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

Business Buzz is sponsored by NBT Bank, and we are very thankful for their support!

By Ronni Newton

It’s already the second Monday of December – this holiday season is certainly flying by.

I spent all day Saturday removing the vestiges of fall decor from my house and setting up most of the Christmas decorations inside while Ted did the outdoor lights. I think we were the last on our street to get the outdoor lights up! The tree is in its stand, but is completely bare of any lights or ornaments – hopefully just for another day or two.

Covering the Holiday Stroll on Thursday (story and photo gallery here) and the Mitten Run on Sunday (story and photo gallery here) definitely boosted my holiday spirit, and it’s always great to be able to write about positive events like those. While I’m still getting plenty of press releases, there are fewer things happening at this time of the year and I am hoping for some quiet-ish news weeks ahead, and looking forward to attending some holiday parties.

Thanks to Noah (the Chamber of Commerce’s holiday mascot) for posing for this selfie with me at a ribbon cutting on Wednesday!

A note to readers: Please, please, please read the story before commenting on social media. It’s rare that an entire story could be told in the headline, there is no paywall for our content, and I try to be as thorough as possible in my reporting. There were so many comments about the proposed Madsen Acres condominium development that really were answered in the article (like the number of affordable units, the price they might sell for, etc.) …

And while I’m on my soapbox, I just want readers to know that when I share information that comes from another source I make it clear where that information came from. I don’t publish photos taken from other media outlets without express permission and attribution, nor do I publish architects’ renderings or schematics without indicating where they came from. I don’t take information from another news outlet, change a few words around, and pass it off as my own (because that would be plagiarizing). I may learn about something from another news story, but I will verify the information myself directly from a source before publishing it, or provide clear attribution to the original source. I’m not naming names right now, but it’s very frustrating to me and other legitimate news media when others don’t respect the rules.

We got home from Thanksgiving weekend on Monday night, but didn’t have any opportunity to dine out in West Hartford during the week. On Saturday night we met Ted’s brother and cousin and their wives for a great dinner at Flanders Fish Market in East Lyme – somewhat centrally located between his cousin in Barrington, RI and brother in New Canaan, and an easy drive for us from West Hartford.

No trolls this week, and thank you to all who do comment with your full names, and avoid making personal attacks! Please note that it has been our policy for several years that full names be used when commenting directly on the site – with the exception of those commenters who were grandfathered when they commented prior to the policy being updated. Please comply or your comment will not be published.

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If you have information to share about local businesses, please provide details in the comments or email Ronni Newton at [email protected].

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Here’s this week’s Buzz:

• I am very thankful to one of our readers who emailed me a few weeks ago with this exciting news tip: Nana’s Dim Sum & Dumplings will be opening in Blue Back Square, in the space at 111 Memorial Road that has been vacant for nearly two years but was most recently Gran Gusto and for many prior years was home to Rizzuto’s! Nana’s has several existing locations in Colorado, and one in Scarsdale, NY, where our reader was eating and noticed on the website that they had a “coming soon” location listed for 111 Memorial Road in West Hartford. While I don’t have many details, I have since been able to verify this information, and am looking forward to the opening, hopefully sometime in 2026. The reviews I’ve read have been really positive, as was an article I found in Westchester Magazine about the Scarsdale location. The following is from the Nana’s website: “Embark on a culinary journey filled with ethereal bites that dance on your taste buds. Let the symphony of flavors serenade your senses, a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation. … Savor each moment, relishing in the artistry of Chinese culinary finesse. Every dish tells a story, a tale of passion and dedication crafted into every exquisite bite. Are you ready to awaken your palate?” I am definitely ready, and eager for the opening!

• Trusted relationships with mechanics are important, and many people were extremely upset when Prospect Foreign Car Center (595 Prospect Avenue) closed earlier this year. I saw a social media post about the business reopening on Dec. 1, and stopped by to confirm, and was able to meet and chat with Marco Caruso – who now owns the business, under a slightly different name. “We are excited to announce the opening of Prospect Foreign Auto Center, LLC in West Hartford. A new chapter begins at 595 Prospect Ave., the former home of Prospect Foreign Car Center (PFCC). Prospect Foreign Auto Center is now open and ready to serve the community with the same trusted team you’ve known for years,” Caruso told me in a follow-up email after our chat. Caruso was the former manager of Prospect Foreign Car Center, and had been with the company since 1989. The former owner of PFCC has passed away but all of the other employees are back, and Caruso said that with his continued leadership and our experienced team, “We are committed to providing reliable high quality automotive repair and maintenance services to keep your vehicle running safely and smoothly. Whether you need routine maintenance, diagnostic work or major repairs, Prospect Foreign Auto Center delivers expert services with professionalism and a friendly customer experience. Our team has worked together for many years, and we look forward to continuing to serve the West Hartford community.” They aren’t yet back to doing emissions inspections, Caruso said, but have applied for their license and hopefully that service will be added soon. For more information, call 860-232-6132 or email [email protected].

