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’m still hanging onto summer, but am definitely enjoying the cooler mornings for running. I’m trying to continue doing longish runs on the weekends – even though my schedule didn’t work out for doing a half marathon this fall, and even though my best running partner is injured – so when the temps are in the 50s and low 60s it’s hard to use that as an excuse.

I had a great run to Elizabeth Park (just under 7 miles round trip from my house) on Saturday morning, before a full day of tailgating and then watching UConn win big at Rentschler Field Saturday afternoon.

Millie has been loving the weather, too.

Ted and I spent a few hours on Labor Day walking around Old Wethersfield just for a change of pace. There wasn’t a lot open, but I loved seeing the historic homes, and the Cove is beautiful. Main Street Creamery was open – and I thoroughly enjoyed eating an ice cream cone for lunch!

To cap off a great holiday weekend, on Monday night Ted and I enjoyed dinner at the newly-opened Sichuan Alley with friends (see photos under a bullet point below). We also went out for dinner on Saturday night – to check out the new location of Black Bamboo at 766 Farmington Avenue, and we enjoyed being able to sit down inside and have a beer with our dinner!

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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:

• Ribbon cuttings are meant to be celebrations, and West Hartford Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Chris Conway remarked to me last week that lately they have been extremely well-attended and joyous events. The enthusiasm was off the charts at the grand opening of Jazzercise of West Hartford, held Friday afternoon at the new location at 132 Shield Street, with the ribbon cut by owner Tricia Raiti along with Mayor Shari Cantor and Junior-Mayor-for-a-Day Quinn Carney. Raiti’s journey to opening her own Jazzercise studio is a great story, that started when she was looking to take classes after moving to West Hartford and began going to the nearest location, in Canton. Raiti, whose background is in career coaching and higher education, then became a certified Jazzercise instructor in 2017 and recognizing the local need, she opened Jazzercise of West Hartford in May 2022, renting space from the Lisa Matias Dance Studio at 635 New Park Avenue. She moved into the new space in June. It’s gone from just a fun activity, to a side hustle, to now her full-time job. “First one person came, and then another came …” she said at the grand opening of the new space, which is in a space that was formerly a bank branch, praising her team of six instructors (with two more training to join the team). Cantor also praised Raiti at the ribbon cutting for being a “strong, creative woman who opened her own business.” As of Friday, Jazzercise West Hartford had 98 active members, who range in age from 8 to 98! The 8-year-old takes classes with her mom (but participates fully), and the 98-year-old gets a ride to the studio but also fully participates – and all are part of what Raiti called the great community family that is Jazzercise. They offer monthly and yearly memberships as well as classes packs. Classes (see schedule here) range in length from 30 to 60 minutes, and include dance cardio as well as some that are more strength-only. I tested out a class at the former location last fall, but I was recovering from a foot injury and had to keep it low impact – and I was very excited to participate in the community class led by all of their instructors that followed the ribbon cutting on Friday. It was definitely the most fun I’ve had at a ribbon cutting! “Thank you to my family for supporting me,” Raiti said Friday. “This community is what makes us different.”

• The Chamber hosted two ribbon cuttings last week, and the other was for the office of Tina Kiniry Management – an agency for models and actors – which moved its to 998 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford Center last fall. Owner Tina Kiniry said they are very much looking forward to the upcoming Open House Launch Party on Sunday, Sept. 15, from noon-4 p.m., under a tent in the parking area of 998 Farmington Avenue, which will be “a fabulous day of fashion shows, prizes, and fun in West Hartford Center” for their models and actors and will feature Bob Maxon from NBC Connecticut as emcee. “Dress to impress and walk the runway so we can officially welcome you to Team Tina and take a tour of our beautiful new agency.” Those interested in attending can email [email protected].

• While I was in the neighborhood at the Tina Kiniry Management ribbon-cutting, I was able to briefly peek inside the soon-to-open Yemerica coffee shop in the same building. There has been quite a transformation of what was an office into a cafe, and it should be ready to open in the next month or so, according to the contractor. Yemerica will serve not only coffee but also breakfast and Arabic foods.

• Perfumania is opening this fall at Westfarms, as is MINISO, spokesperson Amanda Sirica said. According to its website, Perfumania offers a wide variety of fragrances (authentic brands, not imitations) at discounted prices. They have more than 100 retail locations in the U.S., but the only one currently in Connecticut is in Stamford. According to its website, “MINISO has collaborated with world-famous brands including Coca Cola, Marvel, Hello Kitty, Sesame Street, Mickey and Minnie, Pink Panther, We Bare Bears and Beijing’s Palace Museum, releasing playful crossover products that have been hugely popular with our young shoppers.” There are two MINISO stores in Connecticut – Norwalk and Milford – and stores in the Boston area and in New York, but none in the Hartford area. Visit their website for more information.

