A round-up of openings, closings, and other news about West Hartford businesses.
If you’ve got today off for Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day, I hope you have a chance to enjoy what looks like some fairly nice fall weather!
While schools are closed Monday, and so is Town Hall, there is no trash delay this week and I have confirmed that the Yard Waste and Recycling Center on Brixton Street is open.
John Lyons and I will be hosting statewide Democratic candidates Stephanie Thomas (secretary of the state) and Sean Scanlon (comptroller) in a We-Ha Roundtable show today at 10 a.m. on West Hartford Community Interactive and Facebook Live. Please tune in if you can, or look for the recording later. We’re hopeful that several Republican candidates will be joining us in the next week or two for a show as well.
I have a second TV/streaming appearance this week when I will be providing post-debate analysis on Tuesday evening for CT Public following the 1st Congressional District debate between incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. John Larson and Republican challenger Larry Lazor. The debate, moderated by Ray Hardman, will take place live at Manchester Community College, and begins at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11. It will be broadcast/streamed on all Connecticut Public platforms, including CPTV, ctpublic.org, YouTube and Facebook Live, as well as the League of Women Voters of Connecticut website and YouTube channel.
I’m still a bit sore from Saturday’s half marathon. It was my 19th half marathon, and I completed it in just over 2 hours and 12 minutes – far from my fastest time, but quite a bit faster than the last half marathon I ran, which was a virtual race in 2020 that I did by myself on a day where winds were gusting our 30 mph. I did not quite stick to my plan of starting out slowly on Saturday, and then got even more excited when halfway through I was keeping up a sub-10-minute-per-mile pace. As a seasoned runner I should know better, but the weather was great, the crowd support was fantastic, and it was hard to keep the excitement at bay … at least until I started running up the hill on Albany Avenue and my pace was suddenly 30 seconds per mile slower. Everything about the day was inspirational, however, and I am so thankful to my coaches from Fleet Feet, and my running partners (especially Laurie and Kitty) for motivating me to do this race, and for their constant support. On my ascent out of Elizabeth Park on Saturday I swore this would be my last half marathon, but by the time I reached the beer tent in Bushnell Park we were already talking about next year, so who knows …
Stefanie Marco Lantz captured this photo of me (far left) running on North Quaker Lane, just past mile 5, during the Oct. 8, 2022 Hartford Half Marathon. Courtesy of Stefanie Marco Lantz
My sister ran the half marathon as well (Ted skipped it this year, but provided great crowd support!), and we had our traditional post-race celebratory burgers (the wrap was Ted’s) at Beachland Tavern on Saturday night, preceded by cauliflower tempura.
Post half-marathon dinner at Beachland Tavern. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Cauliflower tempura at Beachland Tavern. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
A few housekeeping notes … I got a notice this week informing me that We-Ha was a winner in the 2022 West Hartford Award Program. Other businesses have received the same type of notice and please be warned that this is a SCAM and please do not fall for it. The Best of West Hartford is an actual contest, operated by 2020Media, with an actual awards ceremony that involves actual West Hartford companies in attendance, and voting is currently underway. The so-called “West Hartford Award Program” is just a ploy to get businesses to purchase a meaningless award for display.
Also, this past week someone emailed a business I was working with on a story and told the contact that they partnered with We-Ha.com for covering West Hartford, and provided a link to “My Site 1.” I didn’t want to click on the link and I’ve reported this to our IT specialist, but although I don’t yet know what this is all about, I assure you it is not coming from us. Someone also recently told a business owner (in person) that any content that goes onto We-Ha.com has to be funneled thought them – which is also untrue. Unfortunately we haven’t yet figured out who the person was who made that statement. As managing editor, please know that I manage the content that is on the site – whether it is being produced by me, or a freelancer, or an intern, or submitted by a member of the community. If you get a strange request, please email me at [email protected] and let me know.
On Tuesday, Kristen Gorski will deliver her annual Economic Development Update. Look for lots of forthcoming business news from that report!
