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

Happy New Year to all! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and is (maybe) ready to get back to a regular work schedule.

It’s been two full weeks since the last Business Buzz, and while I don’t (and won’t) skip this column very often, I did it at the same time last year and very much appreciate the break, along with two weeks with a few skipped newsletters. With this year’s holiday schedule, there were two full weeks of altered schedules and not much business going on – and like many other people I’ve talked to, it was extremely hard to keep track of the day of the week.

We have personally been busy over the past two weeks since the last column. We had a wonderful Christmas celebration that included a Feast of the Seven Fishes” prepared by my sister’s boyfriend, Carmine Mancini – augmented by the “feast of the seven types of Goldfish crackers” supplied by my non-fish-eating sister (see the seven small bowls in the photo below).

We attended the UConn vs. Army game at the Fenway Bowl (highlight was the pregame lunch at The Kenmore and visiting Sam and Kate’s new apartment). It was very cold in Boston, but thanks to hand warmers, toe warmers, and a heated jacket that I received for Christmas, everything other than the outcome of the game was tolerable. We had already renewed our season tickets for next year …

A quick shout-out to the West Hartford Fire Department, which has been very busy lately throughout town and was called into action while we were at CT Shower & Bath on that very rainy day early last week (I think it was Monday!) shopping for a new kitchen faucet. Suddenly it was raining (pouring) from the ceiling inside the showroom – and Ted and I helped the owners and staff try to figure out what had happened and how to mitigate any damage, which included immediately relocating a free-standing display bathtub under the worst part of the waterfall. A call was made to the West Hartford Fire Department (the ceiling tiles were quickly becoming saturated and in danger of falling), and their quick thinking and creative problem-solving was able to stop the flow from what ultimately appeared to be a burst pipe.

The wind abated long enough for us to make it to Nantucket in time for New Year’s Eve, which we celebrated at The Brotherhood of Thieves – one of about five or six (not kidding) restaurants open that night. We walked on the snowy beach (challenging with 20-plus mph winds and windchills in the low teens at best), had some great visits with Ted’s mom, watched UConn men and women as well as the Duke men and Duke football team win some great games, and prepared some yummy food ourselves.

We returned home Saturday evening in time for a delicious dinner at Zaytoon Mediterranean Kitchen!

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.

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].

**************************************************

Here’s this week’s Buzz:

• It’s the time of year when many people focus on health and wellness – and a perfect time to share the news about a new business that’s coming to West Hartford. I had a great conversation late last month with Courtney Delvecchio, owner of Sweatfluence, and Rachel Gerould, who will be opening the first franchise location of the business this year. Rachel will be the first franchisee, said Courtney, who said she started planning for the expansion of the business about six months ago. Currently there are two Sweatfluence locations – in Old Saybrook and on the Yale campus in New Haven. Courtney described Sweatfluence as “hot vinyasa yoga,” but with a unique approach. “We use infrared heat, steam, and fresh air,” Courtney said. “It’s so important because when people go into a hot space without fresh air it’s suffocating,” and that’s not healthy. Their customized system heats the body in a healthy way, and according to their website, “creates the ultimate environment for transformation: safely intense, deeply detoxifying, and incredibly energizing.” Rachel has been working at Sweatfluence for about four years, she said, and is excited to open the West Hartford studio. She’s not yet at liberty to disclose the exact location yet, but told me it will be near the Center, and will have accessible parking both on the street and in a garage. She plans to have approximately five classes per day, and employ between five and 10 staff. Classes will be for ages 16 and up, all levels, and will include slow flow and power classes. Fancy and matching yoga attire is not required, nor is any existing level of fitness, and Courtney said the goal is to welcome anyone and everyone, even those who are new to the practice of yoga. “The wellness world is becoming so aesthetic, and that’s getting away from the core of what it’s supposed to be,” she said. “The goal is to be open early summer 2026,” Courtney said, adding that she has a very ambitious franchise expansion plan for two or three more locations in Connecticut followed by a national expansion to all 50 states in the next five years. I’ll share the exact location as soon as the landlord gives the okay, and in the meantime, for more information, visit the website sweatfluence.com or follow @sweatfluencehotyoga on Instagram.

• I was hoping that Mozz & Co (22 Raymond Road) might be open by the time I returned to town, but I checked with owner Joey Cusano who said he’s looking at the end of January or first week of February. The website is already populated with a menu that looks absolutely amazing, and I can’t wait for the opening!

• The build-out is still underway for Char-cu-te-rie, which will be opening at 80 Memorial Road in Blue Back Square. In the original announcement in September, owner Anna Estiandan was targeting a fall opening, but there have been some fairly extensive renovations (the exterior was encased in plastic for at least a week or so), and hopefully the opening will be soon!

• West Hartford resident and author Paul Tieger, and his co-author Michael Shelby, who is a licensed professional counselor with a master’s in psychology, are hosting several appearances locally to introduce their new book, “ReConnect: A personalized plan to protect your child from anxiety and depression due to digital addiction.” According to Tieger, the program is designed for parents, educators, and mental health professionals. “Many of you are familiar with The Anxious Generation, which sounded the alarm about the very damaging impact of digital addiction on children. ReConnect provides a unique solution,” Tieger said in an email. Appearances are at Barnes & Noble at the Shops at Farmington Valley in Canton on Saturday, Jan. 17 (1 p.m.), Barnes & Noble in Blue Back Square on Saturday, Jan. 24 (1 p.m.), and at the West Hartford Public Library Noah Webster Branch on Wednesday, Feb. 18 (6:30 p.m.).