• Congratulations to BK&Co., which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in West Hartford Center by (with apologies to Prince) partying “like it’s 1994” and with a celebration of “fashion, friendship, and fun” all next weekend. The party kicks off on Friday, Sept. 13, with “Lunch Bites & Bubbles,” and lasts through Sunday, Sept. 15. Here’s what’s happening …  “FASHION: Help us build our fashion timeline! Wear any BK&CO outfit from the past 30 years, pose for a pic, And enter our drawing for a $300 BK&CO Gift Certificate (do you have the most fabulous “vintage” BK&CO fashion?); FRIENDSHIP: The traditional 30th anniversary gift is Pearl, signifying a long-lasting bond. We’ve loved our clients for 30 years! And we hope you’ve loved us too! Answer a Barbara & Karen trivia question and enter to win a fabulous Pearl necklace designed by Charlotte Meyer. Also, our gift with any purchase of $300: A strand of fabulous faux pearls by designer Jianhui; FUN:  Our brand tagline from the very beginning has been ‘Life is Either a Daring Adventure or Nothing.’ Helen Keller’s quote spoke to us! We DARE you: Try your hand at our giant JENGA Table There’s 30 pieces in play – 10% off any item if you play, but our game is filled with even better savings (10%-20% off your entire purchase) and a few fabulous surprises! Let’s have some fun!” BK&Co. is located at 938 Farmington Ave. in West Hartford Center.

• [Updated] As noted in the introduction above, I could not wait to sample the food at Sichuan Alley (635 New Park Avenue) and dined there Monday night (Sept. 2) with my husband and Eat IN Connecticut owner Jeannette Dardenne and her husband. The food was excellent, and the space is beautiful and is totally transformed from its prior occupancies as G-Monkey and Hartford Baking Company. The drinks (pictured in the menu) look fabulous, too, but they are still awaiting their liquor license which is hopefully coming soon. They do have some great signature mocktails available now. They posted on Facebook on Monday that they would be closed this week in preparation for having a grand opening, now scheduled for Sept. 13, and I look forward to returning to sample more of the menu!

• In case you don’t read the introduction, I also wanted to be sure to give an official shout-out to Sonny Chen on the opening of the new Black Bamboo location at 766 Farmington Avenue. Food photos from my visit Saturday night are in the intro above. We’ve been takeout customers of Black Bamboo since it opened, but the new space definitely makes eating there a much better experience!

• Ten Thousand Villages (967 Farmington Avenue) is holding a soap drive to benefit The Bridge Family Center. “When customers purchase any of our Palam Rural soaps or shampoo bars to donate, they will not only be supporting this great local nonprofit, but the community of Palam Rural, where the soap is made, as well,” said Teri Osborne, store manager, in an email. The Bridge Family Cente, based in West Hartford, supports children, teens, young adults, families, parents and caregivers throughout the Greater Hartford area through positive intervention and prevention programs. From short-term shelter, mental health counseling, early childhood development programs, and life-skills training, the depth and breadth of services is truly diverse, Osborne said. “And about Palam Rural … The master soap makers of Palam Rural have are achieving economic independence and education for the next generation. With ingenuity and hard work, the organization in South India has overcome discriminatory social systems and stereotypes to build a sustainable thriving community whose members have gained equality and respect in society. Artisan benefits include free education for children, medical coverage for the family, home ownership, clean drinking water and sanitation, fair wages, gender pay equity, safe working conditions, and retirement pension. They have built a school for the local community. One bar of soap sends one child to school for one day,” Osborne said. 

• Click here to listen to the latest installment of the “On the Scene” podcast, where host Tom Hickey talks with Arthur Murray Dance Centers owner Kelly Stangel about how the studio pivoted during COVID and the entertainment they will be providing for the Best of West Hartford 10th anniversary. Podcasts can also be found at the bottom of the home page on the revamped We-Ha.com website!

• ICYMI, Wampanoag Country Club has filed plans with the town to obtain a Special Use Permit for the clubhouse that will be built to replace the structure destroyed in a fire in April. The golf course was not damaged, and until the new building is ready, they will continue operating out of a large tent on the grounds. Click here for the complete story.

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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