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

To say that this past week and the weekend have been busy would be a major understatement.

There have been major highs and lows in this town over the past week – Celebrate! West Hartford, the kick-off of Pride Month, and recognition for a middle school student who saved the life of a friend who was choking and the clean-up of the home of a local veteran have been among the positives. But there have been some gut-wrenching stories to cover – two pedestrian crashes, one of which was fatal and was followed by a vigil, and the other which was a hit and run (although West Hartford Police located and arrested the driver involved).

In the first three days of last week there were six home playoff games involving both Conard and Hall teams, and two more home games later in the week – one of which was Conard vs. Hall.

Mixed in with that were many personal obligations with family, as well as running the Celebrate! West Hartford 5K (didn’t train, didn’t try to run as fast as possible, but was thrilled to be fourth in my age group), working in the Central Info Booth at Celebrate! as part of the Festival Committee, and attending “Back to the Future” at the Bushnell and “The Baroness” at Playhouse on Park (both fabulous shows – and it was the world premiere of “The Baroness”), and in between the opening of the Tracey Wilson History Center at the Noah Webster House.

You may have noticed an assortment of new and different bylines on We-Ha.com over the past few weeks. Thank you so much to our School-To-Career interns from Conard and Hall – Jack Fitzgerald, Ryan Leef, Anthony Hubbard, Bridget Dawson, and Kayleigh Martin – who have all been writing multiple stories for the site. All pitched in and covered the sporting events this week when neither Paul Palmer nor I were available – and thank you also to Conard student Cole Schweiger and the always-awesome Craig Rosenberg for sharing their sports photos.

Intern Roz Green (rising sophomore at Hart) has been writing for We-Ha.com for a few weeks, and her latest was a heart-warming story of how a middle schooler used the Heimlich maneuver to save his friend who was choking. He received a Lifesaving award from the West Hartford Fire and West Hartford Police Departments at Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting. Last week we also welcomed Mia Jaworski, a recent UConn graduate with a degree in journalism. She’s already covered several stories, including about the transformation of the home of a West Hartford veteran by a team of volunteers.

My grandson has appreciated my new collection of hardhats (he’s been wearing them when I drive him to his gymnastics class) – and my most recent tour is the featured item in today’s column.

We had a wonderful dinner at Salt + Lime with Jessica and John Lyons on Friday night before attending “The Baroness” at Playhouse on Park. Both Ted and I were at Celebrate! all day Saturday, and were still damp from being out in the rain so we stayed in Saturday night. I forgot to take a photo of my Pad Thai lunch from the Sweet Chili booth at Celebrate! on Saturday, but I did photograph my delicious coffee from Happy Tails.

Also, a shout-out to Café Louise for the great food we enjoyed on the patio for my birthday dinner last week – and to my sister for the mud bar dessert complete with a spinning candle carousel that would not stop playing music until we yanked out the battery.

A note from a long-time advertiser:

Camp KO at Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford still has space available for all weekly sessions: June 16-27 and July 14-Aug. 8. Camp KO offers dynamic sports, arts, and academic programs for students entering grades 3-10, all on a beautiful, college-like campus. Learn more at kingswoodoxford.org/camp-ko-summer or go straight to registration to secure your spot!

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.

No trolls again this week – now five weeks in a row! Thank you for commenting with your full names! 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 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:

