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

Wintery weather continues, and not even the kind of wintery weather that snow lovers can enjoy. Sunday’s stew of snow topped with sleet, and then rain is just yucky. Millie was definitely not happy about her backyard conditions, and a bit confused about why she wasn’t sinking down into the snow.

Today is President’s Day, and I’m hoping for a quiet day to enjoy some downtime with Ted who has the day off and was away all last week (with Millie) visiting his mom on Nantucket. I stayed in town in part to cover the public hearing and vote (which was postponed) on the application to redevelop the 1800 Asylum portion of the former UConn campus.

The past few days were full of basketball, and between Friday and Saturday I watched multiple basketball games (including the UConn vs. Seton Hall mens basketball debacle and the awesome UConn womens basketball domination of South Carolina), photographed one game, and on Saturday wrote and edited two basketball stories. Thanks to Craig Rosenberg for the photos from the Conard vs. Hall boys basketball game – which was exactly at the same time as the girls game.

For this week’s support of local restaurants, I had a great Thai Chicken Crunch salad from Just Salad after their ribbon cutting (see below). I brought the salad home in my reusable Elmo bowl that I think will become the favorite bowl when one of the grandkids visits. I also enjoyed a wonderful dinner with friends at Leon on Wednesday night!

Ted didn’t get home until Friday evening, and by the time the Conard vs. Hall girls basketball game ended we got to WeHa Brewing & Roasting to attend Greg Hammond’s beer tour fundraiser after the kitchen closed … but the beers were excellent. We stayed in on Saturday night when it was storming, and Ted made me a fabulous belated Valentine’s Day dinner of coconut braised lamb with sweet potatoes.

A President’s Day note from Paine’s: trash and recycling is on a regular schedule this week! I believe West Hartford’s Yard Waste & Recycling Center is also open on Monday (8 a.m.-3 p.m.), but Town Hall and other municipal buildings (libraries, senior centers) are closed on Monday for the holiday. The public schools are on winter break through Tuesday and will reopen on Wednesday.

I am repeating this from last week: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE (all caps and bold intentional) don’t try to post a comment on a story on this site without using your full name. And don’t try to trick me with a pseudonym either, because I can see the email addresses on the back end of the site, and I’m pretty sure “[email protected]” is not using their real name. Also, to the person who attempted to comment three times, once as “Harry” and twice as “Davie” (but with two different email addresses) – that’s a no go. I’ve wasted too much time lately emailing anyone who tries to comment without their full name.

If you are a long term, regular advertiser on We-Ha.com and have a 60 to 75 word submission for a future Business Buzz please send to Bob Carr at [email protected]. You can also contact Bob if you are interested in becoming a sponsor of a section of the site.

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:

• Plans are moving ahead and it appears work is getting underway on the build-out of Level99 in the Corbin Collection. “We are making our way through the design and permitting process and currently targeting the end of the year for an opening in West Hartford. The designs are looking great, this is going to be a beautiful venue – for dining, gameplay, and events,” owner Matt DuPlessie said in an email when I reached out last week for an update on the opening of West Hartford’s first business to utilize the “experiential retail” ordinance the Town Council adopted in 2017 in order to attract this type of business. In an update provided last fall, DuPlessie indicated that Level99 plans to hire approximately 100 employees and will be partnering with Two Road Brewing Company for the dining aspect of the business which will feature Detroit-style pizza as well as a seasonally-inspired scratch-based menu and beers and innovative cocktails at the Two Roads Kitchen & Tap. Level99 will include more than 50 “mental and physical challenges set in immersive artistic environments” in the 41,426 square foot space that can accommodate up to 600 players plus 250 diners. In the November 2024 news release, DuPlessie, an engineer who attended MIT and Harvard Business School and has worked for Disney and Universal Studios before forming the company 5 Wits, said, “Level99 offers social, physical, mental, and skill-based challenges in an open-world environment. Players are encouraged to explore the art-saturated environment and chart their own play path. Whether for date night, getting together with a group of friends, or a whole-facility rental for corporate team events, the combination of memorable, active fun, delicious dining and craft beverages has generated a lot of excitement in our first markets of Boston and Providence. We look forward to welcoming residents and visitors from the West Hartford area to discover all that Level99 has to offer.” DuPlessie founded the Massachusetts-based production company Box Fort, which is now part of Level99, which currently has locations in Natick, MA as well as Providence. More information about Level99 can be found here.

• Sally’s Apizza is now open at Westfarms! There was a ribbon cutting with West Hartford and Farmington officials on Thursday, Feb. 13 before the soft opening, and the restaurant began taking reservations on Friday, Feb. 14. I wasn’t able to attend the ribbon cutting, but stopped by on Friday to check out the space and take some photos, and watched the creation of some of the signature pizzas – including the specialty “Angel Fire.” Angel Fire is a collaboration between Sally’s head chef Bret Lunsford and entrepreneur and food enthusiast Brooklyn Peltz Beckham – oldest son of David Beckham and Victoria Beckham. The white pie is topped with Cloud23 hot habanero chicken, pepperoni, clouds of whipped ricotta, and also Beckham’s Cloud23 sweet pepperoni jalapeño pepperoni sauce. Angel Fire is available at all Sally’s locations, including Westfarms, for a limited time only through March 14. I haven’t had a chance to sample the food yet – but definitely plan to do that ASAP! Sally’s is now open daily, from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. (until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights) and is accessible from inside Westfarms and the Jordan’s Furniture store, as well as through a separate entrance in the parking lot. You can read the full feature story here. For more information or to make a reservation, visit the Sally’s Apizza website, call 860-500-5144, or follow on Instagram or Facebook @sallysapizza.

