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Bishops Corner Business Elmwood Park Road The Center

West Hartford Business Buzz: June 13, 2016

Elmwood Bar & Grill on New Britain Avenue is now Mount Everest Spice. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

A round-up of openings, closings, and other news about West Hartford businesses.

By Ronni Newton

Last week was quite the whirlwind for me, capped off by the bittersweet event of my son graduating from Conard on Thursday evening. Even though there was one more business day left in the week, I was pretty much useless on Friday after working at Conard’s Safe Grad party until just after 5 a.m. and finally climbing into bed for a “nap” at 6 a.m.!

Conard and Hall both had graduations on Thursday, and unlike most of the outdoor graduations in the recent past (last year it rained and both were held indoors), it was not blazing hot. In fact it was windy and got a bit chilly by the end of the ceremony.

Most likely because I kept myself busy photographing the graduation, I only cried a few times about the fact that after 16 years I am no longer a West Hartford Public Schools parent, and that my baby is now a high school graduate and by the time you read this is en route to UConn freshman orientation. The departure of both kids to college in August will probably involve many more tears.

Before getting to this week’s extensive business news, my apologies for providing some incorrect information in last week’s column. I had reached out to the management of Edens after receiving tips from several people, including one who was provided information from an Edens employee, that the Paper Source was taking the former Party City space in Bishops Corner. After publication, I received a correction from Edens that the store that will be taking the space has a similar name, but is The Paper Store, not Paper Source. Click here for a link to The Paper Store’s website.

If you have tips about businesses opening or closing, or doing something worth sharing, please provide that information in the comments or email Ronni Newton at [email protected].

Here’s this week’s Buzz:

Elmwood Bar & Grill on New Britain Avenue is now Mount Everest Spice. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Elmwood Bar & Grill on New Britain Avenue is now Mount Everest Spice. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

  • Have you noticed the new sign above an Elmwood restaurant space? Elmwood Grill and Bar at 1144 New Britain Ave. didn’t close or change ownership, but it has changed its name to Mount Everest Spice and there is a brand new menu with a focus on authentic Indian and Nepalese cuisine. “We are the same LLC but have just changed the sign and menu,” owner Raj Bhattarai said. He said there has been a bit of ongoing interior renovation to prepare the kitchen for the new menu, but that work is about done. Elmwood Grill and Bar was known as a hot spot for karaoke, and although it has been suspended for a few weeks during renovations, Bhattarai said karaoke will return in the next week or two. Mount Everest Spice has a daily lunch buffet and offers free home delivery for orders over $25 within a 10-mile radius. Click here for the complete menu and other information on Mount Everest Spice’s website.
    The former Labrazel Home space at 74 LaSalle Rd. has been turned into a pop-up West Hartford Art League gallery. Photo credit: ROnni Newton

    The former Labrazel Home space at 74 LaSalle Rd. has been turned into a pop-up West Hartford Art League gallery. Photo credit: ROnni Newton

  • The West Hartford Art League announced that effective June 11 it has opened a pop-up gallery and is selling members’ work in the former Labrazel Home space at 74 LaSalle Rd. in West Hartford Center. Works on display and for sale include pottery, photography, and painting. The initial hours will be noon – 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, but the pop-up may be open additional hours so check the posting on the door. “The pop-up gallery is a continuation of our mission to ‘educate and inspire’ by bringing art into the community. We’re very excited about the opportunity to use this space,” said Executive Director Roxanne Stachelek in a news release. “Our 82-year-old arts organization is only a two-minute car ride from the center,  but a lot of people have still never set foot in our two galleries. We hope this will help more people know who we are, and become acquainted with our members’ work.” Hagan Brown, a principal with building owner LaSalle Road Partners, said that having the West Hartford Art League in the space is a win-win for everyone. “It’s a creative way to fill the space while in between old and new tenants, and for short-term use it makes sense,” Brown said. He said the building owners have been looking for creative ways to “dress up the space as we work with letters of intent” for permanent tenants, and they welcome the chance to keep the area as vibrant as possible.
  • Zest 280 closed for vacation on June 6, and will remain closed until August 1 according to a sign on the door, the message on the answering machine, and the restaurant’s website. The following message also appeared on Zest 280’s website: “We will honor Zest 280 gift certificates & Zest Bucks at the Pond House Cafe until we return!  If you have any questions or need information on Zest 280 please call the Pond House at 860.231.8823 or email [email protected].”
  • West Hartford native Eric Brown and his wife Maria have recently returned to town from New York and are thrilled to be the new family owners of the 80-plus-year-old family business West Hartford Lock at 360 Prospect Ave., just over the line in Hartford. “I was in architectural hardware in NYC as well – working for my family’s business, founded in the late 1930s by my grandfather. West Hartford Lock is another 80-year-old family business, so the transition was natural and a great fit. Generation two of that business, Mr. Sandy Ziplow, is remaining with the company running our Contract Hardware Division and other business development projects,” Brown said in an email.
    36-inch flowering platers have been placed throughout Elmwood. The planters were created by KNOX of Hartford, which will maintain them throughout the summer and into the fall. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

    36-inch flowering platers have been placed throughout Elmwood. The planters were created by KNOX of Hartford, which will maintain them throughout the summer and into the fall. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

