West Hartford Business Buzz: November 24, 2014

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

By Ronni Newton

Peck & Pour will soon occupy the former Brownstone Cafe space on Oakwood Ave. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Is everyone ready?

For many people this week will likely begin with a flurry of preparation and cooking, or gearing up for travel. Thursday may start with running the Manchester Road Race, and then a lot of eating and TV watching, followed by marathon shopping – either on Gray Thursday (can’t help but cringe about that one), Black Friday or Small Business Saturday.

The larger merchants will certainly find ways to let you know what kind of deals they have, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated on what local businesses have planned, and will have some more information later this week about Small Business Saturday in West Hartford.

If you have and information you would like to share about Small Business Saturday, as well as 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].

Now for the buzz:

The space formerly occupied by Brownstone Cafe on Oakwood Ave. will soon reopen, but as a completely different concept. When Brownstone closed in August, they posted a message on their door and Facebook page that said they were renovating and would be merging with another restaurant and would offer “a new concept to better serve our guests.” We have just learned that the former owner has sold the business, and that Peck & Pour, which uses the tagline “World Class Wings and Beer,” will be opening in early December. In addition to several types of wings (and about 70 different beers on draft and in bottles), Peck & Pour also specializes in Galbi – Korean-style short rib BBQ.

Say “Happy 5th Anniversary” to West Hartford Center bakery La Petite France! The “little French bakery” opened in West Hartford on the Sunday before Thanksgiving in 2009, and is owned by Alexandra Litor (a native of France who came to Connecticut to earn her MBA at UConn) and her husband Romeo, also a French native, who studied as a “Boulanger and Pâtissier.” The couple’s second child (they now have three – two at Smith STEM School and one in preschool) was an infant, and Alex recalls that it was “crazy” opening a new business at that time in their life and that time of year. La Petite France has now started opening on Mondays, and if you go in today, tell them you read this article in Business Buzz, and wish them a “Joyeux Anniversaire” (you must try to pronouce it in French!), you will get a free croissant. The bakery is open until 5 p.m. on Mondays. Later in the week they also have some Black Friday specials, and will also be giving out Yule Log samples and cookies during the West Hartford Holiday Stroll on Dec. 4 and the weekend following the stroll.
Also in the baked goods department, A.C. Petersen Farms will begin selling cupcakes, cookies and other favorite treats from A Little Something Bakery beginning Nov. 29. From their website: “A.C. Petersen Farms is so excited to be the new retail outlet for A Little Something Bakery! Come fuel up on your favorites from A.C. Petersen Farms and A Little Something Bakery starting on Small Business Saturday, November 29th, and check out the new retail space. A Little Something Bakery items will be available during A.C. Petersen Farms business hours as well as your favorite ice creams, pies, and breads.”
West Hartford mom Heather LeBlanc started her own busiess, Apres Bebe, after struggling to find comfortable and stylish postpartum clothing following the birth of her first child in 2012. “I want women to feel comfortable, stylish, and most of all; confident, after going through one of the most amazing yet arduous experiences of their lives – childbirth,” writes LeBlanc on her website. The company was recently featured on momsmagazine.com.