West Hartford Business Buzz: February 2, 2015

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

Posh Tomato will open in West Hartford’s Blue Back Square this spring. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

Happy Groundhog Day!

Those who think that the day after the “big game” should be a day off from work and school may have gotten their wish this year thanks to Mother Nature and Old Man Winter. Those who would rather jump ahead to spring right after the holidays would likely prefer a regular work week without a snow day, even if it begins a bit sluggishly after all those wings and beer consumed Sunday evening. My vote is for the latter!

But what happens if the groundhog is snowed in?

In any case, despite the snow days, business goes on in West Hartford.

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:

Pizza lovers looking for something a bit different to try will get their chance relatively soon. The build-out of Brooklyn-based Posh Tomato at 38 Isham Rd. in Blue Back Square (former Pinkberry space) finally started this week. The interior is a tangle of ductwork, wiring, and drywall right now, but the contractor said the work would only take approximately eight weeks to complete. The website says “opening spring 2015,” and it’s good to think that spring is not that far away. According to the Posh Tomato website, the restaurant is known for “signature thin-crust, brick oven pizza, topped with our made-from-scratch sauce, homemade mozzarella, and infinite amount of toppings combinations.” The Posh Tomato franchise in West Hartford has the same ownership as Goldberg’s Bagels.
Silkworm in West Hartford Center closed its doors for good on Saturday, for “personal reasons” according to owner Erica Morizio. “We’re just closing the brick and mortar store right now,” Morizio said. Silkworm’s online boutique will remain in business, and you can browse through and purchase your favorite items by clicking here. Morizio said that the online business has been very consistent all along. “The store’s integrity will remain consistent,” she said.
Snowed in? Sounds like a great time to get out the drawing supplies! West Hartford’s Jerry’s Artarama is having a Valentine’s Card Contest, and it’s open to kids ages 12 and under. Kids are invited to design their own Valentine’s Day Card for a chance to win a Melissa and Doug kids easel, a roll of easel paper, and an Art Adventure 83 piece set. Click here for details. All entries must be in store at 1109 New Britain Ave. in Elmwood by Tuesday, Feb. 10. For a printable PDF of the card template, visit www.YourArtSupplies.com for a printable PDF version of the card template to enter! Have fun.

When is the last time you visited Elmwood? You may be heading there to drop off an entry in the Jerry’s Artarama Valentine’s Day Card contest, but you may also want to check out the other great stores and restaurants in the neighborhood. We-Ha.com’s sister company, WHMedia, has published the annual Elmwood Guide which provides a full directory as well as several sponsor ads, and you will be excited to see the vibrancy of zip code 06110! Warning – some ads will make you hungry! (But you are in luck, you can still get tickets to “taste Elmwood” on Thursday night, at 5:30, at the Second Annual Taste of Elmwood event (100 Mayflower St., in the gymnasium of Saint Brigid School). Hurry, tickets are selling like hotcakes, and advance ticket purchases can be made here. Some tickets will be sold at the door.
New Country Motor Cars doesn’t have a location in West Hartford (New Country BMW and Mercedes dealerships are on Weston Street in Hartford), but the luxury vehicle dealer is using West Hartford as the site for celebration for the couple lucky enough to win the second Annual “Romantic Ride and Rendezvous.” You can enter yourself, or nominate a deservingly-inspirational couple in an essay of 300 words or less. (Click here to enter and for rules and details.) According to a news release, the winners will be chosen by “a prestigious panel of romance experts, including WSFB-CH 3’s Scot Haney, WTIC-FM’s Damon Scott, and New Country Motor Cars Vice President Tim Parker, and announced on Feb. 14. The winners will begin their romantic escape in West Hartford’s Blue Back Square with a shave and a haircut at Kennedy’s All American Barber Club for him and a “glamorous hairstyling” at Blo Blow Dry Bar for her. Once the couple is “primped and polished,” according to the news release they will be “whisked away by a personal chauffeur in a luxurious new Mercedes or BMW to indulge in a candlelit, gourmet tasting of exquisite French cuisine at ávert Brasserie Restaurant in West Hartford Center.”