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

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By Ronni Newton

It’s the shortest month of the year, but even without it being leap year I always feel like February is the longest month of the year. Thankfully prognosticating groundhogs Punxsutawney Phil and Chuckles XI (resident at the Lutz Children’s Museum in Manchester), and even Nantucket’s official expert on the arrival of spring, Quentin the Quahog, are predicting an early spring.

Millie mistook “Groundhog Day” for “Hedgehog Day,” and is seen here protecting the largest of her multiple prized hedgehogs.

Last week seemed long and tough – and many other people said that as well – but I think we were all affected by the gloomy weather. It was glorious to see the sun shining all weekend even if it was still chilly.

I’ve been waiting for certain details to be confirmed about a couple of news items that surfaced last week, but have included what I can in the bullet points below. Please read all the way to the end for news of closings.

Last week did include some definitely positive highlights, like reporting on the great visit by Piglet (the deaf, blind pink puppy) to Quaker Lane Cooperative Nursery School. Piglet is known nationally (and even internationally), and I was so excited for this event. You can read the story (and of course there are lots of photos) here.

I also enjoyed getting together for happy hour at Union Kitchen on Friday to catch up with my former co-worker Susan Schoenberger.

Ted and I didn’t want to miss any part of the Duke vs. Carolina mens basketball game on Saturday night so we got takeout from the Rockin Chicken. I’ve been meaning to go there since the Newington location opened last summer in a former Dunkin’ Donuts space at the corner of West Hill Road and Willard Avenue, right over the West Hartford line. It’s owned by Kate and Miguel Colán, who have operated a location in Hartford’s South End (476 Franklin Avenue) for several years.

On the “about us” section of the restaurant’s website, Miguel Colán wrote that he was inspired by the charcoal rotisserie chicken he had growing up in Lima, Peru. “The Rockin Chicken grew out of my dream to recreate those dining experiences so dear to my family’s heart,” he wrote. The chickens are fresh, marinated for 24 hours “in a special secret blend,” and then roasted in a charcoal oven that was brought directly from Peru. We tried the chicken (so delicious) as well as the Lomo Saltado bowl, and some empanadas, and it was fantastic. I can’t wait to go back! (Visit the website for more details.)

The Duke game was a lowlight of the weekend (although the UConn games were great), but dinner from the Rockin Chicken was definitely a highlight.

A few photos of our dinner are directly below, and there are some more at the end of the column that show the space and the posted menu.

If you’re looking for news about West Hartford in print please note that many stories from We-Ha.com, as well as other local news, is published in the twice-monthly issues of the West Hartford Press.

• That logo above will soon be on a sign hanging on the building at 179 Park Road. Americana Restaurant & Bar has not been sold, but the restaurant’s name and theme is being changed to Salt + Lime Mexican Cantina, said Mike Walker, who has taken over the general manager role. (Walker, who opened WeHa Fit in November 2022, has a long history in the hospitality industry as well as in the fitness industry.) Owners Julie and Enrique Rodriguez opened Americana last April, but the restaurant wasn’t nearly as busy as they hoped, and they are optimistic for the success of the new concept. Some of the most popular dishes on the current menu will remain (like burgers and wings, and the birria tacos which already fit the new theme) but otherwise, “we’re going full Mexican,” Walker said. The overall vibe and style will be similar to Sayulita in Glastonbury or Rosa Mexicano in Blue Back Square, he said and some new menu highlights will include shrimp and lobster enchiladas, fajitas served sizzling hot, chicken mole, Mexican chicken cordon bleu, and soups. Some of the decor will be transformed as well, and there will be a new mural painted using “Baja colors.” As for the timeline of the transition, “We’re hoping for early March,” said Walker. He anticipates just a few days at most of downtime for painting and other minor updates. The patio will reopen in the spring, and a grand opening celebration will also be announced.

• I hadn’t noticed much activity in the past few months at the space that is going to be NY Deli & Grill at 76 LaSalle Road, but there’s now a new sign up and a flurry of permits and other work taking place. It’s owned by Faisal Nasher, owner of Qais Convenience Store, which is located in the space next door, and he is partnering with the owner of New York Deli in Hartford. According to our previous conversation, they plan to serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, and coffee, and while the restaurant will be mostly takeout, there will be seating for less than a dozen people. No announcement yet of the opening date.

• The sign is also up for Soul Bowls, which will be opening at 1142 New Britain Avenue. Soul Bowls already has a location in Hartford and serves “new American soul food.” It’s owned by West Hartford native Willie Fair and his partners Chef Hughann Thomas (who like Fair is a Conard graduate), and Malik Golden. I can’t wait and will definitely announce the opening plans as soon as possible!

