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

Beware the Ides of March …

I’m writing this on March 15, and I hope the only impending occurrence that I really need to “beware” is the very changeable weather we have at this time of year. There were some spectacular weather days last week and all of our snow has melted, but although spring begins this Friday (March 20, 10:46 a.m.), other than a rainy and warm Monday, the forecast for this week doesn’t seem very springlike. I hope the beginning of the NCAA tournament this week doesn’t spell disaster for any of my favorite teams either …

Two years ago on this date my daffodils were already blooming. They aren’t anywhere near as far along this year, but have definitely perked up since last week and our neighbors across the street have snowdrops and crocuses in bloom!

Daffodils, March 15, 2026. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

First flowers of spring 2026. March 10, 2026. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Millie doesn’t mind the chilly weather since she’s still sporting her winter fur, but she’s getting a spring cut on Friday and will look like a very different dog.

Millie before her spring haircut. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

A Happy Birthday shout out to my daughter Katie! We celebrated on Saturday night with a St. Patrick’s Day dinner that you see pictured below, prepared by her husband and mother-in law! I did contribute birthday dessert – a flourless chocolate cake (not pictured) – one of my few “from scratch” baking specialties.

Corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and Irish soda bread. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Last week was also my sister’s birthday, and thanks to her boyfriend, Carmine Mancini, for hosting us for a great birthday dinner and creating this beautiful charcuterie board and a delicious meal!

Charcuterie board by Carmine Mancini. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Roast beef, mashed potatoes, garlic green beans. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

We did not have the opportunity for any West Hartford restaurant dining over the past week, amid meetings (including the town manager’s budget presentation), birthday celebrations, and the Connecticut Forum on Thursday night. We were guests at the pre-forum reception at the Connecticut Science Center – which included great views and a fabulous spread. I neglected to take a photo of the ravioli bar, which was outstanding.

Spread at the reception at the Connecticut Science Center before the CT Forum. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Ted and I did have breakfast in Middletown on Friday, as we are looking for a place for breakfast the morning after Sam’s wedding this July. While it’s not the right space for a post-wedding celebration, we did enjoy a delicious breakfast at Perk on Main.

Santa Fe Chicken wrap at Perk on Main. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Veggie bomb wrap at Perk on Main. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Good luck to the Conard and Hall hockey teams in the Frozen Four this week! Conard, which was state champion in Division III the past two years, is now in the semifinals in Division II. And Hall is in the semis of Division III! We will have coverage of both games (Hall plays Monday and Conard plays Tuesday) – and fingers crossed we will have reason to cover the championships as well!

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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:

Blu Olive sill be opening at 60 LaSalle Road. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• Blu Olive will be opening this year on LaSalle Road! Back in January 2025 I had reported that the space at 60 LaSalle Road, vacated when H&R Block moved a few doors up the street, was going to become South Bay, but learned last week that the restaurant group decided another of their newer concepts would be better suited for the space they had already leased. “Yes, we did. The name is going to be Blu Olive,” Vicente Siguenza said in a phone conversation. Siguenza and his siblings, Kleber and Nube, are partners in the family’s JS Restaurant Group and Blu Olive is one of their concepts, along with South Bay and Harvest, which opened in 2018 right next door at 64 LaSalle Road. “It’s going to be Mediterranean, leaning toward Italian,” as opposed to the more seafood-heavy South Bay concept they originally planned, Vicente told me. The first Blu Olive opened last year in Westport – and he said Greenwich is opening in the next three weeks – and the menu will be similar, and will include fresh seasonal salads, antipasto, wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, pastas, and beef and chicken dishes, as well as “fresh seafood prepared with Mediterranean techniques.” Build-out of the space was delayed by some necessary electrical upgrades in the entire building, which have been completed, and Vincente said they probably won’t be able to determine an opening date for another two months or so.

Blu Olive is open in Westport, and the West Hartford location will feature a similar menu. Courtesy image

Blu Olive sill be opening next door to sister restaurant Harvest on LaSalle Road. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• Mozz & Co has an opening date! I got a peek inside last week when some contractors were hard at work (the interior was not ready for photos at that time) and then caught up with owner Joey Cusano who said the Italian deli, located at 22 Raymond Road, will be opening on April 1 (not a joke)! I’ll have way more information and photos (of the space as well as food) as soon as possible, but here’s the description from the website: “At Mozz & Co, every sandwich begins with fresh produce, imported Italian meats & cheeses, and bread made in-house daily. We’re committed to sustainability, premium ingredients, and true hospitality – going the extra mile for every guest who walks through our doors.”

Mozz & Co will be opening at 22 Raymond Road. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• Walking through Blue Back Square recently I noticed that the pharmacy next to Coracora has a new name. It’s now called Lush Pharmacy and I’ve confirmed with management that it’s still the same type of specialty pharmacy, but has a new ownership group. According to its website, Lush Pharmacy, which also has a location in North Miami, Florida, provides free home delivery and 24/7 call and text support.

