A round-up of openings, closings, and other news about West Hartford businesses.

By Ronni Newton

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

I cooked a giant turkey and hosted Thanksgiving dinner for some family members, and then headed to visit my in-laws for the rest of the weekend bright and early Friday morning. I know this is a business column, but I am not ashamed to say that rather than shopping, my husband, kids, and I spent Black Friday walking on the beach and enjoying some unseasonably warm late-November weather at my in-law’s home in Nantucket. It was great to do some Small Business Saturday shopping there, too.

If you have tips about businesses opening or closing, or doing something worth sharing, please provide that information in the comments or email Ronni Newton at [email protected].

Center Framing & Art will relocate to 968 Farmington Ave. in January 2016. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• Center Framing & Art will be moving from its 56 LaSalle Rd. location in January. But not very far. Owner Lori Chozick has been very busy planning and packing (in between all of the holiday craziness) for the move around the corner to 968 Farmington Ave., right by Max’s Oyster Bar in the space currently occupied by Lux Boutique.
• Now that we have officially moved on to holiday season, take a look at the beautiful new garland, lights, and bows adorning the lamp posts throughout West Hartford Center. Landlords RLM Co., S.B. Andrews, Clark Properties, The Kaoud Family, Lexham Street Retail, David Brown Associates, and West Hartford Merchants Partnership donated the funds for the decorations for all 85 light poles, and the Town of West Hartford handled the installation.
  

  West Hartford Center landlords donated the money for new garland, lights, and bows for 85 lamp posts. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• Holiday Stroll is Thursday, Dec. 3, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., in West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square. There is really something for everyone, ranging from horsedrawn carriage rides, to caroling, to special promotions at stores, to gingerbread house building, to musical performances, to Santa. For full details, check out the “Guide to the Holiday Stroll.”
• This Saturday, Dec. 5, is the Annual Holiday Marketplace for the Shops at 485 New Park. According to the group’s Facebook page, the marketplace will feature one-of-a-kind and special gifts from its businesses as well as local artisans. There are more than 50 participants with offerings that include “art, custom-made clothing, a bakery, picture framing, handcrafts, and vintage stereo and radio. Wallcoverings and blinds, books, a photography studio, boutique clothing and accessories, home accents and gift wrapping will be there. And there’s also DIY gift workshops, personalized gifts, live music, handcrafted woodworks, holiday décor, jewelry, and more!” Customers are also encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the West Hartford Food Pantry and any type of pet food to donate to Aid-A-Pet. Gift wrapping, with donations going to The South Park Inn, benefiting the homeless, will also be available. More information can also be found at www.485NewPark.com.
  

  Solar panels being installed at 10 North Main St. Photo courtesy of Mike Mahoney

• Work is well underway on the solar array for the parking lot of 10 North Main St. – West Hartford’s first ground-mounted solar array in a commercial application that will cover 26 parking spaces, and will be connected to the Eversource grid in the building. Mike Mahoney of RLM Co., which has its offices in that building, told We-Ha.com that “while it won’t provide all of the building’s electrical needs, the solar array will help with our carbon footprint.” Mahoney provided a few photos (one at right and the other at the end of this article) of the progress of the project, and anticipates that the solar array will be in service by the end of the year.
• ICYMI: Lyn Evans Potpourri Designs will be closing at the end of December. After the article was published last week, a number of comments were posted including one from the owner with some more details about the decision to close. Read the complete story along with the comments by clicking here.
• Also in the bad news department, Petals and Paws is planning to vacate its 22 Raymond Rd. property at the end of December. We hear that the owner is hoping to open up in a different space in West Hartford, so stay tuned for details.

Remember, if you have any business news to share, remember to add it in the comments section below or email Ronni Newton at [email protected].

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Solar panels being installed at 10 North Main St. Photo courtesy of Mike Mahoney