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 feel like a broken record – but it certainly was another beautiful weekend!

The foliage in this area, sadly, seems to now be past its peak. I’ve been planning my runs the past few weeks to pass by some notable trees, but I think many of the leaves have now blown down with the wind we’ve had the past few days. And while many of us have enjoyed the sunny and dry weather, it has led to a severe risk of fire (like the Lamentation Mountain fire still burning in Berlin, where a firefighter lost his life) and the declaration of a State of Emergency issued by Gov. Ned Lamont.

I was planning to wait until Nov. 5 to vote, but since I was already at Town Hall several times early last week to report about early voting, I went ahead and voted! It was easy (took only about 10 minutes at the time I was there), and included multiple safeguards to check my identity and ensure I was voting in the correct district. Turnout in West Hartford for early voting has been extremely high (1,289 ballots cast the first day and 1,167 on the second day). I generally visit multiple polling places to report on Election Day itself, and having already voted means I don’t have to worry about casting my own ballot that day.

John Lyons and I interviewed Town Clerk Leon Davidoff and both Registrars of Voters for this video about early voting you can watch on WHCi’s YouTube channel.

It’s been weeks since I’ve had a normal Saturday night to dine out in West Hartford – and that trend continued this week. Even though we were in town over the weekend, we tailgated before the UConn football game and then the game (not one of the most exciting to say the least, but a win!) didn’t end until nearly 7:30 p.m. By the time Ted and I got home, we had no motivation to head back out – and also I was not at all hungry since I had eaten much more than what you see on my plate below at the tailgate thanks to my sister’s boyfriend who supplied enough food for at least 12 people even though there were just four of us. We did have a refrigerator full of some great leftovers from earlier in the week, so that was Saturday night dinner. But here are a few highlights from earlier in the week (look for a full story about Sichuan Alley) – including the linguini with sauce made from the late-ripening Roma tomatoes from my garden and the few leaves left living on our basil plants following the recent frost.

This month has zoomed by, and we’re reaching the end of the fall sports season. Paul Palmer has been hard at work covering as many as possible of the Conard vs. Hall contests, and we’ve also had some contributions from readers. (Click here to view all sports stories.) Multiple teams have qualified for post-season, and continue to welcome those contributions, especially for away games that we can’t attend.

As I mentioned in last week’s column, I had a great interview with John O’Hurley for this article I wrote about his one-man show at Playhouse on Park. I’m planning to finish this column before Sunday’s show, and looking forward to chatting with O’Hurley in person at the reception that follows – and maybe updating this photo from 2009 when I had interviewed him before he emceed the Mayor’s Charity Ball.

[Update: The show was great, and I was able to get an updated photo. Have we aged in the past 15 years?]

 

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If you’re looking for news about West Hartford in print please note that many stories from We-Ha.com, as well as other local news, is published in the twice-monthly issues of the West Hartford Press.

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:

• The “ELM” letters that once graced the marquee of the Elm Theater in Elmwood are now back in West Hartford! The Elm Theater, which was built in the “Streamline Moderne” style, closed for good as a theater back on Sept. 8, 2002 (see this “Throwback Thursday article that featured it on this site in 2015, and which includes memories shared by many residents). It was replaced by a Walgreens, which, after extensive debate about the use of the property, opened in 2006. Walgreens closed last November, and the space has now transitioned to Dollar Tree – which is essentially the same type of use of the property as Walgreens. The repainting of the marquee in “Dollar Tree green,” along with the new signage, drew disdain from many West Hartford residents, as did the fact that Dollar Tree did not keep the ELM letters from the theater’s original marquee in their lobby, as Walgreens had done. I mentioned in this column two weeks ago that the letters had been located, and while I was happy to have a role in the discovery and am very thankful to those who are respectful of history, the rest of the story isn’t ready to be told at this time. I have seen the letters, which are in the custody of West Hartford’s Department of Public Works (Director John Phillips also thinks they are very cool, and worth preserving, and they will be taken care of), along with the two historical photos. A few of the neon tubes need replacement, but they are otherwise in good shape. My suggestion (if it’s feasible) is to find a space for them to be displayed in the future new Elmwood Community Center, but rest assured that no matter what their future use, the letters are back in West Hartford where they belong.

• Related to the above post, Dollar Tree is now open at 940 South Quaker Lane. I drove through the parking lot to take the below photo, but had run out of time that day and have not had a chance to go inside. I did see one post on Facebook that indicated it was nice and clean inside, but already full of holiday items – and I don’t mean Halloween. Two weeks ago the general contractor had told me it might be “a couple of months” before the store opened, but clearly they were much more efficient that his estimate!