Lush Pharmacy is the new name of the pharmacy at 55 Isham Road in Blue Back Square. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• There are wraps on the windows of the former Plan b at 138 Park Road, where Paige and Nick Chamberlain are preparing to open the first Connecticut location of Spitz Mediterranean Street Food – a fun and family-friendly restaurant. In case you missed it in the Feb. 23 column when we first shared the news, this is how the restaurant is described on the Spitz website: “Mediterranean Food, Greek Food, American Classics & more! Named after the vertical method of broiling proteins that ensures a flavorful taste, our award-winning menu includes overflowing wraps, rich salads, gyros, wings, fries & more. The tender, delicious meat used in our wraps and bowls is halal certified. We also have a Vegan Menu, Gluten-Free options, a Kid’s Menu, Paleo & Keto options, and a dog-friendly patio; while our bar offers a rotating selection of craft beer, wine & sangria. Did we mention we have board games for kids and adults?! Spitz – unusual name, extraordinary taste!” Paige and Nick said they intentionally looked for a “second generation” space that had been a restaurant in order to speed up the timeline. Most of the work on the former Plan b will be cosmetic/design-related and they don’t plan to change the layout. “Ultimately, we just want to bring 138 Park Road back to life… with a bit of the Spitz flair,” the told me, adding that their “goal is to be open by Memorial Day weekend.” You can preview the menu here.

Spitz Mediterranean Street Food will be opening at 138 Park Road, West Hartford. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Spitz Mediterranean Street Food will be opening at 138 Park Road, West Hartford. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• River Bend Bookshop is in the process of moving (see write-up in the Feb. 16 column), and they’ve provided some peeks into their new location at 224 Park Road on social media. They closed the old space 161 Park Road a week ago in order to focus on the move, and look for the reopening details very soon! Events are already scheduled for the new location.

Riverbend has been in the process of moving and will complete the relocation to 224 Park Road soon. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• In honor of Women’s History Month, the West Hartford’s Office of Economic Development and the Office of Employee Development & Community Engagement are hosting a panel discussion with an impressive group of locally owned women business owners on Wednesday, March 19, at 9 a.m. in the Town Hall auditorium, 50 South Main Street. The third annual Women’s Small Business breakfast will celebrate the power of mentorship and support networks that turn barriers into breakthroughs. “Women have always found ways to lead, even when doors were legally locked. From being barred from ownership and credit to building today’s thriving empires, our resilience is rooted in one thing: partnership,” states the description of the event. “We don’t just build businesses; we build each other up. Join us for stories of innovation and collective progress. The event is free to attend and includes breakfast from 9-9:30 a.m., a panel discussion from 9:30-11 a.m., and Q&A from 11-11:30 a.m. Click here to register. For those unable to attend, you can watch a live stream of the panel discussion on West Hartford Community Interactive, WHCi on Comcast Channel 5, Frontier Channel 6098, and WHCi’s YouTube channel.

Courtesy image

• Last Tuesday, Gov. Ned Lamont nominated 14 individuals to serve as judges of the Connecticut Superior Court, and included among them are three West Hartford residents – Theodore M. Doolittle, 62; Sean Kehoe, 53; and Nisa Khan, 38. According to the announcement, Doolittle, who graduated from Harvard University and the University of Connecticut School of Law, most recently served as a U.S. immigration judge in Hartford from 2023 to 2025. Previously, he was the healthcare advocate for the State of Connecticut, heading a state agency that provides free legal services to families fighting health insurance claim denials. He has served in a variety of public and private sector roles, including as a senior anti-fraud official within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, assistant attorney general with the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General, and trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice. After law school, Doolittle clerked for federal trial and appellate court judges in South Dakota and Washington, D.C. Kehoe graduated from Providence College and obtained his JD degree from Quinnipiac University School of Law. He is currently an associate attorney general and chief of the Government Administration Division for the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. Kehoe has been employed with the office for his entire career as an attorney since joining that office 24 years ago. Khan graduated from St. John’s University and obtained her JD degree from Albany Law School. She is an assistant attorney general with the Child Protection Section of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General, where she manages the section’s statewide appellate practice and represents the Department of Children and Families before the Appellate Court and Supreme Court. She has also served as a trial attorney and supervisor for the Hartford region. Prior to joining the Office of the Attorney General, Khan was a research attorney with Connecticut’s Judicial Branch, assisting the Office of the Chief Court Administrator and chief administrative judges in the development of educational programs and resources for judges. Khan has also served as a legal research law clerk for judges of the Superior Court. “Selecting nominees to become judges is one of the most important duties of a governor, and this class of nominees have the qualifications and meet the high standards the people of Connecticut deserve on the bench,” Lamont said in a statement. “I am proud that our administration has a record of selecting nominees who’ve expanded the diversity, backgrounds, and professional experiences of those who serve our court system.” Congratulations to all!
• Construction is continuing on Farmington Avenue as part of the West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan. Based on the published schedule, the first segment of this year’s work – on the north side of Farmington between Walden and Dale – is supposed to wrap up by April 3, weather permitting.

West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan construction on Farmington Avenue. March 13, 2026. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan construction on Farmington Avenue. March 13, 2026. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• Good progress on the new Animal Control facility on Brixton Street, which has now risen above the foundation!