• One of our readers asked me what was going on with the Metro Gas Station in Elmwood (1137 New Britain Avenue) because it looked like it was being demolished. I either wasn’t paying enough attention while driving by, or the work just started, but in any case the station is not being closed permanently. The tanks are being replaced, and a new canopy and lighting and other updates are being installed according to records on file with the town. The convenience store, which was recently renovated, appears to still be open. (Excuse the dark photo. The days are getting longer, but not quite long enough.)

• There was a lot of buzz last week about The Bakery by The Place 2 Be which is being built out in the space at 69 Memorial Road formerly occupied by Spot Coffee in Blue Back Square. On Wednesday there were images shared on social media of a letter taped to the window from an attorney (dated Jan. 19) that indicated they were being told to vacate the space by Feb. 2 for violation of the lease. The letter was removed that day. I have made lots of phone calls and done other research, but there is no official information available regarding the status. Over the weekend I did, however, receive the following statement from Gina Luari, owner of The Statement Group: “Despite an unexpected delay in opening we are confident that we are going to add The Bakery to our growing list of restaurants in Connecticut and beyond.”

• There are quite a few Westfarms updates to share – which is common at this time of year when many leases turn over – and thank you to Jean-Luc Dube of The Connecticut Scoop for some of these scoops and photos. Updates include Icing moving into the former Body Shop space, Kilim relocating to the space next to Munsons, and the closing of Brighton Collectibles and Lucky Brand. “The movement within Westfarms makes way for new, exciting brands that are coming to the shopping center within the next couple of months,” said Amanda Sirica, Westfarms spokesperson.

• A reader asked me about the status of Park Lane Pizza (337 Park Road) which has been closed for a few weeks due to repairs of a ceiling that collapsed after a pipe burst. They are still closed, but work is taking place. I’ll update as soon as I know about the reopening date.

• Did you know that Hot Basil (565 New Park Avenue) also has a vegan Thai restaurant operation called Blue Ginger Vegan Thai? Thanks to reporter Tracey Weiss for coming across this news while looking for a restaurant in Boston over the weekend. You can order from the vegan menu online or inside the restaurant.

• Tax season is here, and West Hartford resident Humaira Salehi shared that she has just opened Connecticut Tax Service right across the town line at 1978 Park Street in Hartford. In addition to tax preparation work, the business will be offering year-round services such as home insurance, renters’ insurance, car insurance, assistance with filling out unemployment forms, state applications for medical and SNAP benefits, etc.

• Max’s Winter Wine Festival at The Bushnell: Giving Back Never Tasted So Good, was held last Wednesday and was a great success, with about 500 people in attendance, according to Max’s Operations Manager Bobby Venetianer. The event was a collaboration between the Max Cares Foundation – which provides career-track scholarships to promising students in the fields of hospitality and the culinary arts, and also makes grants to select nonprofits in Greater Hartford and Greater Springfield communities – and Max Hospitality. The food and wine tasting included a “Taste of Max” with offerings from all of the local restaurants, including the three in West Hartford (Max’s Oyster Bar, Savoy, and Max Burger), prepared by the team of executive chefs, as well as hundreds of wines, and will definitely return next year, Venetianer said. Photos of the West Hartford teams, and a few more, are below.

• This news come toward the end of the column because it seems be in the “closed for good” category. Last week we reported that a notice was posted on the window and door of Division West (36 LaSalle Road) indicating that their sales and use tax permit had been suspended. I’ve also been informed that the restaurant is being asked to vacate the premises not only for non-payment of taxes, but also for non-payment of rent. The restaurant has remained dark since Jan. 18 (a notice on social media initially said the reopening was planned for Jan. 22, but that did not happen), and now the phone number has been disconnected.

• In other closing news, the CVS inside the Bishops Corner Target store is closing as of Feb. 29. Prescriptions will be automatically transferred to the CVS right across the street in Bishops Corner (344 North Main Street) unless further action is taken by a customer, according to an employee at the Target CVS. The remainder of the operations of the Target store will not be affected.
• ICYMI, this Thursday is the annual Connecticut Foundation for Open Government (CFOG) “Stories Behind the Big Stories” panel discussion. I’m on the board of CFOG, and planning to attend what is always a fascinating discussion with a panel of journalists who have reported on some of the state’s most notable stories. Leslie Mayes of NBC Connecticut will return as moderator. Click here for the details.

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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