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

We’ve had some beautiful weather the past few days (sadly for me I had already returned from the beach by the time the rain stopped), but another heatwave is on the horizon. I’m going to be watching the weather forecast very closely with my fingers crossed as my son Sam’s wedding is now less than two weeks away!

I’ve been very appreciative of the great articles contributed recently by our team of interns (Maddie O’Connell and Roz Green), as well as fabulous features by Melissa Cole (see her latest on the communication board at Eisenhower Park here) and the “Catching Up With” series by sports reporter Paul Palmer (see the most recent here). Look for many more of their articles in the coming weeks!

Once I was back home I did quite a bit of catching up with the progress of construction projects in town, and there are updated photos included below of the work on Farmington Avenue in the Center, Animal Control, and at the former UConn property. I didn’t have any updates in my Business Buzz column last week, so the changes appear more dramatic than usual.

Sam and Kate were able to spend a few days with us, and on Monday we celebrated a promotion Sam had received at work at one of our new favorite Nantucket restaurants, Casa Real, which serves Mexican and Salvadoran food. It’s not a fancy or touristy spot – which is one of the things we like about it – and was also a great place to also watch a World Cup game during dinner.

Other dining experiences for me in the past week included a lunch meeting at City Kebab House in Hartford with owner (and West Hartford resident) Timur Rahkimov that included some delicious food, and Saturday night’s yummy dinner at the new Fat Duck Tavern in Blue Back Square as part of the reporting of the featured item in this column. Scroll to the bullet points for photos of our dinner at the Fat Duck Tavern, along with other photos and info about the new restaurant!

We have had quite a few comments in the past week – including a few who have not provided their full names, some of whom have not yet replied to my email request to include their full names. Thank you to all who 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].

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Here’s this week’s Buzz:

• Fat Duck Tavern is now open in the former Vinted space at 63 Memorial Road in Blue Back Square! I had gotten a sneak peek at the interior back in April when I happened to meet Anton Berseneva – who owns Fat Duck Tavern along with his wife Tatiana Berseneva – and I have been closely following the progress as the planned opening neared. When I saw a social media post on Friday morning that they were open for dinner, I headed over ASAP and was excited to meet Tatiana, who shared that they had a “very soft” and quiet opening on Thursday night and plan to ramp up hours and the menu over the coming days and weeks. I made a reservation for Saturday night dinner – and everything was delicious, and the service was great! In the renovation, they kept some of the same elements from the former Vinted space, but also updated the decor and it’s a bit brighter, and of course there’s plenty of duck-themed art on the walls and shelves. Opening their own restaurant had always been the couple’s dream – with Anton having years of experience as a chef and Tatiana on the front-of-house side – and a year ago they opened their first location at 44 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT. When they first looked at and secured the Madison space they didn’t yet have a name picked out, but according to our server the name Fat Duck Tavern came about because they were inspired by a fat duck that was hanging around outside the doorway! Other than the Brussels Sprouts appetizer (one of my favorites that I order at many restaurants, and their version was excellent), we followed the duck theme in deciding on our meals on Saturday night. I started with a “Fuzzy Baby Ducks” IPA (one of my favorite beers), and had a delicious Duck Bolognese (fresh tagliatelle topped with duck ragout and fresh parm). The servings are ample, and I look forward to a second meal of the pasta. Ted had the “Fat Duck Burger” – which is beef, not actually duck – but is topped with Foie Gras along with shaved 4-year cheddar, bacon tomato compote, and frizzled onion, and served with house fries. Even the initial short menu has a wide variety of options with vegan and gluten-free options clearly indicated on the menu, and an extensive selection of craft cocktails and wine, along with excellent draft beers. All items are “prepared sourcing only the finest meats from farms and producers who share our values of quality, sustainability, and ethical practices. Our menu reflects these partnerships — with each cut of meat chosen for its exceptional flavor and integrity,” the website states. “This community has such a rich appreciation for great food and gathering around the table, and we’re honored to be part of Blue Back Square’s outstanding mix of dining destinations. We look forward to serving new friends and longtime fans alike with dishes that bring people together – celebrating flavor, quality and warmth in every bite,” Anton and Tatiana said in the initial announcement of their plans to open in West Hartford. Initial hours are Tuesday through Friday from 3 to 9 p.m., and there are plans to add happy hour starting at 3 p.m. this Thursday, and will plan to add Saturday and Sunday brunch beginning at 11 a.m. next week. They plan to have the same menu as the Madison location, which you can find here.

• West Hartford resident Collette Morton has launched her newest business venture – Wildberry Creative Space – a mobile art and sensory play studio offering fine arts lessons for all ages, sensory and art project sessions for ages 18 months-14 years, and art or themed parties for any age group or event. Collette is the owner of Wildberry Creative Co., a creative collective focused on unique art and designs. She shared that this extension is a way to get back to her love for working with children, having been a caregiver for over 10 years, and her background in fine arts (she has a BA degree) and sensory art instruction. Wildberry Creative Space also has two other instructors – Maeve and Emilie – who also have an extensive background in teaching, childcare, and working with children on the autism spectrum. All are all West Hartford residents and will travel within 30 miles. “While every child or person may not want to be an artist, everyone can benefit from the creative exploration, problem solving, and fine-motor skill building that art and sensory play offers,” Collette said. “They will set up, guide, and clean up so you can just have fun with your child without the stress of doing it yourself, or connect and grow in art. You can also have them host your party or relax and spend some childfree time doing other things around the home while they encourage creative process play,” she added. For more information, visit the website.

