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 hope everyone enjoyed the weekend, and I hope all the moms out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day!

And by “moms” I also extend that to anyone who has taken on the role of a mother. Sometimes a “mother” can also be a dad, or a grandparent, or an aunt (I always like to give a shout-out to my sister who beyond being “cool aunt” has certainly taken on a “mother” role with my kids at times), or a mother-in-law. And people “mother” their biological children, adopted children, foster children, pets …

A special Happy Mother’s Day to my daughter, Katie! My heart swells with pride as I watch her now being an amazing mother to our two wonderful grandchildren!!

I was so lucky to spend Sunday with all of the members of my immediate family – including daughter-in-law-to-be Kate, who surprised me when she arrived with Sam!

Today is Millie’s sixth birthday, and she enjoyed sharing her celebration on Mother’s Day with some of her favorite humans as well as some time early Saturday evening watching over the neighborhood while we relaxed in our Adirondack chairs on the front lawn.

We made a late day decision to go into the Center for dinner on Saturday night after a full day of working around the house (Ted) and doing lots of We-Ha.com work (me), and were able to walk in and get a table at the Elbow Room where we had a yummy casual dinner. We took a walk around the Center after dinner (it was around 9:30 p.m.) – and we were decidedly much too casual in our attire for the crowd that was out in force, and also at least twice as old as most of them!

Housekeeping note about press releases: We have been inundated over the past few weeks and while I try to publish all of the notices about nonprofit events, awards, etc. as soon as possible, we can only have a certain number of items in each newsletter and I have tried to prioritize based on the date of an event. Please be patient and don’t hesitate to follow up. Also, if your press release is submitted in ideal format (Word or pasted into an email, with images as separate .jpeg or .png files) it may get published faster. Please don’t embed photos in Word, Google doc, or – worst of all – in a PDF.

No trolls this week – although I did get some push-back from a reader who did not want to use their full name in a comment. 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:

• This is the busy season for ribbon cuttings, and there are a number of businesses that have recently opened (see bullet points below) as well as several opening this week – including next-door neighbors Jersey Mike’s Subs and Teriyaki Madness. I’ve previously mentioned both of them and have chronicled the construction progress of the now-full-complete building in Prospect Plaza (corner of Prospect Avenue and Kane Street) that also includes the recently-opened Chipotle (with Chipotlane), but both Jersey Mike’s and Teriyaki Madness announced their official plans via news releases. From Jersey Mikes: “Jersey Mike’s Subs,known for its fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs, will open at 18 Kane Street in West Hartford on May 14. Franchise owners Sarah Russell and Brian O’Hagan will hold a grand opening and fundraiser from Wednesday, May 14 to Sunday, May 18 to support Special Olympics of Connecticut. Customers who receive a special fundraising coupon distributed through a grassroots effort prior to the opening can make a minimum $3 contribution to Special Olympics of Connecticut in exchange for a regular sub. Customers must have a coupon to be eligible. ‘We are so excited to bring Jersey Mike’s Subs to West Hartford,’ said Russell. ‘This grand opening we are partnering with Special Olympics of Connecticut. Please join us in raising awareness and funds for such a great cause. We look forward to meeting you and sharing what makes us a Sub Above.'” I spoke to Russell on the phone a few weeks ago, and she told me she was very excited about the opening in town. “West Hartford is the place to go for good food, but what West Hartford has been missing is Jersey Mike’s,” she said. Jersey Mikes will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guests can place orders in-store or for pickup through the website or through the Jersey Mike’s app. Additionally, delivery is available in most areas through the Jersey Mike’s app or through third-party delivery partners. Curbside pickup is available for orders placed in Jersey Mike’s app. I plan to visit this week and will of course share those photos! And … Also announced in a news release, husband and wife team Ken Schanke and Audrey Poynton, will be opening West Hartford’s first Teriyaki Madness on May 15. Through their restaurant group “Meraki, a Greek word meaning to do something with heart and soul,” the couple has already opened four other Teriyaki Madness stores in Connecticut, and they also own several Jersey Mike’s (but not the one in West Hartford). Like Jersey Mike’s, Teriyaki Madness emphasizes fresh food and community support. In a phone conversation with Schanke a few weeks ago, he told me how they chose the Teriyaki Madness brand to expand his business. “I wanted to develop something different … not chicken,” he said, noting that there is a proliferation of fried chicken franchises popping up. What he liked about Teriyaki Madness was the emphasis on freshness and preparing everything in-house. They chop the vegetables on location, marinate the chicken in their special teriyaki sauce and then, “everything’s made fresh in a wok,” he said. Other than the orange chicken, everything on the menu is gluten-free as well. Schanke said while visiting his father in Oklahoma, he took a side trip to Las Vegas to check out the Teriyaki Madness locations there. “I visited eight stores in Vegas in one day,” he said trying a different item in each of the stores as his “litmus test” before deciding to invest in the brand. Schanke has five kids, and all are involved in various sports, and he said Teriyaki Madness is a good product for athletes with lean protein and good carbs. As a franchise owner, Schanke said he focuses on the three P’s: Product, People, and Passion. The menu can be found here. Teriyaki Madness will also be open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and I will report back on that with photos, too!