There were 44 positive cases COVID-19 in West Hartford over the past seven days (as of Saturday), and a positivity rate of 8.7%. The numbers have gone up and down a bit over the past few weeks, but over the past week have remained fairly steady in West Hartford as well as statewide. One day I hope to be able to delete this paragraph completely, but in the meantime, please continue to have patience since not everyone has the same level of comfort, continue to look out for each other, support our local businesses – and stay safe and healthy.
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] .
Connecticut Physical Therapy Specialists is the sponsor of this week’s Business Buzz!
Here’s this week’s Buzz:
Construction is underway on Central Rock Gym in West Hartford. Courtesy photo
Construction is underway on Central Rock Gym in West Hartford. Courtesy photo
Construction is underway on Central Rock Gym in West Hartford. Courtesy photo
Big Y Foods, Inc. purchased the entire shopping center in Bishops Corner in September 2022. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
The Ashley HomeStore Outlet has been liquidated and the existing buildings will be demolished to make way for a mixed-use Transit-Oriented Development. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
The Medspa is located at 65 Memorial Rd. in Blue Back Square. Courtesy photo (we-ha.com file photo)
West Hartford Cleaning Services has partnered with Cleaning for a Reason. Courtesy photo
LobsterCraft had an official ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce and town officials on Oct. 4, 2022. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
The pickle-brined fried chicken sandwich from LobsterCraft. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
I loved the lobsters in this balloon installation created for the LobsterCraft ribbon cutting by Pink Flamingo Party Company. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Congratulations to SockStarz on the third anniversary of their opening at 18 LaSalle Road in West Hartford Center. The novelty sock retailer is a social enterprise owned by Harc, which is also celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month throughout October – an annual campaign that takes place each October to educate the community about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. “Harc, Inc. is proud to be a part of this year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month,” Dan McLaughlin, Interim President & CEO, CFO, said in a news release. “We want to spread the important message that we value all perspectives, including those of individuals with disabilities. Being able to celebrate the third anniversary of SockStarzduring this month highlights the incredible employment opportunity it has given our individuals.” SockStarz provides employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, and also provides revenue to support Harc’s mission. The store is open Monday through Saturday, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday from noon-4 p.m.
SockStarz is located at 18 LaSalle Rd. in West Hartford Center. Photo credit: Ronni Newton (we-ha.com file photo)
540 New Park is nearing completion. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Farmington-based financial planning and investment advisory firm Connecticut Wealth Management, LLC (CTWM) has announced that West Hartford resident Jessica Dodge has joined the company as the director of Momentum for Business Owners. Dodge has more than a decade of experience offering strategic advice and support to small growth-stage businesses, and is passionate about developing programs that address the specific challenges of Connecticut business owners, the company stated in a news release. “We are so excited to have Jessica join our team and watch her craft and grow this new service offering,” commented Denis Horrigan, CFP, CEPA, Partner & Co-Founder of CTWM. “At CTWM, we continuously strive to find new ways to add value for our business owner clients. Jessica has a unique background that will allow her to support the unique needs of our business owner clients, with a level of warmth, professionalism and authenticity that has become the hallmark of our work.” Momentum for Business Owners ia new service offering a strategic blueprint that closely ties into the long-term goals of business owners, whether they be growing the business, developing a solid business succession plan, or creating a better work-life balance – with the end goal of helping to provide clarity around the intersection of both personal and business finances. “I’m excited to take the foundation of my previous work and cater this to the needs of more established companies that still need help but maybe just don’t know it yet,” said Dodge. “In the end, my goal is to make business owners overcome their isolation so that they can continue to be successful – professional and personally.” Dodge previously worked at Connecticut Innovations and then went on to become a senior leader at CTNext, a subsidiary of CT Innovations, where she continued to support entrepreneurs across the state by assessing their needs and providing guidance, resources, networking, and access to capital to help accelerate their growth and success. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), a member of the Women’s Leadership Council Steering Committee at the University of Saint Joseph, and co-president of the PTO at her children’s elementary school in West Hartford.
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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