• West Hartford resident Keara Boisjolie has launched Recycled Charm, a curated luxury consignment shop. Currently the business is operating online, but she will be holding her first pop-up on July 23, from 6-9 p.m., at a location in West Hartford that will be provided to those who register to attend either by email ([email protected]) or through Instagram (@recycledcharm). It’s the first of a series of pop-ups she will be hosting around town. “The idea behind Recycled Charm – ‘secondhand, first class’ – is that style isn’t about having more, it’s about having the right pieces. Fast fashion carries a real cost that most of us never see: 92 million tons of textile waste a year, thousands of liters of water behind a single garment. Consignment is a quieter answer to that. Every piece that stays in circulation is one that doesn’t end up in a landfill, and I curate each one for craftsmanship and timelessness rather than volume. It’s circular fashion, made simple – and, I think, beautiful,” she said.

• While walking through Blue Back Square on Friday, I noticed that the Wonder space (91 Memorial Road) looked nearly complete and there were people inside. I was able to meet the general manager, and also learned that there is a slight delay in the opening date, which had been announced as July 27. A sign in the window states that the new date is Aug. 6, but he said all the pieces – including a few more items to complete in the kitchen and inspections – need to fall into place perfectly for that to happen, and otherwise the opening will be Aug. 13. “From poke and pasta to tacos and Thai, Wonder brings you 15+ iconic restaurants with endless ordering options. Everyone gets exactly what they want, in a single order, with $0 delivery fees,” states the message that accompanies the “coming soon” flag on the Wonder website, and based on the signage on the window it appears that the West Hartford location will feature dishes from Bobby Flay Steakhouse, Royal Greens Salad, Tejas Barbecue, Detroit Brick Pizza, Yasas Mediterranean, Limesalt Mexican, Streetbird Mexican, Alanza Italian, and more. Wonder has five locations already open in Connecticut (Stamford, Fairfield, Westport, Milford, and Newington), and West Hartford is one of six slated to open this summer.

• While I was away last week the window wraps went up on the future Level99 in The Corbin Collection,(there was a story on local Fox61 news) so I stopped by to take a current photo! Level99 was featured in last week’s column, and prior to that I had received an update about the opening plans from spokesperson Rachel Scheinfeld. “We continue to make progress on our construction and are still on track for an end-of-year opening. We can’t wait to open to the West Hartford community,” she said in an email. Level99, an experiential business that combines dining with other activities, will offer 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 restaurant area which will be a collaboration with Two Roads Kitchen & Tap. Level99 currently has four other locations – Natick, MA; Providence, RI; Tysons Corner, VA; and Disney Springs, FL. More information about Level99 can be found here.

• Chris Parles and Justin Feldstein are launching West Hartford AI, and will be holding their first meetup on July 29 at the West Hartford Conference Center (Town Hall auditorium), from 6-8 p.m., and will also be planning a series of hands-on workshops in the coming months, including one that’s very basic on the fundamentals. They are looking to work with professionals and small business owners – from any industry – who are looking to automate tasks that otherwise end up being “busy work.”  Click here for more details.

• The awning and sign has now been installed for Bliss Matcha & Beyond (former Boost Bowls space at 981 Farmington Avenue), and from what I can see it looks like the build-out will be completed soon.

• More progress of the construction of the new Animal Control facility on Brixton Street, and it’s at that stage where every week it looks remarkably different! I didn’t have a photo last week, and in the past two weeks the roof and exterior walls have been completed!

• Permits have now been issued for demolition of all of the remaining buildings that were part of the UConn property at 1800 Asylum Avenue. The former Undergrad building is now gone, as is another smaller building next to it, and it appears that the IT building will be next. The former library, which faces Asylum Avenue, is surrounded by construction fencing and although there are plenty of broken windows, it doesn’t appear as if the purposeful demolition has started yet. Remediation of the contaminants will need to be completed before construction of Heritage Park can begin.

• There has been much more progress in the past two week on the construction that is taking place as part of the West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan. It’s kind of a maze right now on the south side of Farmington Avenue between Music & Arts and Jenny Andre Hair & Skin Spa, and particularly near Zohara, where the majority of the impact on businesses is taking place right now  – but please note that all businesses remain open and accessible!

• At the same time, there is also construction taking place on Farmington Avenue just east of North Main Street, where a 10-foot, two-way bike lane is being construction with funding from a community connectivity grant. Updates are being made to the sidewalk where cyclists will cross South Main Street on the way to and from the Center. A mobility hub will also be constructed adjacent to the Veterans Memorial.

• I took some photos of the Center Park Place construction as well. It looks like they’ve made a lot of progress over the past few weeks.

• Also seen on Farmington Avenue – the EY sign is now up as renovation is underway at 1001 Farmington Avenue for the new headquarters of Ernst & Young.

• This isn’t business – but is an update that may interest many. The opening date for the Eisenhower Park pool is now July 20. Thanks to Brooke Kokus for the photo!

• Paul Schott of CT Insider broke the news Saturday that Otis Worldwide will be relocating its headquarters from Farmington to the Town Center building in West Hartford (29 South Main Street). “The company’s recent signing of a lease for 31,790 square feet at 29 S. Main St., at the Town Center complex in West Hartford, was disclosed in a leasing report published this week by real estate firm CBRE. Otis officials confirmed that the new offices would replace the company’s headquarters at 1 Carrier Place, at the intersection of Interstate 84 and Route 6, in Farmington. The new main offices will be about 5 miles northeast of the current location,” CT Insider reported. Read more here (I am a subscriber and have attempted to provide a gift link).
• 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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