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

Happy Thanksgiving week!

Thanksgiving seems to have come up very quickly this year, but I guess I say that every year. We are hosting Thanksgiving this year, and while I know it’s going to be a bit chaotic with the two grand-kidlets at the table (we expect their time actually sitting still will be very minimal), but I am very much looking forward to the celebration and we are certainly thankful that we will be together!

Please note that as usual for Thanksgiving week, we will only be sending out two newsletters – on Monday (today) and Wednesday. While the news doesn’t take a holiday, the We-Ha.com team is trying to take Thursday and Friday off for some much-needed family time (Ted and I, and Millie, will be taking our usual trip to visit his mom on Nantucket), and we hope our readers will also be relaxing and/or holiday shopping. Of course we will be responding if there is breaking news.

I’ll have a separate post with all of the specifics in our Wednesday newsletter, but please note that there will be a one-day delay in trash and recycling pick-up this week for those in the Thursday and Friday collection areas due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

My week was highlighted by winning the “Best West Hartford Cheerleader – Individual” award at the Best of West Hartford (photo gallery from the event to come this week) and thank you so much to those in the community who voted! This week also featured attending and photographing the annual Mayor’s Cup football game, meetings, a ribbon cutting, and lots of eating – and the latter is probably not what I should have been doing right before Thanksgiving, but I did also find time for multiple workouts.

On Friday I had lunch with a colleague at Max Burger. While I arrived planning to order a salad, the smell of the burgers was just too tempting … I am glad they have a smaller size than the 8-oz version!

Saturday night’s dinner with longtime friends at Union Kitchen was amazing – the company, the food, and the wine!

We had three people who submitted comments this past week without their full names – not necessarily trolls, but I’m still not approving their comments if they don’t follow the policy, and I say thank you to all who do comment 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 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:

• When I saw a post on Facebook on Wednesday indicating that Harvey Ayaz had sold his business, Harvey’s Cafe & Market, I was initially very sad. I first met Harvey in 2019, when he bought the business from the owners of Harvest Wines & Spirits (and changed a few letters in the name), and it’s become our go-to place for sandwiches for tailgates, picnics, etc., and a staple of the West Hartford community. In his post announcing the sale of the business as of Nov. 18, Harvey said he poured his “heart soul and whole lot of hoagie oil into that little shop on Oakwood,” made many friendships, took care of neighbors and essential workers during COVID, and sponsored many events and local organizations. “I am genuinely grateful to every single person who ever walked through our doors and supported us,” he wrote, noting that his daughter even took some of her first steps and said her first words “between the sandwich line and the cookie racks” at Harvey’s. I immediately reached out to Harvey, and we had a great chat. “It was wonderful, West Hartford and the community have been so wonderful to me, but I am ready to move on with the next chapter of my life,” he said, and will be buying and selling commercial real estate full time. Harvey said he passed along “all of the recipes, all of the greatness” to the new owners, and connected me with them. And, he added, “You will definitely see me and hear me in town.” I was able to speak with the new owners on Friday – Rich Frank and Jason Maia – who live in Long Island and New Fairfield respectively right now, and are very excited about being West Hartford business owners. Both have previous experience in the bread distribution and bakery business in New York and New Jersey. “We like the community. It’s a great location,” Rich said. “It’s closer to where I live,” said Jason, who added that he is hoping his family will also be involved in the Harvey’s business. The name will NOT change, both confirmed, and they plan to keep all of the sandwich recipes, the bagels, the Shady Glen ice cream. Any changes that are made will be additions, such as perhaps increasing the flavor variety of the organic smoothies. “We want to keep it the same … we might add more seating but otherwise it will be the same,” Jason assured me. “We will talk to the community and find out what they want,” Rich added, and test out any new items on a trial basis. They plan to continue, and even expand, collaboration and support for schools and local organizations. As for keeping the employees, “The only one we lost was Harvey,” the new owners said, but he still popped in to visit every day last week! They will have a grand opening to celebrate the new ownership sometime in the next few months, “but first I want it to be 150% ready,” Jason said.

