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

I’m so excited about the weather forecast for this week! I know that I was very lucky to have had a respite from winter with a few day in Florida last weekend, but as soon as we returned I was immediately wearing three layers again and then there was horrible icy weather on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

We banished the rest of our winter decor into boxes in the attic over the weekend. I’m hoping the real snowmen will be banished as well.

I went for a run on Sunday morning and even though it was foggy and a bit chilly, the smell of spring was in the air – and then when I got home I noticed that the snow had fully melted and the early-blooming daffodils along my driveway are really sprouting! I’m betting the snowdrops and crocuses at the house across the street will be open early this week.

March – in addition to bringing springtime and great basketball (minus the UConn men vs. Marquette game on Saturday, but definitely including the UConn women in the Big East tournament and Duke beating Carolina on Saturday) – is also budget season. Last Tuesday I attended the Board of Education meeting where Superintendent Paul Vicinus outlined the proposed 2026-2027 budget (click here for all the details), and this Tuesday I will report on Town Manager Rick Ledwith’s proposed budget for the town, which will incorporate the school budget. There are upcoming public hearings and community conversations (the latter provides an opportunity for questions to be answered), and I hope people won’t just be keyboard warriors on social media but rather share their ideas with the decision makers.

On Friday night we had tickets to “The Mountaintop” at Playhouse on Park (a powerful, moving, and witty production that includes humor as well!) and had dinner with friends at Portobello before the show. Everything was so delicious!

Ted recently joined West Hartford Rotary and on Saturday we attended Vines of March (We-Ha.com was also a sponsor of the event, which we have done for years). I bid on the live auction sampling of gift cards for West Hartford restaurants – which will be used for my weekly dining write-ups for many weeks to come! Gameday Conor did a great job as auctioneer, and it was a very successful event. Details about the funds raised will be forthcoming, along with more of the serious photos.

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.

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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:

• I had seen some activity on the Angel Land Instagram (@angellandct_wh) over the past week and stopped by the Corbin Collection on Wednesday to take some photos of the signage (please excuse the shadow in the photo caused by the sun) with the hopes of also getting some details. My timing was extremely lucky because I had the opportunity to meet of the owners, Tom Kwok, who was helping get the space ready. He said that pending the results of upcoming inspections, they hope to be open by the end of March! “It’s very exciting. We can’t wait to open up,” Kwok said. The space, designed as an indoor playground for kids ages 10 and under, looks like so much fun! I really wanted to play myself (especially with the bumper cars!), but will have to settle for bringing my grandkidlets there. Angel Land already has a successful location in Stamford, and this space is similar in design, with more than 19,000 square feet dedicated to a variety of play areas that encourage social interaction, physical activity, developmental play – in any type of weather. They have a strong commitment to “adhering to the highest standards of safety, accessibility, and cleanliness,” states the materials provided to the town. The facility includes soft play climbing structures, slides and obstacle courses, ball pits and foam zones, sensory-friendly areas for toddlers, imagination play zones such as mini-markets, kitchens, and construction areas and private party rooms. They plan to be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., but offer extended hours on weekends or for private events. “There’s nothing like this around here dedicated to 10 years and under,” said Kwok. This will be the second Angel Land in the state, but he said they are working on another that will open in Manchester. The space where they are located in the Corbin Collection had been vacant since Buybuy Baby closed (for the second time, for good) in the fall of 2024. I’ll definitely announce the opening date when it’s confirmed, and more information is also available on the Angel Land website.

• I also had lucky timing this week when I stopped to check on the progress of some Blue Back Square projects on Friday morning – right as the signs for Frisbie’s Dairy Barn were being installed! And I started speaking with someone who was also watching installation, who happened to be Co-Owner Paul Parks, who said the ice cream shop should be open this month! I went back on Sunday and got the photos of the complete sign installation. Frisbie’s, which is headquartered in New Britain, announced last month that they would be taking over the former Kilwins space at 38 Isham Road and because they are primarily using the equipment that was already in the space, the transition is able to happen rather quickly. Frisbie’s Dairy Barn is a New England-based business, founded in 2015 and serving handcrafted ice cream and specialty treats, which has become a community-focused and beloved and welcoming gathering place for families, friends, and neighbors across the area. The original announcement about the opening noted that that the brand is celebrated for its rich, creamy ice creams made with high-quality ingredients, signature flavors, and welcoming scoop shop environments designed for connection and fun year-round. Frisbie’s is also known for holding a 24-hour National Ice Cream Day celebration (this year it’s July 19), when they stay open around the clock serving up their custom flavors and signature sundaes in a festive atmosphere. “Families line up at midnight and throughout the day to take part in the tradition – creating memories that embody the brand’s mission of bringing people together,” the announcement states. “Frisbie’s has always been about more than ice cream – it’s about community, celebration, and shared moments,”Parks said in the original announcement. “We’re thrilled to become part of the Blue Back Square neighborhood and can’t wait to serve West Hartford residents and visitors.” In addition to New Britain, they have scoop shops and walk-up windows in Windsor, CT, North Attleboro, MA, and another opening soon in Sturbridge, MA. For more information about Frisbie’s, visit their website.