 

• The former Bank of America branch office building at 1159-1161 New Britain Avenue has been sold for $865,000 to JO Real Estate Holding LLC according to the deed filing with the Town of West Hartford. It’s my understanding that it will be an eye doctor’s office – and according to my research one of the principals of that LLC is an eye doctor who currently works in Cheshire – but I have not officially been able to confirm that yet. More to come!

• Congratulations to Insperity on the ribbon cutting celebrating the opening of their new office at 29 South Main Street, Suite 215 in West Hartford. District Manager Jessica Dragan said there are seven people currently working out of the West Hartford office, which opened in August and is the company’s second location in the state. (The other is in Stamford.) Dragan provided the following description of Insperity’s operations: “Navigating HR challenges, payroll management, employee benefits, and compliance can be overwhelming. But with the right partner, you can streamline these processes and focus on what truly matters – growing your business. At Insperity, we believe that when businesses thrive, communities prosper. That’s why we’re committed to providing tailored HR strategies designed to empower your team, enhance efficiency, and give your business a competitive edge.”

• Just Salad at 2538 Albany Avenue in Bishops Corner (former Esquire Cleaners space) had their ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce and town officials on Tuesday. I’ll be back again soon with my refillable Elmo bowl (see photo above). For details about Just Salad, see the feature in the Jan. 27 Business Buzz here.

• While I was at Just Salad, I had a chance to peek at the work being done two doors down at the future Chick-fil-A. I’ve been told it may be ready by the end of next month, but could not get confirmation of that from Chick-fil-A’s media relations representative. I hope to have more details for next week’s column.

• The former Ballet Theatre Company space at 20 Jefferson Avenue is now in use by the organization Crosswalk. The Crosswalk website states: “God is on the move in New England, and Crosswalk will join that movement by growing communities that carry on the call to LOVEWELL. Lovewell West Hartford is a new Crosswalk community made up of people of all ages and from all different paths of lives. Our group is connecting every Saturday morning at our new location to worship together and enjoy a cup of coffee. You are invited and welcome to attend!”

• Linked Media announced in a news release that longtime television news anchor (and West Hartford resident) Irene O’Connor has joined the company, now located at 67 North Main Street in West Hartford, as its new Director of Public Relations. O’Connor, a well-respected journalist and former anchor for over 25 years, brings a wealth of experience in media, storytelling, and audience engagement and community involvement. With decades of experience in broadcast journalism and a history of supporting the communications needs of many charitable causes, she has built a strong reputation for credibility, professionalism, and an ability to connect with the public. O’Connor has worked in television in Hartford, Providence, and Denver, and she is active in the community as a member of the Board of Directors at the Mandell JCC in West Hartford and a member for the Central Connecticut Celtic Cultural Committee. “Linked Media is a vibrant, creative agency and I am excited to join the team to help our clients achieve their goals through strong marketing and communications strategies,” O’Connor said. “Our clients are the businesses and organizations that define our community, and supporting their success is the most exciting part of what we do.” As Director of Public Relations, O’Connor will lead Linked Media’s efforts in strategic communication, media relations, and brand messaging. Her expertise will play a key role in enhancing Linked Media’s presence and expanding its influence in the industry.  “We are thrilled to welcome Irene to the Linked Media team”, said Heather Cisz Mazzola, Owner, and Vice President of Strategy at Linked Media. “Her deep understanding of the media landscape and exceptional communication skills will be invaluable as we continue to grow and evolve.” O’Connor grew up in West Hartford. She is a graduate of Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford and Northeastern University in Boston. The transition from television to public relations marks an exciting new chapter in her career, and she said she is eager to leverage her skills in this dynamic role.

• The Max Cares Foundation, Inc. announced last week the opening of the application period for the charitable organization’s scholarships for graduating high school or currently enrolled college students pursuing a secondary education in culinary arts or hospitality/restaurant management for the 2025-2026 school year. Students residing in the Greater Hartford and Greater Springfield regions are encouraged to apply. Interested applicants should refer to the Foundation’s website for the list of eligible towns. The application, requirements, and more information are available online at maxcaresfoundation.org/scholarships/. The deadline to apply is May 15, 2025. Applicants are eligible to receive up to $5,000 in funds to be used toward their Culinary Arts or Hospitality educational expenses. In 2024, 12 students were provided scholarships totaling $30,000. Since 2017, Max Cares Foundation has awarded 62 scholarships to students furthering their education in the hospitality and culinary arts fields.

• The spa at the Delamar West Hartford is co-hosting a spa event with the Caudalie USA Team on Feb. 28 to celebrate their exclusive partnership with Caudalie. Delamar Spas are the only spas in New England and one of the only spas in the USA to offer Caudalie’s vinotherapie treatments, and according to a news release “these sought-after therapies blend potent, natural active ingredients from the grapevine with indulgent rituals, delivering exceptional results in radiance, anti-aging, firmness, detoxification, and slimming. Click here to purchase tickets.
• Click here to listen to the latest installment of the “On the Scene” podcast, where On The Scene hosts Tom Hickey and Bob Carr talk with West Hartford Rotary members Patrice Taffe, Victor Gonzalez, and Kyle Egress about the Rotary’s upcoming Vines of March fundraiser, the causes West Hartford Rotary supports and the community impact of Rotary. Podcasts can also be found at the bottom of the home page on the revamped We-Ha.com website!

• ICYMI, the Town Council held a public hearing on Tuesday regarding the application by West Hartford 1 LLC to develop Heritage Park on the 1800 Asylum Avenue portion of the former UConn West Hartford campus, but will not vote on the application until its Feb. 25, 2025 meeting. Read the complete story here.

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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