In honor of its 40th anniversary, Stew Leonard's is making its flagship store bigger. The beloved Norwalk, Conn.-based grocer has added 5,000 square feet of retail space, enlarged several departments, widening aisles, installed equipment to accommodate more fresh-made products on-site and boosted its energy efficiency. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and in-store party for the community will take place on the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 10, with family-friendly activities to follow until evening.

“We are so grateful to every last customer that has shopped in our stores over the past 40 years,” said Stew Leonard Sr., founder of the farm-fresh food store.

Among the new and updated amenities, all of which came from customer suggestions and hew to Stew Leonard’s well-known “show and sell” concept of product being on display for all to see, are an expanded coffee department at entrance of store for greater customer convenience, a bigger bakery, a new pasta station offering a variety of fresh store-made pastas daily, a new pizza station featuring a hearth oven, a kettle corn and chips station with a new kettle, an improved sushi counter, and bigger, more modern restrooms — the last item Stew Leonard’s most popular customer request for years

As well as more space, the store now boasts updated equipment, including an energy-efficient gas hot water system and energy-efficient lighting in the renovated part of the building. Additionally, part of the refrigeration system has been converted from freon to more eco-friendly glycol, with the rest to be converted in a second phase of construction, two outdoor building signs have been converted to LED, and the city of Norwalk now collects the location’s milk cartons for recycling. According to Stew Leonard’s, the improvements equate to eliminating the yearly electrical use of 411 average households, or taking 684 cars off the road for a year.

The grocer spent $4 million dollars on the renovation, which employed only Connecticut-based companies.

Other celebratory offerings include special pricing on many popular items throughout the store, free birthday cupcakes and samples from each of the new and enhanced food stations, the chance to play with Stew Leonard’s costumed characters, and a free 40th-anniversary-reusable bag for every 100th customer at checkout. Additionally, Stew Leonard Sr. wrote a book, “Stew Leonard: My Story,” in which he discusses the ups and downs of his years in business, and the valuable insights he’s gained. The book retails for $19.95, or two for $30.

Stew Leonard’s operates four stores in Norwalk, Danbury and Newington, Conn. and Yonkers, N.Y.