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

By Ronni Newton

The leaves are turning and it’s looking really autumnal out there. Raking season is about to commence, and look for a schedule of leaf bag collection to be published this week.

I had a nice opportunity to view the leaves in West Hartford while running in the Eversource Hartford Half Marathon on Saturday morning. And that segues into a discussion of West Hartford business because a local physical therapy office will now get some business from me as I finally will give in and get some treatment for the plantar fasciitis that has been nagging my right foot since July. When I told the therapist on Sunday morning that I was waiting until after the race to seek treatment, I only got a slight eye-roll.

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:

Larsen Ace Hardware (formerly Pfau’s) has new signs and a newly remodeled, and well-stocked store in West Hartford Center. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

• It’s easy to get sentimental when you drive up to the establishment formerly known as Pfau’s Hardware at 982 Farmington Ave., but with revamped aisles and fully stocked shelves, Larsen Ace Hardware has transformed into a store that in many ways is the same yet is also very different. The old place that we loved felt like it had just about everything. Now, in order to stay competitive and viable, Larsens has even more and carries a full line of electrical and plumbing supplies, a paint department that can do color matching from any sample, nuts-n-bolts and lots more hardware, power tools, a huge selection of work and garden gloves, plenty of housware items still, and yes, you can still get keys made. Larsen Ace Hardware is open Monday through Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. [Editor’s Note: Thanks to Creative Director Joy Taylor for supplying this blurb!]

• Connecticut Restaurant Week begins on Monday, Oct. 12 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 18. According to the Connecticut Restaurant Association, the dozens of participating establishments across the state will feature special menus with prices of $20.15 or $30.15. West Hartford restaurants particpating in the eighth annual event include Beachland Tavern, Besito, Restaurant Bricco, Blue Elephant Trail, Corner Pug, Grants, Joey’s Pizza, Max Burger, Max’s Oyster Bar, Park Tavern, and Plan B. “Restaurants and customers alike benefit from this great week of meals and deals. Connecticut is home to so many wonderful varieties of cuisines and Restaurant Week is a fantastic way to showcase them,” said Executive Director Nicole Griffin in a press release. For a complete list of participants, click here.

  

  Larsen Ace Hardware (formerly Pfaus) in West Hartford Center, has a new paint department. Photo by Joy Taylor

• In other restaurant news, for the third straight year Max Burger will be donating a portion of all proceeds to benefit theNational Conference for Community and Justice’s anti-bully and prejudice reduction youth programs. This is the third year that Max Restaurant has been participting in Anti-Bullying Day, which is Oct. 21, 2015. According to an article in the Hartford Business Journal, the research by the Connecticut Commissin on Children indicates that “25 percent of Connecticut high school students – and 35 percent of the state’s 9th graders – report having been bullied or harassed on school property in 2010.”
• It’s becoming increasingly difficult for West Hartford residents to be couch potatoes. There has been an incredible proliferation of fitness facilities in town during the past year. The local facilities come in all shapes and sizes, and at a variety of price levels, so no excuses! The latest is BodyRoc, which will open next weekend at 641 New Park Ave. According to its website, BodyRoc provides: “Intense circuit-style interval workout combining weight training, treadmills, and heavy bag boxing. The signature workout paired with the high-intensity playlists and live entertainment provide the motivation needed to build lean muscle, melt away fat, and transform your body’s composition.” For more information, call 860-985-2145, email [email protected], or visit www.BodyRocFitLab.com.
  

  Larsen Ace Hardware (formely Pfaus) has three sections of garden and work gloves. Photo by Joy Taylor

• ICYMI: West Hartford Center Kidscard is back for its 10th anniversary year. Cards are available online and go on sale at participating merchants on Oct. 15. The program runs from Oct. 22-31, with Kidscard holders getting 20 percent discount at participating stores and restaurants in the Center and Blue Back Square. The entire $50 cost of the card is donated to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Click here for the complete story.
• The Mercy Community has announced that Saint Mary Home has recently earned a Five-Star Quality Rating – the top available rating – from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) indicating “much above average quality.” “While health inspections, nurse staffing, and quality determine the CMS ‘Five Star’ designation, I cannot understate the importance of our colleagues’ compassionate care and skill among those factors. I congratulate the full team at Saint Mary Home on this outstanding achievement and thank them for the good work they do every single day in serving those entrusted to our care,” Eric Dana, administrator for Saint Mary Home, said in a news release.
• The Mandell JCC announced in a news release that they have been awarded a $25,000 grant by the Samuel Roskin Trust of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to “expand and enhance services to seniors in the community.” The Mandell JCC will use the grant monies to hire a handicapped accessible bus to provide transportation for seniors who cannot otherwise travel to the Mandell JCC for social and educational programs. The bus will pick up area seniors three times a month and transport them to two popular programs: the Senior Luncheons and the Brunch & Learn Speaker Series. The JCC will also provide transportation to evening events, subsidize transportation for cultural outings, and expand recreation and wellness programming like Chair Yoga, Gentle Mat Pilates, and Range & Move for seniors. The Mandell JCC said in a news release that the organization “would like to thank the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for supporting efforts to keep the senior population physically active and socially engaged.” For more information about transportation for seniors please contact Sharon Holtzberg, [email protected], 860-231-6311. For more information about Senior Group Exercise please contact Carmen Erian, [email protected], 806-231-6348.
  

  Gluten free cupcakes at La Petite France. Image from Facebook

• Based on the Facebook comments, people are thrilled with the new gluten free cupcakes at La Petite France. The cupcakes are chocolate and feature either vanilla or salted caramel frosting. It’s nice to see our local merchants offering options to those with dietary restrictions!

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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