Site work and construction is underway on West Hartford's newest luxury development dubbed Center Park Place!
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Coming soon to the West Hartford skyline is Center Park Place, a new 56 unit luxury condominium complex anticipated to debut in September 2027. The new development will be located behind the existing buildings on the block between Farmington Avenue and Arapahoe Road along LaSalle Road. The site was previously a large parking lot. 

Units are anticipated to cost between $1.2 million and $2.5 million. The building will be comprised of a mix of 1 and 2 bedroom units ranging in size from 1,200 up to 2,700 square feet. Units have an open floor plans with top-of-the-line finishes. Current plans show 6 units have been sold with another 6 units reserved;leaving 44 units remaining.

The building will have luxury amentities including a fitness center, resort-like pool area, rooftop patio , resident lounge, doorman services, indoor parking, and much more.

Find more information on this project on its website here: www.centerparkwh.com/

East Granby is buzzing with new businesses!

Luppoleto Brewing Co. has opened their new brewery at 17 Kripes Road in East Granby; the former home of Almost Famous Brewing! The new space marks a major expansion of the Windsor Locks brewery. The new 'Luppoleto Grande' currently has 8 draft beers, ciders, wines, ready-to-drink cocktails, NA options, Hosmer Mountain Sodas, and some Italian sodas. Their soft opening hours are Friday 3-10pm, Saturday 1-10pm, and Sunday 1-7pm with plans to extend them in the future.
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Lazy Fare is coming soon to 10 East Street in East Granby; the former home to Craft Artisan Bakery. The new restaurant is expected to open very soon! The new restaurant will serve breakfast and lunch fare including sandwiches, salads, and much more! The business will be owned and operated by local residents Omar Saad and Anndrea Salvatto. Make sure to follow their Facebook at Lazy Fare CT or on Instagram at @lazyfarect for more information on their opening.

Dollar Tree has closed their location at The Plaza at Buckland Hills ahead of its move!

The dollar store will reopen later this summer at 430 Buckland Hills Drive in Manchester, near Savers and Walmart. The new store will be roughly 20% larger than their previous location.

All signage has been removed from the old store and the interior is being boxed up ahead of the move. A hand written ‘Closed’ sign can be seen in the door.
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Look for them to reopen later this summer.

A new coffee and tea shop is coming to West Hartford!

Ji Tea is coming soon to 5 Sedgwick Road in West Hartford! The new cafe will feature thoughtfully prepared coffee, house-brewed teas, milk tea, and small eats in a warm, welcoming environment.

In their menu you will find a variety of espresso-based drinks, coffees, and teas like Bai Tao Tea (peach), Xi Lan Tea (Ceylon), Gui Han Tea (Osmanthus), Mo Li Tea (jasmine), and much more. You’ll also find small bites like cloud jellys, Taiwanese sausage, croissants, and others.

The cafe is currently hiring for baristas! Find the job listing here: https://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=42a1fc1be1ce0c9e
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The new coffee shop is planned to open very soon! Renovations are nearly complete on their space. Stay tuned for an opening date!

UPDATE: The new owner has stated his upholstery shop will be moving into the building with plans to open by the end of June.

The former longtime home of Farr's Sporting Goods has been sold.

The property is located at 2 Main Street in Manchester. According to documents recorded at the Town Clerk's Office last week, the new owner is VerdePoint Properties LLC with a sale price listed as $600,000.

The building had been a staple of Manchester with the iconic Farr's signage and always friendly staff. The sporting goods store officially closed last fall after over 70 years of business.
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We have reached out to the new owner for more information on his plans for the property. Stay tuned for more information.

What would you like to see open here next? Comment below!

Denny's has closed its Hartford location.

The Denny's location in Hartford has closed its doors after 13 years. A sign on the doors announces the permanent closure as of June 1st. The restaurant was located at at 539 Flatbush Avenue in Hartford, part of the Charter Oak Marketplace shopping center. The location originally opened in 2013, part of an expansion of the plaza.