Progress on new Animal Control facility on Brixton Street. March 15, 2026. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Progress on new Animal Control facility on Brixton Street. March 15, 2026. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• Congratulations to West Hartford-based consultant Michelle Dube, M.A.L.S., who has been named Assistant Vice President of Client Services at Winkler Group. As a key member of the firm’s national team headquartered in Charleston, S.C., Dube’s promotion is part of a larger leadership expansion that includes the appointment of Raymond E. Carnley, Ed.D., to Principal and Bill Rose, M.Div., to Vice President of Client Services. According to a news release, Dube joined Winkler Group in 2024 and quickly distinguished herself in campaign and strategic planning engagements. Her advancement reflects strong client outcomes and her growing role in consultant support and internal training. She has led engagements for clients including Gateway Arch Park Foundation, Scotland Memorial Foundation (Scotland Health Care System), and the South Carolina Historical Society. Over the course of her career, she has secured more than $20 million in charitable giving across major, campaign, endowment, annual, and planned gifts. In this expanded role, Dube’s responsibilities extend beyond her own client portfolio. She will support consultant development, guide project progression within assigned teams, and contribute to internal training and methodology refinement within the division. “Michelle prepares thoroughly and leads decisively,” said Bill Rose, Vice President of Client Services. “She helps leadership teams define what they are trying to accomplish and then builds the fundraising structure to support it. Her promotion reflects the confidence we have in her judgment and execution.”

Michelle Dube. Courtesy photo

• The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford has announced the commitment of $1 million in grant funding to strengthen the ability of the Jewish community to gather, learn, worship, and celebrate Jewish life in safe and welcoming spaces across Greater Hartford. The Board of Trustees approved the commitment at its February board meeting, following a six-month review process. Through this initiative, the Foundation will offer grants up to $50,000 to support security-related capital improvements at local Jewish day and supplemental religious schools, and other youth-serving agencies and synagogues. The enhancements are designed to strengthen facilities thoughtfully and responsibly while preserving the warmth and openness that define our community. “Our community thrives when its members feel safe, confident, and proud to be Jewish,” said Kathryn Gonnerman, President and CEO of the Foundation. “This program reflects the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting the vitality of Jewish life in Greater Hartford today and for future generations.” The Foundation will host an informational session for grantees about Safe & Strong Together Grants on March 23; the grant submission deadline is May 1. The Foundation will work with grantees to ensure projects are implemented sustainably, and then assess the program’s impact and share best practices across our community. The Safe & Strong Together Grants initiative is funded through the Foundation’s Community Grants program, supported by generous donors who established Unrestricted Funds to address evolving community needs.

• I receive emails (sometimes daily) with a wide variety of rankings of towns across the country (like top locations for vampires), but this week the Town of West Hartford was named on two of the lists! This one is from MarketBeat, a financial media company, which polled 3,026 respondents, asking: “Which shopping districts around the country do you envy the most for their shopping scene?” West Hartford was ranked No. 128, and one of just four in Connecticut. Here’s what the write-up states: “West Hartford Center is one of Connecticut’s best-known shopping districts, where local boutiques mix with familiar names along walkable, vibrant streets. The rooftop decks and outdoor patios give the area an urban energy, while the independently owned shops keep things personal. It’s where locals go when they want quality and character-a true town center in the best sense. A community favorite is River Bend Bookshop on nearby Park Road, an independent bookseller offering carefully curated selections, author events, and the kind of knowledgeable recommendations that keep readers coming back.”

Farmington Avenue, June 2025. Photo credit: Ronni Newton (we-ha.com file photo)

• West Hartford has also been named a “Blossom Borough” – one of three in Connecticut – according to Portland Real Estate which polled 3,012 real estate agents “to uncover the places across the U.S. that feel truly magical when spring rolls in – the cherry-blossom boulevards, the historic districts that glow in warm morning light, the suburbs where gardens and parks erupt in color.” Central Park was the top location overall, and the three named in Connecticut are Wooster Square in New Haven, Mystic, and West Hartford Center. “The appeal of West Hartford Center doesn’t depend on any particular season-the restaurants, independent shops, and lived-in village atmosphere hold up year-round. But tulips and flowering trees brightening the sidewalks each spring make the outdoor dining and evening strolls that much more enjoyable. Residents and visitors experience the same thing here: a neighborhood that simply works, looking even better than usual.”
• Beautyland (1130 New Britain Avenue), which has been a West Hartford business for nearly 68 years, has closed. “I would like to thank this wonderful community for many memories. My father started the business in 1956 and it remained a family business till January 31, 2026,” said Lisa Marino Boyce in an email.

Longtime Elmwood business, Beautyland, 1130 New Britain Avenue, has closed. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• Click here to listen to the latest episode of On The Scene and you’ll have a delicious reason to smile. Hosts Tom Hickey and Bob Carr sit down with Paul Parks III and Kendra Walker of Frisbie’s Dairy Barn to talk about the craft, passion, and community behind one of Connecticut’s fastest growing ice cream brands that will soon be opening in Blue Back Square. All “On the Scene” podcasts can be found on the bottom of the We-Ha.com homepage.

On the Scene podcast logo

• 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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