Looking for a bargain in Darien? There’s now an app for that

DARIEN — With the launch of Darien's first community-wide app, the town is at your fingertips.

The Darien Chamber of Commerce launched Live Darien CT in early May after nearly a year of development. The app — free to all Darienites — is meant to connect local retailers to residents and offers a sweeping array of services, said Kesti Aysseh, the executive director of the Darien Chamber of Commerce.

“It's been fairly obvious that technology has completely shifted — everybody is getting their* communications and their notifications in the palm of their hand,” Aysseh said of the impetus behind the app. “They're not really going to computers anymore to find out ‘What's going on this weekend' or ‘How do I find a plumber?' Apps are the best way to do it.”

The way the platform is currently set up, business owners can customize their offerings under their name in the app. A restaurant, for example, can update their daily specials, while retailers can alert customers if they are having a special sale. Customers can enable push notifications to get immediate alerts when a shop posts, Aysseh

said.

Around 200 people are already using Live Darien CT, Aysseh said. A campaign to broadly promote the app's usage around town will launch later this month.

Development of the app was sponsored by the longtime luxury retailer Darien Sport Shop.

“The app is really for the resident who is out and about in town, either looking for something to do or looking for a place to eat or looking for a place to shop,” Aysseh said.

But she added it's also about “bringing the two communities together — the residents of Darien and the Chamber members.

Really just unifying them and connecting them.”

Residents can use the app to preview upcoming events, activities — anything from fundraising events to concerts — and promotions around town within the Darien Community Calendar.

Another function will be hosting Darien Dollars, an e-commerce program launching this summer. Under this program, residents can use town-wide gift certificates at participating retailers for gift deliveries and redemptions through the app.

“We're excited about this app,” said Arianne O'Donnell, the owner of the Salt Cave of

Darien spa. “It's going to become an invaluable tool.”

The app isn't limited to dining or shopping either — it also serves as a centralized database of all real estate listings in town, Aysseh said, noting that local Realtors would likely benefit from joining the directory as a resource for prospective home buyers.

Aysseh said she encourages people to download the app.

“If everyone engages and buys into it, it really can serve a lot of different purposes for a lot of different people,” Aysseh said. “You know, it's just as beneficial for our members as it is for the residents who live here.”