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

By Ronni Newton

I have remained decidedly and purposely non-political in all of my writing and commenting, but I think it’s safe to say that I echo the sentiment, shared by virtually everyone I know, that it will be good to have  Election Day over! I do hope everyone who is able will exercise their right to vote on Tuesday.

There have been several major stories in West Hartford this week, and I want to mention them here not just because they are business-related but also because I want readers to understand why I cover news the way I do.

Some media outlets consider being “first” as the most important goal when covering breaking news. If you’re in the news business, you know that it’s exhilarating to be the first to inform the public about something that’s important. I am very competitive (family members are snickering here) and love being the first to have a piece of news, but even more than that I love being able to tell the full story, to provide context, and where appropriate and possible to provide information and quotes from multiple sources.

I appreciate those who read and shared my story about Sears’ planned closing. It was something I had known was coming for a while, but I was waiting to share the story until the Sears employees had been notified and some other important information was ready to be made public. I don’t think it’s appropriate to be the one notifying people that their jobs might be disappearing, and I also waited to publish a story until I could at least in part be “on the record” with answers to the question about what would be happening with the property. While I will sometimes write “check back for updates” in an article, I would rather put the entire story out there so readers have the entire scoop, even if it’s not the first scoop.

Thank you to our loyal readers for understanding and appreciating that!

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].

Here’s this week’s Buzz:

Go! Calendars and Games is now open as a pop-up store in West Hartford’s Blue Back Square. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• Go! Calendars and Games opened Thursday in the former Lucy Activewear space at 84 Memorial Rd. in Blue Back Square. The pop-up store, selling calendars, games, puzzles, and toys for people of all ages, will be open through Jan. 31, 2017. Blue Back Square Marketing Director Elizabeth Zigmont said Friday, “We at Blue Back Square are very excited and think Go! Calendars and Games is a great addition to our retail mix, especially at the holiday season when so many families are here shopping for gifts.”
• The West Hartford Center Business Association’s 2016 WE CARE Card will launch this Thursday, Nov. 10, and will offer shoppers and diners in the Center and Blue Back Square a 20 percent discount from most participating merchants. The card will be sold for $50 online here and onsite at approximately 40 merchants, and will be valid from Nov. 10 – 20. Sales of the card will directly benefit Bloomfield-based Foodshare, which will used proceeds from sale of the We CARE Card program to help stock local food pantries and provide meals during this holiday season. More details about the offers are at this link, and you can purchase your card here.
  

  The WE CARE Card is now available and each purchase supports Foodshare and provides shoppers with discounts and special offers all over West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square from Nov. 10-20, 2016. Photo credit: Joy Taylor

• Exciting news announced by Bob DeGemmis from Dressed to the Nines at the Ron Foley Foundation’s “Thank You” party! Not only has DeGemmis changed the name of his store to “Connecticut Custom Clothing,” because as he said, “Millennials are not familiar with the term ‘dressed to the nines,'” but he also announced a planned move next spring. Connecticut Custom Clothing will be one of the first retailers to be located in the Delamar West Hartford Hotel.
• The former Lyn Evans space at 973 Farmington Ave. in the Center has been vacant since April but will soon be home to a Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union (NSFCU) branch. According to its website, NSFCU was founded in 1936 and is one of the largest credit unions in the country.
• Congratulations to West Hartford-based law firm Shipman, Shaiken & Schwefel, LLC for earning a ranking in the area of commercial litigation, litigation-real estate, and real estate law in the U.S. News & World Report Best Lawyers and Best Law Firms, for the seventh consecutive year. According to a news release, the ranked firms/lawyers are “recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.”
• Happy Birthday to Toy Chest, which will celebrate its 60th year in business on Nov. 12! Toy Chest is located at 975 Farmington Ave., and although the store hasn’t always been in the same space, they have made their home in West Hartford Center for the past six decades. More details to come about what the celebration will include.
• We-Ha Vineyard Vines custom clothing will be in stock on Dec. 15! You can still order, and there are even new colors (like the green-trimmed tote with the “We-Ha” nestled inside the whale) and sizes available. Click here for more details.
• ICYMI, here is everything we know right now about Sears in Corbin’s Corner closing and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th and REI taking over part of the space. The Sears going out of business sale begins on Friday.
  

  Power of Purple signs to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer can be seen throughout West Hartford Center. Photo credit: Joy Taylor

• Have you noticed the “Power of Purple” signs in West Hartford Center? November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month.
• Finally, while it’s not purely a business story, the West Hartford town manager has a lot to do with economic development, and after 30 years of working for the town Ron Van Winkle announced last week that he will retire at the end of the current fiscal year, on June 30, 2017. Click here for the complete story.