• It’s been about four months since Wampanoag Country Club hosted a “topping out” ceremony as the final steel beam was lifted into place atop the frame of the building that will replace the previous structure that was destroyed in a fire in April 2024, and the process of rebuilding the clubhouse is on schedule. Last Thursday I had a sneak peek hardhat tour with Wampanoag President Glenn Cunningham, General Manager Isaac Storandt, and KBE Building Corporation Project Supervisor Sal Emanuele. The progress seems truly remarkable, with the new structure literally rising from the ashes of the former building – in nearly the same place. At the groundbreaking in November 2024 the renderings of the new clubhouse were unveiled, and as the construction continues, club members and management are more excited than ever for the planned grand opening in late October. “It’s very inspiring for our members,” Storandt said. “They’re over the moon excited,” said Cunningham. The roof is on, the windows are being installed, and the structure is “dried in, pretty much water tight,” said Cunningham, allowing work to really get going on the interior. Some of the brand new amenities that the new clubhouse will offer to members include spaces for kids and teen activities, a gym, and steam and sauna facilities, all on the lower level where there are also locker rooms and cart storage. “We surveyed the members and asked them in a perfect world, what would they want,” said Cunningham. While the footprint of the new building is roughly unchanged – and the location of the porte cochere and entryway is just a bit closer to road and at a slightly higher elevation – the new clubhouse has a second floor and more flexible spaces. The main floor includes a dining area that is also available for rental, and with a patio with bar that runs all along the rear (seating for about two dozen people plus high-tops) offering sweeping views of the Donald Ross-designed golf course and the fire pit area – which was left untouched by the fire. Transom windows allow plenty of natural light into the banquet space as well. Even though it’s still very much a construction site, it’s easy to see that the grand staircase will be a striking element of the lobby space – which will also feature extensive millwork and a large table – and from the main entrance you can also see straight through the building to the golf course beyond. The main level also includes a pre-function room, with intended use for bridal parties. Four weddings are already booked for 2026, Cunningham said. The upper level will include a members-only dining area and bar, upper level terrace with a bar and views on three sides, a board room, card room, and dual golf simulators. “From up here you can count eight of the nine greens on the front 9,” Cunningham said, standing on the upper-level terrace. The new kitchen wasn’t accessible on the tour, but Cunningham said Wampanoag’s chef had a hand in the design, and they have the ability to run two separate lines – for events and member dining – at the same time. “It’s been a fun project, coordinating and collaborating,” Emanuele said. Cunningham said that being a “design/build” project has allowed the construction to progress much faster than many other projects, and the design itself was completed in just 50 days. He’s very thankful to KBE, Newman Architects, and the building committee for making it possible. The golf course and pool have been able to continue operations during the construction, and a 30-foot-by-75-foot tent on the grounds – referred to as the “Chalet” – has been used for dining and special events.

• Last week I shared the below photo of Play It Again Sports, which had indicated a few months back that they would be moving within West Hartford, and then posted a sign in the window noting that their new location will be 635 New Park Avenue, and will include free parking and a full-service bike shop. I spoke to Manager Steven Gerwick last week, and he said they hope to complete the move by the end of June or beginning of July. “We outgrew our space and needed to move, but wanted to stay in West Hartford,” he said. The new space is the former Wagging Tails doggy daycare and indoor dog park (that business moved to Newington over the winter) in Building 5, and the easy access to the Trout Brook Trail is perfect for expanding the bike-related operations, with perhaps bike rental coming in the future. The interior is being built to their specs, and will include a full-fledged bike shop. Gerwick said.

• The new Chick-fil-A in Bishops Corner (former McDonald’s space at 2534 Albany Avenue) has looked complete for a while, and I just got word a few days ago that they will be opening this Thursday, June 12. The 5,000-square-foot location will be open Monday through Saturday, from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with dine-in and carry-out as well as delivery and catering – but no drive-through – and will employ roughly 90 people, according to a media release. Most new Chick-fil-A stores are built with drive-throughs – including the existing West Hartford location at 509 New Park Avenue, which opened in February 2017. That location was built from scratch what part of the parking lot in front of Home Depot and PJs, and the New Park location, which is in an industrial zone, was eligible to have a drive-through – which was recently renovated – even before the West Hartford Town Council modified its zoning regulations in September 2021. The Bishops Corner location does not meet the requirements for a drive-through under the new zoning. I also asked for information about the owner-operator of the new location, and received the following statement: “Chick-fil-A Bishops Corner will be a company-owned restaurant at the time of its opening. Once a local Owner-Operator is selected for Chick-fil-A Bishops Corner and they complete the necessary training, Chick-fil-A, Inc. will transition ownership by franchising the restaurant to the newly appointed local Owner-Operator. We look forward to opening Chick-fil-A Bishops Corner next week and serving the West Hartford community.” Chick-fil-A did provide more information about their commitment to the local community, noting that the opening will be celebrated with a  $25,000 donation to Feeding America to support local hunger relief efforts of Connecticut Foodshare, and participation int the Chick-fil-A Shared Table program, which redirects surplus food to local nonprofits and has helped to create over 35 million meals to date.