• One of the most common questions I’ve gotten lately from readers is about the status of The Byline, which is under construction at 920 Farmington Avenue – the northwest corner of Trout Brook Drive. Last week I was able to speak with Brian Zelman from the Jasko development team, and he said there were two significant issues that have delayed the construction. One was a supply side delay in obtaining some of the materials they planned to use for the exterior of the building, and he said rather than changing the design (which likely would have meant applying to the Town Council for changes in the approved Special Development District and revisiting the plans with the Design Review Advisory Committee), they chose to wait for the material to become available. They have it now, and while their contractor had gotten involved with another project in the meantime, a small crew is back on the installation job and it should ramp up shortly, Zelman said. In addition, “we had some delay related to engineering challenges with the electrical service,” Zelman said. Those issues have been resolved, and he said they are looking for the 48-unit luxury apartment building to be completed by the first quarter of 2025. You can find out more about The Byline on the building’s website.

• I’ve been eager to find out what’s going on with The Friendly Toast – which had originally hoped to open by now – and was able to connect with Madelyn Digman, their marketing manager, this week. “We are very excited to open in the community in 2025,” she told me in an email. While they don’t have an opening date to share yet, the permits are being finalized and activity should be visible soon. I peek in the window every time I walk by, and with all the table settings in place it still appears as a moment frozen in time from Jan. 18, 2024, which was the last day that Division West was open before their sales and use tax was suspended.

• Another popular question: When is Park Lane Pizza reopening? A reader said last week that a contractor told him the “end of the month.” The exterior looks pretty much complete, other than the broken portion of the sign that faces South Quaker. These photos are from Thursday. I’m keeping on top of this and will absolutely share the news as soon as an opening date is announced.

• Herba Acupuncture, a holistic health clinic specializing in acupuncture, naturopathic medicine, and traditional Chinese herbs, is excited to announce the grand opening of its new location at 12 North Main Street in West Hartford Center. In a news release, the business said that beginning Oct. 28, “Herba will offer comprehensive, personalized care to patients seeking treatments for fertility, pain management, chronic conditions, mental health, gastrointestinal disorders, and allergies. Herba Acupuncture is led by two highly respected practitioners, Maura Emerick, L.Ac and Dr. Karolina Zagaja, ND. Both bring vast knowledge, expertise, and compassionate care to their patients. Both bring vast expertise and compassionate care to their patients. Both Maura and Dr. Zagaja are dedicated to a patient-first approach, offering each individual their full attention, and working to address health issues holistically. One satisfied patient said ‘[The women at Herba] were so empathetic and helpful through my fertility struggles and in every consult before my treatments I had [their] undivided attention.[…] It is always such a pleasant and relaxing experience and one of my favorite parts of the week!’ Herba Acupuncture aims to foster a nurturing environment where patients are truly heard and supported throughout their healing journey. For more information about Herba Acupuncture and its practitioners, or to schedule an appointment, please visit www.HerbaAcupuncture.com or call 860-215-4480.”

• Congratulations to Max’s Oyster Bar on their 25th anniversary! They held a 25th anniversary celebration last Thursday.

• This always makes me sad because it’s a sure sign of the season changing: Rita’s (1134 New Britain Avenue in Elmwood) last day of the season was Sunday. They close for the winter, and will reopen in early spring.

• Another signal that winter is coming: the end of outdoor dining season. The West Hartford Economic Development Department’s newsletter indicated that outdoor dining corrals in West Hartford Center are being removed the week of Nov. 12, and patios throughout town will close as of Nov. 15. Plans are for construction to be underway in 2025 as part of the implementation of the Town Center Infrastructure Master Plan, so there will not be in-street dining next year. There has not been any final decision made about expanding outdoor dining beyond patios once the project is complete.

• Click here to listen to the latest installment of the “On the Scene” podcast, where On The Scene hosts Tom Hickey and Bob Carr talk with Cathy Davis of Bartlett Brained about restoring homes, the long history of the firm, and home designs in West Hartford. Podcasts can also be found at the bottom of the home page on the revamped We-Ha.com website!

• I don’t have photos, but the Starbucks inside Macy’s at Westfarms is now open.
• Thanks to the Connecticut Scoop for alerting me to the announcement that Kilim Design Store is moving their Westfarms store at the end of January. I don’t know if they will reopen in a different spot at Westfarms (that’s what happened last time they announced a move), or elsewhere, but in any case they posted this announcement on Facebook: “Enjoy up to 70% off on everything as we prepare for our exciting new chapter. Don’t miss out on these incredible deals!”
• ICYMI, generous merchants in West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square made sure the kids in the community received plenty of treats at Saturday’s extremely well-attended Moms & More Club Halloween Stroll. Click here for the story and lots of photos!
• A ribbon cutting was held last week in Blue Back Square for the community’s first Able Table. What’s an Able Table, you might be asking. Details can be found here.

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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