• West Hartford resident Cody Ibarra has just opened a new business in town – Unbound Physio – which is a home-based physical therapy practice that specializes in pelvic health and orthopedics. Ibarra said he started this company in September and because it’s a home-based practice, he treats people “where they are” rather than in an office.”This means new parents don’t need to get child care (I have a 15-month-old daughter so I understand that struggle acutely), people with disabilities or mobility restrictions can stay where they are most comfortable, and busy folks don’t need to carve out special time in the day to go to an office,” Ibarra said in an email. He also shared the following background information: “Born and raised in Southern California (Go Dodgers and Lakers!), I moved out to the east coast to get my Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree at Columbia University in NYC. I met my wife there and I moved up here after I worked in Manhattan for a while after graduating. I’m very passionate about the benefits of physical therapy in general and pelvic rehab in particular. Pelvic health is one of those things that affects a lot of people but is under-recognized and under-addressed with huge impacts on their lives. I love working with people of all stripes and collaborative, evidence-based care is central to my approach. I’ve been in the PT world for about 15 years now and I love my job,” he said. For more information, visit the website unbound-physio.com.”

• MORE Italian Pasta Lab has expanded their offerings, and now includes a variety of house-made Italian pastries and sweets at their 54 LaSalle Road shop. The display case, in the area near the front door, will be stocked with cannolis, panna cotta (people can choose the topping), creme caramel, dark chocolate mousse, pistachio cake, chocolate cake, Sardinian amaretti, and three different kinds of tiramisù. “Starting from next week we’ll have sfogliatelle and pasticciotti,” owner Anna Landi told me.

• I’ve been watching the progress of the build-out of Pepe’s addition for months, and it appears the new party room in the rear of the existing restaurant, at 1148 New Britain Avenue in Elmwood, is open! I received an email from Pepe’s indicating that they are now booking holiday parties for up to 50 people. According to the website, party packages include: buffet-style pizza with an assorted selection; family-style salad; beer, wine, soda, and coffee: and “Guest(s) of honor can learn how to make an Original Frank Pepe Pizza!” For more information, email [email protected].

• The new – and three-times-larger – Play It Again Sports store at 635 New Park Avenue opened a few weeks ago, and now includes a full bike shop! Check out the photos below.

• I was honored to be one of the “celebrity” bartenders at Max Downtown last week raising money for the West Hartford-based Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance. My bartending partners were Stephanie Simoni and Joe D’Ambrosio, and other teams included Brian Shactman, Jim Altman, “Gameday” Conor Geary, Jim Altman, and Kara Sundlun. Even though the weather on Giving Tuesday was best described (by me, not by meteorologist Matt Scott of Fox61 who was also one of the bartenders) as “yucky,” the fundraising goal was surpassed! The funds raised (through tips and a percentage of orders) support the organization’s mission to fund research and provide patient support at partner hospitals that include Yale-New Haven, Hartford Healthcare, St. Francis, UConn Health, and Connecticut Children’s. “A special shout out to Steve Abrams and his peerless team at Max Downtown – they truly are the best and we are so grateful for all they do for us,” said Dan Tapper of Sullivan & LeShane, who organizes the annual fundraiser. I am also very thankful to the professional bartenders for their patience and assistance!

• Congratulations to All 4 Paws Out Care on their official grand opening and ribbon cutting, celebrated on Tuesday, Dec. 2 with the Chamber of Commerce and town officials. All 4 Paws opened at 84 Custer Street in October, The business offers doggie day care, boarding for dogs, cats, and exotics, grooming, and more. For more information, call 860-840-1880, text 860-558-7255, or visit the website.

• I did check on the progress of the new Animal Control facility last week but it was very cold and the gate was closed so it was a bit hard to see what’s been done.

• Cookshop Plus is closing at the end of January 2026, and I – along with many others – am very sad to hear this news. The business had moved to 58-60 LaSalle Road in the fall of 2019, after about four years in the initial location at 977 Farmington Avenue (space that’s now Westfield Bank, and prior to that was Second Time Around and even before that Rugged Bear). I first met Jimmy and Samantha Hines when I learned of and wrote about their initial plans to open the Cookshop Plus store back in the fall of 2015, and covered their move as well – and have purchased countless items for my own home as well as gifts, always appreciating the opportunity to support a local business. In their announcement posted on social media on Friday evening (see image below), they mention “new adventures and challenges,” and I’ll be sure to follow up to find out more. I’ll be at the store this coming week, doing some holiday shopping, too!

• ICYMI, Coracora has announced their plans to open their new flagship Blue Back Square location this week! I spoke to one of the owners and got a peek inside during the Holiday Stroll on Thursday, and you can find all the details here.
• And speaking of the Holiday Stroll, the event the 38th annual event organized by the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Town of West Hartford and West Hartford Center Business Association, is always a wonderful night at a true New England-style festival. Details and lots of photos can be found here.
• Honeycomb Real Estate Partners has submitted initial plans for a development of affordable condominiums at 230 Newington Road/60 Brook Street to be called Madsen Acres. The story was published Tuesday (click here to read the complete article), and I went to the Elmwood Business Association meeting on Friday where there was a presentation of the proposal – and was able to obtain a rendering of the street view from Newington Road (see below).

• Did you know …

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

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