Denny's now has 3 Connecticut locations remaining. Locations include:
-Middletown, 655 South Main Street
-New London, 322 South Frontage Road
-Southington, 621 Queen Street

The chain previously operated Connecticut locations in Wethersfield, Vernon, Westbrook, Danbury, Enfield, West Haven, and many others.

No word yet on what might replace Denny's in Hartford.
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What would you like to see open in this space? Comment below!

A new 'Mamma Mia' rooftop experience is coming to Southington!

The rooftop at Cava Restaurant has been transformed into a new Mamma Mia-inspired experience. Dine in the fictional Kalokairi Greek island and enjoy your favorite ABBA hits used in the hit movie and musical.

The experience is expected to open in the coming weeks and remain open through the end of the rooftop season, usually through the fall. The Aladdin theme in the main dining room remains open as well.

The menu features traditional Italian cuisine and seafood including calamari, whipped ricotta, escargot, Gnocchi, Penna Alla Vodka, Cacio E Pepe, Bolognese, Zuppa Di Pescem Lobster Ravioli, Chicken Scarpariello, Chicken Marsala, and much more. Find their full menu here: https://www.cavact.com/menus
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Take a trip to the Kalokairi right at 1615 West Street in Southington! Make sure you follow them on social media for future themes.

Rocky Hill’s newest coffee shop has set its opening date!

Brew Lab Café will soft open on Saturday, June 13th from 8am to 3pm! The coffee shop is located at 1949 Silas Deane Highway in Rocky Hill, previously home to a Dunkin. The new coffee shop is owned by Trung Ho and Thao Tran.

The new coffee shop will feature a variety of drinks including Vietnamese coffee, fruit teas (boba and jelly available), milk teas, Matcha lattes, Ube lattes, slushies, regular lattes and espresso drinks, ‘Saigonese Special’, and much more!

They will also have a small selection of food including Mochi Donuts, Croffles (a croissant-waffle crossover with varies drizzles), Vietnamese Banh Mi (coming soon), and Taiwanese Chicken & Fries. Find the full menu online at https://brewlabcafee.com

Take a look at the cozy atmosphere of the coffee shop! Love the greenery and soft furnishings.

Find them at 1949 Silas Deane Highway in Rocky Hill!
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Hours:
Soft Opening~ 8am to 3pm
Typical ~ 7am to 5pm

5CB (formerly known as Five Churches Brewing) has announced their pending closure after 8 years of business.

The brewery's last day will be this Monday, June 8th. 5CB is located at 193 Arch Street in New Britain. To close out this chapter, they are offering $5 pours of any beer this weekend. Stop in and say goodbye to your favorite staff and brews.

The brewery opened in 2018 as Five Churches Brewing, named after the 5 large church steeples that make up the New Britain skyline. 5CB was forced into a legal fight by a restaurant in Georgia claiming ownership of the name, which prompted the change to 5CB in 2025.

Read their full closing announcement/statement here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1SuojuK5pB/

Construction update on the new Dollar Tree in Manchester!

Dollar Tree is quickly progressing on construction of their new Manchester location at 430 Buckland Hills Drive in Manchester, near Walmart. The store signage was recently installed on the exterior while work is progressing on the interior fit out.

The dollar store is expected to relocate from The Plaza at Buckland Hills to this new location later this summer. Joining Savers, Walmart, and US Furniture.

The new store would occupy roughly 12,000 square feet. Renovation recently began on the space including a new interior and refreshed exterior with their signature green paint color accents.
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Namco Pools is putting the finishing touches on their new space to next to Mattress Firm at 440 Buckland Hills Drive, a space roughly half the size of their previous location. Look for them to reopen soon.

The final phase of ‘The Mall at Bristol Centre’ redevelopment has been proposed!

Carrier Homes (By Carrier Homes) plans to build ‘The Cornerstone’ on the corner of North Main Street and Riverside Avenue in Bristol. According to the Mayor’s office, the parcel will be sold for $250,000 and receive a standard 7-year tax abatement.

Plans call for a new 6-story mixed use building with 70 residential units, 5,000 square feet of retail/commercial space on the ground floor, and covered parking.