  • Elmwood has been beautified by 50 large flower-filled planters that were prepared and delivered by KNOX of Hartford on Friday. According to an announcement, Charlie Hilborn, owner of Sheehan, Hilborn, Breen Funeral Home had a vision to help beautify Elmwood and thanks to the generosity of several local businesses, the Elmwood Business Association, Westfarms, Mayor Shari Cantor, and Elmwood residents, that vision has become reality. According to Hilborn, almost 30 local businesses and friends of Elmwood sponsored the planters, which will be maintained by KNOX throughout the summer and into the fall. Contributors to the planters are: Elmwood Business Association, Westfarms, Mayor Shari Canter, A. C. Automotive, Juniper Home Care, Collard Associates, Elmwood Community Church, Lou’s Auto Service, Goldberg’s Bagels, Sherwin-Williams Paint Store, Beachland Tavern. Berry Insurance Associates, Elmwood Pastry Shop, Epstein Brothers Floor Covering, Fernwood Restaurant, The Chalkboard, Hampton Ventures LLC, Jerry’s Artarama of Connecticut. Wyllys – St. John Lodge #4, Princeton Building Association LLC, New England Eyecare, A. Rick Liftig DMD, Mary Silverberg, State Farm – Mario Russo, The Corner Pug /Tapas Restaurant and Sheehan Hilborn Breen Funeral Home. “We are so excited to have KNOX help us to enhance the beauty of Elmwood,” Elmwood Business Association President Rick Liftig said in the announcement. “This was a dream and my desire to bring this to Elmwood which has been my home for my whole life, where I raised my family, and where I continue to live and work,” Hilborn said.
  • Sad news about the Lyn Evans Outlet Store at 973 Farmington Ave. in West Hartford Center. I noticed a sign on the door a few days ago and followed up with Manager Evelyn Laurenzi who responded that the doors will be closed for good this time. “Our doors close on June 18, so we will be open daily [this] week from 10 a.m. – 6  p.m. and have a week-long tent sale with further markdowns. Some things will be 85 percent off original price and winter accessories will be 70 percent off. We’re also selling some of the store fixtures,” Laurenzi said in an email. The Lyn Evans Potpourri store closed at the end of January but the owners made the decision to reopen it a few weeks later, on Feb. 18, as an outlet store. Owner Linda Shotkus (aka Lyn Evans) passed away recently, and her husband and co-owner, Stan Shotkus is doing some reorganization of the company, Laurenzi said.
  • Congrats to West Hartford resident and Deputy Mayor Leon Davidoff, whose business has just been named a “2016 Small Business Neighborhood Champion.” The Paper Station, located at 29 East Cedar St. in Newington, will be actively promoting the “Shop Small and Shop Local” initiative on Small Business Saturday and throughout the year.
    Casey McGannon. Submitted photo

    Casey McGannon. Submitted photo

  • West Hartford-based Sage Solutions, LLC, a professional care management company that provides guidance for families of aging parents, has announced the hiring of new gerontologist Casey McGannon who will support communities with her expertise in eldercare management and issues families face at the end of life. “I am thrilled to welcome Casey to my practice,” Kathryn Freda, founder of Sage Solutions, said in a news release. “Casey’s commitment to quality of life for our families and the quality of care is extraordinary. Her approach to an aging adult’s standard of living is one of compassion and empathy and she will have an incredible impact on the families making these emotional and sensitive decisions for themselves and their loved ones.”
  • West Hartford resident John Hassan, who formerly worked as deputy editor of ESPN’s espn.com and has also worked as an executive producer as well as worked for several national publications, has been hired as director of marketing and public relations at the Mark Twain House. Hassan succeeds Jacques Lamarre. For more details, click here for the story by Susan Dunne of the Hartford Courant.
  • Eating breakfast is good for your health, and eating breakfast at Effie’s Place on Tuesday morning is also good for Park Road. The annual Celebrity Breakfast, a fundraiser for the Park Road Parade, will take place on Tuesday, June 14, from 7 – 10 a.m., at Effie’s Place Family Restaurant, 91 Park Rd. I’ll be serving breakfast from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m., and would love to see as many of you as possible there! I promise [to try] not to spill coffee on you! Complete details here.
  • If you’re interested in seeing the inside of the new Charles Schwab office in the Kauod family’s brand new Landmark Building, it’s open for tours this week. (Snacks included.) For a sneak peek, here are some photos!
  • ICYMI, this is a “school” but also a “business” story. One of the coolest things I have gotten to do recently is report on a West Hartford fourth-grader’s tour of the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Windsor – something he earned as the result of an award-winning essay. Click here for the details.
  • And last, but certainly not least, it’s time to vote for Best of West Hartford! Congratulations to the finalists – more than 275 of them selected in nearly 50 categories – that have been determined by nominations from the community. Now you can vote to choose the winners which will be honored at a gala awards show on Sept. 8. A list of all of the finalists and the link to voting can be found by clicking here.

Remember, if you have any business news to share, remember to add it in the comments section below or email Ronni Newton at [email protected].

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2 Comments

  • Hi Ronni, I hope this finds you well. I’m a local West Hartford resident with plans to take his West Hartford-based business straight to Shark Tank. My company, LintCard, is going to be featured in an article by the MetroHartford Alliance within the next month, and I would be humbled by the opportunity to be mentioned in one of your publications. Please let me know if you are interested in learning more!

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