• Westfarms is excited to be named the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce‘s “Economic Driver of the Year,” an honor which will be formally recognized at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Spotlight Awards Celebration on June 24, and the shopping center shared multiple updates this week in a news release: “Continuing to add to its unique merchandising mix, Westfarms has welcomed several new stores over the last quarter and looks forward to welcoming additional brands this summer. Specialty formal apparel retailer for women, Windsor, opened its doors in the lower level of the Nordstrom wing in a 4,076 square foot space March 31. The brand offers a wide range of clothing items from casual wear to elegant formal wear, and specializes in special occasion dresses. The store opened its doors in time to showcase its Spring 2025 collection for prom and wedding season. Making its Connecticut market entrance at Westfarms in April, Manhattan’s Caffé Arrone parked its delivery truck in the Center Court. Marking it the fifth location, the growing coffee brand features organic coffee brews from around the world with a full menu of rich café flavors and teas. The popular Jamba Juice, whirl’d famous flavors of plant-based smoothies, bowls with fresh fruit toppings, and protein-packed foods to go, will open in the lower-level entrance corridor near Arhaus and Texas de Brazil. The Atlanta-based company has over 750 locations nationwide. This will be the third location in Connecticut and is slated to open this summer. Zumiez, a leading specialty retailer for young men and women who want to express their individuality through apparel, footwear, accessories and skateboards will be opening in the Nordstrom wing this summer. The 2,867-square-foot store features the most popular streetwear brands including Affliction, Ed Hardy, Empyre, FB County, Von Dutch, and Plan B skateboards, to name a few. Also opening this summer, gorjana, the Laguana Beach, California-based jewelry brand is best known for its accessible and interchangeable jewelry pieces that go with everything. The 821 square foot store will open its second Connecticut store, and first to the Hartford market on the upper-level of Center Court. ‘We are proud of our continued growth and commitment to our retailers and shoppers at Westfarms,’ said General Manager Elizabeth Ryan. ‘We remain dedicated to enhancing our shopping experience with first to the area brands and customer favorites that will complement our existing line up at Westfarms.’ In addition, Kay Jewelers has recently reopened following a comprehensive renovation, and a storewide redesign is underway at American Eagle, with plans for reopening prior to the back-to-school shopping season.

• I’m going to elaborate on this in the future, but wanted to note that the Tracey M. Wilson West Hartford History Center at the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society had a grand opening and ribbon-cutting reception last week. Wilson, the former town historian who passed away in February, donated her extensive collection of papers and other documents to the Noah Webster House and they will be housed in the brand new archives in the museum’s basement.

• Congratulations to Cardon’s Hair Design, a West Hartford women-owned small business, which announced in a news release the celebration of their 40th Anniversary last week at 1226 Farmington Avenue. “Cardon’s was established in June 1985 by Carmina (Carmen) Luis and Donna Glembocki, hence the name ‘Cardon’s.’ After working together for five years in a local salon, they decided it was time to branch out and start their own. Throughout their ownership, they maintained a professional, modern, and talented salon while consistently staying up-to-date with the latest industry advancements. Carmen’s daughter, Andrea Luis, joined the team in 2000 and took over as owner in 2014, continuing the strong work ethic and guidance she received from Carmen and Donna. They strive to maintain a pleasant space for everyone to come, feel good, and look great! With a fantastic team of stylists – including the original owners Carmen and Donna – Cardon’s continues to be a successful, stylish hidden gem in the beautiful town of West Hartford.”