• The appearances noted above are at several local Barnes & Noble stores, but not the location that’s in the Westfarms area. (I know that this is not a West Hartford location, but it’s so close and in a no-man’s land so I do cover it if possible.) That’s likely because it is closing soon, and the building is being subdivided into three spaces – a new location for Hannoush Jewelers, which purchased the building and will be relocating from their longtime space at Westfarms to the building that has an address of 1581-1599 SE Road, and is just over the West Hartford line but technically is partially in Newington and partially in Farmington. According to the application, which was unanimously approved by the Newington Town Plan and Zoning Commission on Nov. 24, 2025,  the space will include 6,226 square feet for Hannoush closest to the road, 7,312 square feet for the Goldfish Swim School in the rear of the space, and an as-yet unnamed tenant (appears to be an office based on permit records) will have 8,159 square feet in the center of the building. “Goldfish Swim School provides dedicated only swim lessons to kids 4 months to 12 years of age,” the application states, focusing “extensively on water safety and swim lessons for the largest demographic of children to ensure everyone has access to these programs. There is a lack of dedicated pools that teach this life safety skill and we feel this is a great community resource for this area.” There’s a “for lease” sign out front that indicates the Goldfish Swim School is opening soon, but Barnes & Noble had a sign taped to their door when I stopped by last week indicating that they will be closing that location but moving nearby.

• From the Town of West Hartford: “AARP Connecticut announced the 10 top-scoring livable communities across the state, as part of the 10th anniversary of the AARP Livability Index platform – the most comprehensive, web-based tool of its kind that scores every neighborhood and community in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for the services and amenities that improve people’s quality of life. West Hartford ranked as the most livable community in Connecticut. Vision Zero initiatives and road safety improvements were among the reasons for the top ranking. Based on the AARP Livability Index platform, the top 10 communities in Connecticut are: West Hartford, Hartford, Essex, Farmington, Newington, New Haven, Wethersfield, Middletown, Old Saybrook, and Groton. While some communities in Connecticut have made significant strides, such as expanding public transportation options and enhancing green spaces, every community still has work to do to promote livability and ensure people can stay in their homes and communities as they age. Particularly, Connecticut’s top communities should focus on improving affordable housing options.” The complete list can be found here.

• One of the first – if not the first – babies born in Connecticut in 2026 is the child of a West Hartford family. Hartford HealthCare announced “special deliveries ushering in joy” on New Year’s Day, sharing that Isla Marie Frost was born at Hartford Hospital on Jan. 1, 2026, at 12:08 a.m., weighing 7 pounds 2.3 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. “Mom, Amy Frost from West Hartford, and Isla’s siblings are overwhelmed with happiness. Congratulations to the Frost family on their little bundle of joy!” Hartford HealthCare announced in an email.

• Steve Boyle, West Hartford resident and executive director of 2-4-1 CARE, (2-4-1 Sports) a Hartford-based youth sports nonprofit dedicated to giving all kids access to sport sampling and youth development, testified to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education on Dec. 16, 2025, according to a news release. Boyle was joined by Tom Farrey of the Aspen Institute; Katherine Van Dyck, antitrust expert at the American Economic Liberties Project; and John O’Sullivan, coach and executive of the Changing the Game Project. Hosted by Chairman Kevin Kiley of California, the hearing also featured Committee member and Connecticut Congresswoman Jahana Hayes delivering remarks to Boyle. In the hearing, titled “Benched: The Crisis in American Youth Sports and its Cost to Our Future,” Boyle shared the distinct challenges youth of different backgrounds face: for underprivileged youth, a lack of access to play and sport programming, and for children from affluent families, a push towards sport specialization. Boyle emphasized that wide availability of and participation in youth sports has manifest benefits on students’ mental and physical health, academic wellbeing, and sense of community. “Youth sports are not extracurricular. They are foundational and essential,” Boyle shared. Calling upon 2-4-1’s successful school- and community-based play programming in Hartford and East Hartford, Boyle suggested lawmakers support schools as anchors for youth sport programs. A recording of the hearing is available on YouTube here.

• Effie’s Place Family Restaurant (91 Park Road) shared on their Facebook page last week that a new service is now avaiable in the parking lot: “Our new EV charger is up and running. We are the only restaurant in West Hartford offering a general EV charger on premiss! Charge while you dine.

• In today’s sad news department, Warehouse 365, located at 635 New Park Avenue, has closed its doors at least temporarily. Owner Camille Hudson posted the following message on Dec. 29:

• ICYMI, instead of Business Buzz, last Monday’s newsletter was highlighted by our annual “top stories” article. You can find the complete details here.
• West Hartford-based Camden Grace Interiors completed thir fifth annual “Merry Makeover,” this time transforming the new apartment of a Journey Home client. Click here to read the full story.
• Click here to listen to the latest episode of On The Scene with podcast hosts Tom Hickey and Bob Carr, who welcome longtime Connecticut journalist Dennis House for a wide-ranging, community-focused conversation that connects local stories to the bigger picture. Dennis shares behind-the-scenes moments from a career spent telling Connecticut’s stories, from memorable interviews to the curiosity that drives real journalism.

• 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].

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.