• I was finally able to connect with one of the owners of Paris Baguette, who said they will definitely be open in Corbin’s Corner (between Nothing Bundt Cakes and JCrew Outlet) by the second week of December, if not sooner, and are just awaiting the final inspections from the town. The owners are excited to be opening their first location in Connecticut, and the menu will include savory and sweet offerings – breakfast sandwiches, regular sandwiches, desserts, cakes, bread, baguettes, coffee, smoothies, specialty drinks, and more. Everything is baked on the premises, and baked fresh daily. There will be seating inside for roughly 48 people, and they will have free WiFi and welcome students and those looking to hold meetings or just have a cozy spot in which to work. “Everything is really good and fresh,” they said. Paris Baguette has multiple locations in New York, and following the West Hartford opening they will also open a location in Cheshire early next year. I may have drooled a bit when checking out the menu online (click here), and will definitely be ready to sample a variety of the offerings and report back as soon as they open. Follow Paris Baguette on social media (@parisbaguetteus on Facebook and parisbaguette_usa on Instagram) where they also plan to announce the opening date.

• Two weeks ago I reported in this column that the new independent toy store that will be opening in the former Ten Thousand Villages space at 967 Farmington Avenue will be called The Toy Shop, and the brick and mortar store will be opening in the spring of 2026, but they had indicated that they hoped to have an online shopping presence during this year’s holiday season. On Sunday I confirmed, through a friend, that the online store opened this weekend – in advance of Black Friday and the holiday shopping season! Visit the website to view the online catalogue and sign up for email updates to be notified about the store opening. I’ve glanced at the website and already can’t wait to spoil the grand-kidlets!

• Angel Land has just received their permits from the town to begin build-out, and based on the paper on the windows and removal of any vestiges of the former buybuy Baby signage, work appears to be getting underway. Angel Land will be opening an indoor children’s playground on the lower level of 1445 New Britain Avenue, next to World Market in the Corbin Collection. This summer their Special Use Permit was approved by the Town Plan & Zoning Commission, and application was filed under the town’s Indoor Recreation or Amusement Facility ordinance – the second business to use the somewhat-recently passed ordinance. The other business is Level99, which as I reported last week based on information from a spokesperson will be opening in the latter half of 2026. Angel Land already has a successful facility in Stamford and their application to the town noted that they are looking to expand to another location in the state, offering a indoor recreational space for children, primarily under age 10, for “wholesome and engaging environment where children can enjoy physical activity, social interaction, and developmental play, regardless of weather conditions. The space will be designed with age-appropriate play structures, party rooms, and interactive play areas, adhering to the highest standards of safety, accessibility, and cleanliness.” The 19,053-square-foot space will include 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. “We anticipate serving local residents, daycares, and elementary school groups, drawing foot traffic that supports the surrounding businesses in the area,” stated the application. The space has been vacant since Buybuy Baby closed (for the second time, for good) last fall.

• Question of the week: What’s happening in front of the American School for the Deaf? No, it’s not an apartment building under construction. I went right to the source, and here’s the statement provided by an ASD spokesperson: “The American School for the Deaf is pleased to share that we are relocating our soccer field to the northeast corner of our campus, near the main entrance driveway. This project has been fully approved by the Town of West Hartford and includes the installation of protective netting to ensure soccer balls remain safely within the field and do not impact neighboring yards or North Main Street. We are excited about the positive impact this new field will have on our students and our athletic department, providing an improved space for physical activity, teamwork, and school pride. We also want to assure our neighbors that no field lighting is being added as part of this project, and the field will not be used after dusk. We appreciate the community’s interest and support as we continue enhancing our campus for the benefit of our students.”

• I get emails pretty much every day with a wide range of rankings and lists (including the best towns in the U.S. for zombies), and last week a West Hartford business was included as No 11 in the U.S. for “Best Affordable Winter Fashion” according to Vertical Cherry. According to the survey of more than 3,000, “Hope & Stetson is a trendy boutique located in West Hartford, Connecticut, offering an exceptional collection of apparel, accessories, and home decor. Customers rave about the stylish, high-quality pieces that are versatile and comfortable. The boutique provides a warm, friendly service and the ability to find unique, gift-worthy items, making it a go-to destination for those seeking both comfort and style during Connecticut’s colder months.” I have a number of pieces of clothing and jewelry, and have also purchased many gifts at Hope & Stetson (locally owned by the Muchins, who are West Hartford residents) and congratulate them on this recognition!