• I am so excited to share the news that Ji Tea is aiming for a June opening at 5 Sedgwick Road, according to owner Gao Cai. Years ago there was a Dunkin’ Donuts I think in the same storefront of that small shopping center on Sedgwick Road (at the intersection with South Main Street), and I personally missed having a place to grab a quick coffee or other drink in a shop that’s walkable from my house. Cai, who is co-owner of Wabi Sabi which is located fronts South Main but is in the same shopping center, said the menu will include “milk tea, tea, coffee, and a curated selection of small bites.” From the plans on file with the town, it looks like they will have about a dozen seats inside. I am a self-proclaimed coffee addict and although we do make our own coffee at home – lots of it – but it will be so nice to have a nearby shop as well and can’t wait!

• Pop Mart will be opening at Westfarms this summer – and thank you to Fox61’s Steffen Reals for sharing this information in a piece delivered in the pouring rain on Thursday night! The toy brand has gained cult-like popularity for selling character-based figures in “blind boxes,” as well as for offering Labubu, Skullpanda, and other items. Pop Mart’s only other stores in the state are at the Danbury Fair Mall and SoNo Collection in Norwalk. Westfarms isn’t able to comment about the plans yet, but according to the Westfarms website it appears the shop will be located just off Center Court on the lower level – and my unconfirmed guess is where Cotton On Kids was formerly located.

• The new Westfarms website has a great “coming soon” feature that shows the locations of any business that is definitely opening at the shopping center – and also shows the Riviera French Café (which I wrote about last month) in Center Court, and Häagen-Dazs also in the Center Court area.
• In other Westfarms news, the Easter Bunny has returned and will visit with families in Center Court as part of the Bunny Photo Experience through April 4, providing families with a cherished spring photo experience. The Bunny Photo Experience will be open daily, and reservations are strongly encouraged. For daily Bunny Photo hours and to make reservations, click here. “New this year, hop into the fun at our KIDZ BOP Bunny Dance Parties. Every hour on the hour, kids can dance along with the Bunny to upbeat KIDZ BOP hits and easy-to follow moves,” a news release states. Westfarms will also be holding Caring Bunny – a private event for children with special needs and their families on March 22, from 9-10:30 a.m. Special care is taken to ensure a sensory-friendly environment. Reservations are required.

• Also noticed in my recent visit to the Corbin Collection: From what I can see in the window, there is further progress on the build-out of Level99, which is back on track as of last month after a roughly three-month construction delay while some HVAC issues were being resolved. “They are projecting to be open this fall,” Economic Development Manager Kristen Gorski advised last month. Level99 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. More information about Level99 can be found here.

• Also noticed: the signs have been taken down on the former Saks Off 5th in the Corbin Collecction.

• I checked out the progress of the West Hartford Center Infrastructure construction in the Center last week. The weather had definitely interfered for a few weeks, but crews are now at work on the stretch from Walden Street to Dale Street, installing soil cells and reconstructing sidewalks, along with doing electrical work.

• Francesca’s remains open at 985 Farmington Avenue, but the store closing clearance sales seem to be providing larger discounts. I don’t have any details about when the final closing will be.

• We announced the closing of Boost Bowls a few weeks ago, and they have officially shuttered the space nearly three years after opening at 981 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford Cente
• ICYMI, Insomnia Cookies is now open at 70 LaSalle Road in West Hartford Center. Click here for the sweet details!
• ICYMI, West Hartford’s Adam Greenberg (of Sparrow Pizza Bar) will appear Sunday night, March 8 in his opening round episode in the Food Network’s Guy Fieri Tournament of Champions. But if you did miss it, the episode will stream beginning today on HBO Max and Discovery+. Click here for the complete story.
• 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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