• One of the most-asked questions by readers is when the Coracora location in Blue Back Square is opening. I touched base with their spokesperson, who responded with the following: “With the gorgeous (and functional!) interior design they’re building out, they’re slating a summer/fall 2o25 opening. They can’t wait for everyone to experience it!”

• I mentioned a week or ago that the MAC store at Westfarms had closed (thanks to Connecticut Scoop for the tip), and have now confirmed with spokesperson Amanda Sirica that gorjana will be opening its first Connecticut location in that space this summer. The Laguna Beach-founded jewelry brand, gorjana is celebrated for its effortlessly stylish and layer-friendly designs. Westfarms will be the 108th store nationally, and will feature gorjana’s signature collections that uniquely blend timeless elegance with modern trends while delivering an in-store experience rooted in California’s relaxed yet sophisticated energy.

• Congratulations to Fyzical Therapy & Balance Center on their official grand opening celebration, which was celebrated with a ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce and town officials on Friday, May 2. The physical therapy clinic, which specializes in vestibular and neurological recovery, is located at 61 South Main Street (corner of Ellsworth and South Main) and is owned by Matt Burger and his wife, Jessica, and managed by Director Spencer Simmons. More details about the business can be found here.

• The Friendly Toast (36 LaSalle Road) celebrated their official grand opening with an “egg smash” on Monday morning. Mayor Shari Cantor, members of the Town Council, Economic Development Coordinator Kristen Gorski, and representatives of The Friendly Toast had a chance to smash their eggs on a celebratory mat on the sidewalk. At the grand opening, Friendly Toast CEO Staci Pinard also presented West Hartford-based nonprofit Ball 4 a Cure with a check for $5,003.02 – the proceeds of a fundraiser held during the soft opening over the weekend. For the complete story about West Hartford’s newest all-day brunch spot, click here.

• Jenny Andre, who already owns a salon in Staten Island, opened her second location, Jenny Andre Hair & Skin Spa, in February at 997 Farmington Avenue in the former G.W. Crane Hair Designs space. A celebratory ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce and town officials was held on Friday, May 9. Congratulations to Jenny!

• Congratulations to Town Clerk Leon Davidoff, who has been named to the 2025 Municipal Clerks Honor Roll. He is one of 300 municipal clerks from 33 states to receive this recognition, which has been a tradition since 2001, the town announced last week. (A complete list of 2025 honorees can be found at www.MunicipalClerksHonorRoll.com.) In addition, “the week of May 4 through May 10, 2025, is recognized as Municipal Clerks Week, allowing us to show appreciation to our Office of the Town Clerk and the entire office staff for their vital services and unwavering dedication to our community. The Office of the Town Clerk is a time-honored institution vital to local government worldwide and the oldest among public servants. Acting as a professional link between citizens, local governing bodies, and government agencies at various levels, the Office of the Town Clerk upholds neutrality and impartiality, providing equal service to all.”

• Congratulations to Kevin Masse, founder of Small State Provisions in West Hartford, who has been featured in a multi-page editorial in Bake from Scratch, a nationally recognized culinary publication. This feature not only celebrates Masse’s craftsmanship and entrepreneurial spirit, but also shines a spotlight on Connecticut’s thriving food economy – and is a meaningful example of what’s possible when we invest in local talent, elevate small businesses, and tell the stories of those who are shaping our creative industries.

• The Hartford Business Journal reported last week that the building at 830 Farmington Avenue, where Connecticut Home Interiors has been located for decades, sold for $2.5 million to listing agent Michael Guidicelli of Regions Commercial Real Estate Advisors. Guidicelli, who owns adjacent property, is not planning any changes to the operation at this time. We reported in July that Tom Hall, now 83, the owner of Connecticut Home Interiors, is looking to wind down operations and retire but will be leasing back the space and continuing the furniture business for at least another year.

• Boost Bowls will be celebrating their two-year anniversary at 981 Farmington Avenue on Saturday, May 17. Owner Nicole Bartel said they will be offering $2 açaí and pitaya bowls between 8 and 10 a.m., and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. they have a “buy one get one for $2” açaí and pitaya bowls.

• No photos of the Center infrastructure construction this week. The work is certainly progressing, but there wasn’t anything really new or different to photograph. But please don’t forget about our local businesses who may be suffering from a decline in foot traffic or the perception that they are not accessible during the construction. There are still plenty of parking spaces, and all businesses are open.
• Top Level Salon, which had been located at 36 LaSalle Road in West Hartford Center for 12 years, has just expanded and moved to Newington at 36A Fenn Road, owner Elise Campos advised in an email. They have doubled in size, she said, and are just over the West Hartford town line.

• A huge thank you to all who have contributed to We-Ha.com. Most of our revenue is earned from advertisers, but we appreciate the support of those who keep this site running and allow us to expand our coverage by becoming a supporter. You can also become a supporter by clicking the blue button below.
• ICYMI, a mural created by community college students and their professors has meaning on so many levels, and has now been installed on a formerly blank wall on the side of The Camelot. Read the full story here.
• Check out the new column – “By Design” – with stories about the West Hartford Design District contributed by Irene O’Connor of Linked Media. Click here for the first installment.

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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