West Hartford Business Buzz: April 13, 2015

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

By Ronni Newton

Boy, do we ever deserve this!

I know this is a business column, but nice weather is an important factor for many of our local businesses, and this past weekend did not disappoint. The forecast for the week is looking pretty nice, too.

Pansies! Photo credit: Ronni Newton

It’s great to see the tables and chairs come out of storage with many West Hartford restaurants reopening their outdoor patios. The garden centers were likely quite happy with the weekend weather, too, as residents finally had a chance to rediscover their yards, and maybe even plant some hardy flowers.

As of Sunday afternoon my daffodils were still not quite open (Monday for sure) but I brought some spring color to my yard by planting a few pots of pansies. I’m very happy to have the cast off my wrist in time for gardening season!

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].

Veterinary Specialists of Connecticut on North Main Street is now a 24-hour emergency facility. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Here’s this week’s Buzz:

Veterinary Specialists of Connecticut has some big news to share. As of April 3, the North Main Street veterinary practice is now a 24-hour emergency care facility. Having 24-hour care is a great asset for those who already use the practice since records are immediately accessible, but you don’t need to be a regular client to use the emergency service. Veterinary Specialists is located at 993 North Main St., right next to Hall High School. Their phone number is 860-236-3273.
There’s just one more week until West Hartford Center Spring Fashion Week 2015! West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square will celebrate spring from Monday, April 20 through Sunday, April 26, with a focus on clothing and jewelry as well as gifts and home decor. Events will include fashion shows; trunk shows; product launches; free consultations, drawings, and demos, and a “Spring Fashion Preview” on the stage on Thursday, April 23, at 6:30 p.m. Many of the area restaurants will also join the celebration, offering special menu items and “flirty spring cocktails.”

David’s Tea is set to open soon (probably by the end of this week) on the lower level at Westfarms near JCPenney. (Click here for map.) The specialty store offers not only the area’s largest variety of teas – sorted by type of tea as well as by primary ingredient – but also sells tea accessories and gifts. The only other Connecticut store is in Westport.
ICYMI: There is a new menu available at Angelo’s on Main, the restaurant at Rockledge Golf Club. Click here to read how Chef William Klar has merged 100 percent organic with delicious to create a “Nurturing Foods” menu unique to West Hartford and the area.
BlumShapiro’s roots are in West Hartford, but the financial company which has grown to become the largest New England-based regional accounting, tax and business consulting firm, recently announced in a news release that it has been selected again for Accounting Today’s “2015 Top 100 Firms.” According to the release, the publication’s annual survey, which was published in its March issue, is based on total revenues, total employees and management advisory services or consulting. BlumShapiro repeated its #1 ranking as the Top Firm in New England by revenue with a total of $68.5 million, and was recognized as a Pacesetter Company, ranked at #27, for its nearly 12 percent increase in revenues. Overall, BlumShapiro was ranked as the 52^nd largest accounting firm in the United States, up two spots from its #54 ranking in 2014, according to the release.

Another West Hartford financial business, Northstar Wealth Partners, has been busy giving back to the community. In March, nine employees from the West Hartford office spent most of the workday at Foodshare in Bloomfield, unpacking, inspecting, labeling and repacking various frozen meat that was donated by local markets. According to Northstar, their group successfully sorted 2,520 pounds of meat which turned into 2,016 meals to be served at food pantries and soup kitchens in Hartford and Tolland counties.