• As the West Hartford Center Infrastructure reconstruction progresses, I’ll continue to provide regular updates, including photos, in this column. It’s now been about 10 weeks since the project commenced, and according to a newsletter from the town last week, the work remains on schedule. According to the update, curbing has been substantially completed for Phases 1A and 1B, and electrical work is currently underway, with some portions are complete. The newsletter stated that Phases 2A and 2B are expected to begin in mid-June, and the project outreach team will be reaching out directly to the businesses located in the upcoming phases – which include the stretch of the east side of LaSalle Road from Bluemercury to Friendly Toast (including Iris Photography, Bridgewater Chocolate, Green Tails Market, Lil’ Hope, Penzey’s, Savoy, Jos. A Bank, and Shish Kebab House of Afghanistan), and on the west side from Union Kitchen to William Raveis (including Becker’s and Webster Bank). Below are some photos I took on Friday afternoon.

• When I was leaving Wampanoag last week I stopped to take a photo of the construction at The Elle. At the groundbreaking in January 2025, they said they were aiming for a June 2026 ribbon cutting. The $27 million project – an adaptive reuse and redevelopment of the former synagogue at 1244 North Main Street – will transform the vacant building into  49 units of housing, 80% of which will be affordable. The project is being developed by Trout Brook Realty Advisors and when complete The Elle will be managed by the West Hartford Housing Authority. Trout Brook Reality Advisors purchased the property, which includes the synagogue building and 1.83 acres of land, from Congregation Agudas Achim in December for $1.6 million.

• Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, owned by West Hartford resident Marc Labrie, has expanded and has now opened a second location in Ellington. The West Hartford store is located at 80 South Street.

• The Hospital for Special Care’s Ivan Lendl Golf Classic has raised $111,000 to fund the 35th anniversary of the Ivan Lendl Adaptive Sports Camp which will be taking place this year from July 28 to Aug. 1 at University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford. “The support shown towards the 35^th Anniversary of the HFSC Ivan Lendl Adaptive Sports Camp honors the legacy of camp founder Janeace Slifka [of West Hartford] and her family,” the organization announced in a news release. “When Janeace and her son, Jonathan, who was born with Spina Bifida, realized there were no opportunities for children living with a wheelchair to experience a summer camp, they were determined to change that. Through the March of Dimes, Jonathan and Ivan Lendl were able to connect, and eventually the Slifka’s and Ivan partnered up to develop the first adaptive sports camp in New England. Crista Durand, HFSC President & CEO stated, ‘[Janeace] was a mom on a mission who wanted to see her son play sports, make friends and most importantly, have FUN. And she did just that.’ In 1996, HFSC proudly continued Janeace’s mission for an inclusive camp and created an annual adaptive sports program that continues to prosper each year. Additionally, we are honored to share that Jonathon has taken on the role of the 2025 Golf Classic Chair.”

• The Connecticut Data Collaborative (CTData) is pleased to announce the appointment of West Hartford resident Keely Jones Stater to the position of Program Evaluation Specialist, with a primary focus on working with organizations to identify key program goals and design a framework to measure and evaluate program impact. “CTData’s mission is to connect people and data to promote informed decision-making and to advance equity in Connecticut. Program evaluation is an essential component, providing businesses, nonprofits, and government entities with the tools to develop policy initiatives and determine the effectiveness of new and existing programs,” states a news release. Slater has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame and a research focus on housing. She has worked in academia, research and advocacy nonprofits, and consulting firms over the course of her career, including more than a decade with the Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation in Connecticut. Most recently she was a Senior Research Associate at Abt Global.

• Toro Mexican Street Food (22 Raymond Road) has closed, at least temporarily. An online search indicates that it’s temporary, and when I went there a knocked on the door at time the restaurant would ordinarily be open the door was locked, but the interior was still intact. I haven’t been able to confirm the nature of the closing, or any further details, but will update when I can.

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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