• Thanks to the Miale Team at Keller Williams for doing their part to ensure that Connecticut Foodshare makes its goal of providing 40,000 turkeys to Connecticut families in need this holiday season. They held a very successful turkey drive at West Hartford Town Hall on Sunday (my photo was taken early in the event, but they were close to goal by later in the day), and Executive Director Jason Jakubowski, who is a West Hartford resident and was in attendance, was confident the goal would be met – but has concerns about needs that go far beyond the holiday season.

• Next Saturday is Small Business Saturday – the perfect day to make an even greater effort than ever to support our small independent local businesses. Many, including Store Fifty-Two (part of the Lux Bond & Green family) at 52 LaSalle Road, will be hosting special events. Local artist Rachel Shuler of Mountain Tree Studios will provide interactive talks on her mixed media/metal impressionist art.  Shuler will be on-hand at Store Fifty-Two from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29, and an array of her artistic works will be on display and available for purchase. “Rachel’s art has such a distinct energy – it’s textural, layered, and deeply personal. We’re so excited to share her work with our customers and celebrate the talent we have right here in our community,” said store manager Erica Norman.

• Congratulations to Wild Soul (1003 Farmington Avenue) on their ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce and town officials on Thursday, and their wildly successful grand opening celebration on Saturday. “We had well over 100 people attend and the energy was off the charts,” co-founder and owner Heather Zoeller said of Saturday’s celebration. “The 6 different sample classes (yoga, Barre-fusion, Pliyoga sculpt, Zumba and two full body strength) were all were completely filled with waitlists. In the lobby, we hosted 3 women-owned business vendors including With Luv Cafe, Tribe Bites and Luxe Linked,” she said. For more information about Wild Soul, visit their website.

• The Mandell JCC of Greater Hartford and River Bend Bookshop are proud to partner for this year’s Jewish Book Festival, celebrating Jewish literature and culture. Their inaugural Buzzworthy Books will be held on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m., with panelists Megan Hayden and Jillian Puzzo from River Bend Bookshop, and Ben White of Macmillan Publishers, sharing the inside scoop on the season’s most talked about new releases, from compelling fiction to unforgettable memoirs and stories that connect us all. Visit the JCC website for more details.
• The Children’s Museum is temporarily closed due to flooding that occurred on Nov. 13. “Several exhibit areas and hallways took on a few inches of water, and our team is now working hard to clean, repair, and restore the affected spaces. We lost all of our rugs and many floor-level materials, and rebuilding safely will take time. We’re grateful to share that all of our animals are safe, healthy, and completely unharmed,” management said in an email. Visit the website for more information.

• Connecticut Home Interiors (830 Farmington Avenue) started their store liquidation sale on Sept. 4, and the state allows 90 days for a liquidation sale, so the closing is imminent. I spoke to owner Tom Hall back in September, and he said he was planning to retire after 41 years. In May, Hall sold the 30,000 square foot building for $2.4 million to listing agent Michael Guidicelli of Regions Commercial Real Estate Advisors. Guidicelli, who owns adjacent property, will probably plan to redevelop the site, Hall said, but there are no plans filed with the town at this time.

• Photos with updates on various projects can be found below – the new Animal Control facility on Brixton Street, West Hartford Infrastructure Master Plan on LaSalle Road which is done for the season, and Center Park Place condominiums.

• ICYMI, Vessel Technologies has submitted a new application to the Town of West Hartford, for a 120-unit, two-building development. Complete details can be found here.
• Click here to listen to the latest episode of On The Scene with podcast hosts Tom Hickey and Bob Carr who bring their upbeat, community-focused style to a lively discussion with University of Saint Joseph President Rhona Free.

• 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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