

Amy Alfson, assistant store manager at Faherty Westport, a clothing store on Main Street that opened in September 2024, said she was working a full shift on Labor Day but went to the beach on Sunday and planned to have pizza with friends after work. “Other people are working as well [on Labor Day] so we have to wait until after work,” she said.

Labor Day became a federal holiday after President Grover Cleveland signed a law on June 28, 1894 that made the first Monday in September a national holiday.

But Labor Day was celebrated before then, with 10,000 to 20,000 workers in New York City taking Sept. 5, 1882 off to march in a parade organized by the Central Labor Union, which was pushing at the time for an eight-hour workday.

Connecticut was among 30 states to pass a state law that created a holiday for workers before the federal government made Labor Day a federal holiday. Oregon was the first state to pass such a law (in February 1887) while Connecticut passed its law in March 1889.

This year’s Labor Day was the first that Camilla Cook from Eleish Van Breems Home, a furniture store on Main Street, had worked. But she said she was OK with it. “I’m going to go to a beach party later, so dinner at the beach is still on the table,” she said.

Jake Petrie, assistant store manager at Lucky Brand on Main Street, said it was “kind of fun” to work on Labor Day and while foot traffic was initially slow, he expected it to pick up in the late morning and early afternoon. “I’ve kind of always worked in retail so I think it is a big shopping holiday for a lot of people,” he said.

Petrie said he planned to close out Labor Day, after leaving work at 6 p.m., by having dinner with a friend.

Bazante, the hair studio owner, said her post-work plans on Labor Day were low key. “Go rest because I have to come back tomorrow,” she said. 

Andy Brophy

Andy Brophy is an experienced Fairfield County journalist. Andy was a staff writer at The Connecticut Post for 10 years. He also wrote for the Norwalk Hour, Fairfield Minuteman, Fairfield Patch and weekly newspapers in Westport, Fairfield and Norwalk. When not reporting, Andy enjoys playing chess and listening to pianist Art Tatum. .