West Hartford Business Buzz: December 27, 2017 - We-Ha

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

By Ronni Newton

I hope that all who celebrated had a very, merry Christmas! We wish all of our readers a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year, too!

My family had a wonderful holiday weekend full of celebrations with family and friends (and my niece’s new puppy), and as you read this we are likely en route to a quick visit with my in-laws in Nantucket for one more Christmas celebration. Travel to Nantucket can be iffy at this time of year with high winds often canceling all of the ferries, so I have my fingers crossed that we don’t get stuck there for a few extra days. Extra island time isn’t a bad thing in the summer, but not exactly fun when it’s too cold and windy to set foot outside!

As mentioned in last week’s column, we did not publish a Monday newsletter and that’s why this column is appearing on Wednesday. We will do the same thing next week for New Year’s, with the year’s first Business Buzz column publishing on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018. After that we will return to our regular Monday column schedule, and Monday/Wednesday/Friday newsletters.

Of course if there is any breaking news, we will send that out through a special email alert.

As expected it’s been a fairly quiet business week, but we still have plenty of news to share.

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:

Renovations are planned for 450 South Main St., including relocating the Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins from diagonally across the intersection. Image from Town of West Hartford

The Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins combination shop at the intersection of South Main Street and New Britain Avenue (1253 New Britain Ave.) is going to be moving diagonally across the street! Plans have been submitted to the town’s Design Review Advisory Committee for façade, parking and landscape changes to the existing 450 South Main St. property – a building that’s actually owned by Joseph Naples the owner of the 1253 New Britain Ave. Dunkin’ Donuts franchise. According to the plans, Jake’s Wayback Burgers will be relocating to the back (north) side of the strip, and Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins will be on the corner. South Main Wine & Spirits will remain, but will contract in size. According to town officials, the work should be completed by the spring of 2018.
T-Mobile has opened at 40 Isham Rd. in Blue Back Square. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

The new T-Mobile store has opened at 40 Isham Rd. in Blue Back Square, where the Green Teahouse was formerly located. T-Mobile is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Green Teahouse has moved across the street to 55 Isham Rd, in the former Spin Monogram space right next to Bar Louie.
West Hartford-based BODYROC FitLab is expanding, opening a second location, at 260 West Main St. in Avon, across from the Walmart Plaza. According to a news release, “The intense circuit-style group personal training studio, which combines weight training, self-propelled treadmills, and heavy bag boxing, will open in January 2018.” BODYROC is offering special giveaways and membership deals to each of the first 50 people who make a one-year commitment. Visit their website for details.
Pamela and Charles Hilborn. Submitted photo

Sheehan Hilborn Breen Funeral Home served as West Hartford’s collection site for the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association’s Operation ELF, and collected $800 worth of gift cards and toys to assist military families who have someone deployed. “This was the first year that we have participated in Connecticut Operation ELF. Many of the donations came from the staff at our annual holiday party,” Charlie Hilborn, owner of Sheehan Hilborn Breen, said in a news release. “I was humbled by the kindness of them and our family and West Hartford friends and again thank them very much.” Statewide, nearly $6,500 worth of toys and gift cards for Operation ELF were collected from 39 sites.
Ryan Gomez is the new owner of the Allstate franchise at 993 Farmington Ave. in West Hartford, returning to the town where his father’s career began. He shared this story with We-Ha.com in an email: My father started a Allstate agency in 1979 in the Sears store in West Hartford. This was a time when Sears owned Allstate Insurance. His dream was to one day move it to his hometown Winsted, CT, [which he did] in 1986, and offer his services to the people within his community. He was one of the best and most well respected agents within the company. In the summer of 2009 we received horrible news in which he got cancer, after that he did not hesitate to bring me and my sister Chelsea Gomez into the business. In September 2012 he passed away after his cancer came back. My sister and I were grateful to work with him for over three years and learn as much as could from him. After his passing my sister and I took over the agency in Winsted. He taught us the value and the importance in insurance products we offer and to always give the best quality service to your customers. How I got to purchase a franchise in West Hartford – I moved to West Hartford in the spring of 2013, I fell in love with the area and the people, it is where I met my now wife. This past August I received a call in which a Allstate franchise was going for sale, I did not hesitate to jump on the great opportunity. I always dreamed that maybe one day I could own a franchise in West Hartford and expand our products and service to the people within this community and the area. After a long journey I have finally opened on Dec. 1, 2017, in West Hartford Center and I could not be more grateful to receive this opportunity and offer the best quality and service I can.” Gomez can be reached at 860-232-8600.
Plan b is now serving the Impossible Burger. Submitted photo

How could I not immediately read an email with the subject: “Impossible Burger lands at the home of burgers – Plan b!”? The Impossible Burger is now on the menu at West Hartford’s Plan b (138 Park Rd.) “We feel like this product has a lot of synergy with our brand. It’s unique and cutting-edge and keeps us on the forefront of culinary innovation. It also fits with our focus on continuously improving our guest offerings,” Plan b Executive Chef and VP of Business Operations Kevin Watson said in a news release. The Impossible Burger claims to be “the world’s only burger that looks, handles, smells, cooks and tastes like ground beef from cows – but is made entirely from plants.” I’ve eaten one (they are also served at Flora), and it’s delicious and it really does taste like a very juicy hamburger!
David M. Roth of West Hartford, a senior managing partner of SouthOcean Capital Partners Inc., has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the community foundation for Hartford and 28 surrounding communities. Roth’s five-year term begins Jan. 1, and he will serve as chair of the Hartford Foundation’s Investment Committee. According to a news release, Roth is also trustee at Lafayette College, and a Director of the Jewish Community Foundation, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, and the League of American Orchestras, and Rimedio Inc. He previously served on the Board of Directors of USI Holdings, Inc., CMC Inc., Omniglow Corporation, Genomas Inc. and Exploria SPS.
Simsbury Bank director Kola Olofinboba. Submitted photo

Dr. Kolawole Olofinboba has been elected to the board of directors of Simsbury Bank, the company announced in a news release. Olofinboba is managing partner of West Hartford-based Fairview Capital, Inc. “I am delighted and honored to join Simsbury Bank’s board of directors. I recognize the important role that community banks play in our economy and look forward to contributing to the achievement of Simsbury Bank’s goals,” Olofinboba said in the release. Olofinboba, who has formerly practiced medicine as a board certified internist/hospitalist and assistant professor at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, CT, has a medical degree from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and an MBA in Financial Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management. He also serves on the boards of the National Association of Investment Companies, the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and the Connecticut Science Center.
ICYMI, Angelo’s on Main has closed, and Beachland Group has been chosen by the Town of West Hartford as the preferred bidder for the restaurant operation at Rockledge Golf Club. Click here for the complete story.