The new development will compliment the other recent developments by Carrier nearby dubbed Centre Square Village. Their other developments will soon welcome new businesses including Mr. P’s Frozen Treats and Tavello Pizza on the ground levels.
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The developments are located on the site of the former The Mall at Bristol Centre which operated until 2005 and was demolished in 2008.

Shah's Halal Food will open its new Glastonbury location on June 8th!

The franchise owner, Chris Hing, confirms the new eatery will open its doors on Monday, June 8th! The new halal eatery is located at 3039 Main Street in Glastonbury, part of the Putnam Bridge Plaza Shopping Center. This is the second Shah's Halal Food location for Chris & his family, they also operate the Vernon location.

Shah's brings a new late-night option to Glastonbury. The restaurant serves a wide variety of halal food including gyros, platters, falafel, burgers, wings, salads, hummus, pita, baklava, and much more. Check out their menu here: https://www.shahshalalfood.com/menu/

Shah's is a quick-growing chain of Halal eateries with locations in East Hartford, Newington, Middletown, Vernon, Hamden, Stratford, Waterbury (2), Wallingford, New Haven, Orange, Bridgeport, Danbury, Stamford, Bristol, Norwalk, Winsted, with more coming soon!

They are currently still hiring for the new Glastonbury location. If interested, please call the owner at 860-920-2474 for more information and to apply.

Find them at 3039 Main Street in Glastonbury
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They are open:
Sunday through Thursday 10am-12am
Friday & Saturday 10am-1pm

Construction has started on the new adventure park coming to Windsor!

Work recently started on the new Fun Max Indoor Adventure Park in Windsor. The new entertainment complex will be located at 560 Windsor Avenue in Windsor, the former Big Lots store at Windsor Shops shopping plaza.

The new adventure park will occupy nearly 44,000 square feet of space and will feature trampolines, numerous party rooms, a Ninja course, arcade, indoor climbing structure, soft-play toddler area, and much more.

This would be Fun Max's third location. They opened a location in Simsbury last year and also operate a location in Wappingers Falls NY.
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The new Windsor adventure park is planned to open later this year, stay tuned for more information on their opening as construction ramps up.

A new restaurant has opened in Southington!

Rumi Kebab House is now open at 172 Queen Street in Southington, the former Noto Americano Italian Market / Tokyo Sushi Bar space. The restaurant is celebrating their soft opening today.

Rumi is where the rich flavors of Persian cuisine meet warm hospitality and timeless tradition. Inspired by the spirit of Persian culture, their menu celebrates authentic recipes crafted with premium ingredients, fragrant saffron, fresh herbs, and time-honored cooking techniques. From perfectly grilled koobideh and tender kebabs to classic Persian rice dishes like Zereshk Polo, Albaloo Polo, and Baghali Polo, every plate is prepared with care and attention to detail. Complete your experience with house-made saffron ice cream, traditional desserts, and a selection of tea.

Find their full menu online at rumikebab.com
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Rumi Kebab House is located 172 Queen Street in Southington.

A new medical clinic could be replacing a furniture outlet store in Manchester.

Raymour & Flanigan is seeking a zone change for their property at 50 Hale Road in Manchester to allow for a medical clinic in their building. No word yet on which medical group would be opening the clinic.

Under the preliminary plans, the Raymour & Flanigan Outlet would be replaced with a roughly 30,000 square foot medical clinic. The flagship Raymour & Flanigan store would remain, measuring 61,760 square feet.
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The zone change application is planned to be heard at the June 16th Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.

Union Kitchen has announced it will be closing its doors.

The restaurant will be closing at the end of service this Saturday, June 6th, according to an announcement on their social media. Union Kitchen is located at 43 LaSalle Road in West Hartford Center.

Union Kitchen cites the expiration of their lease along with rising costs in West Hartford real estate for its closure. The restaurant opened its doors in late 2018, serving contemporary American cuisine and craft cocktails. Union Kitchen is owned by Bean Restaurant Group, owners of numerous restaurants in Massachusetts and previously operated Halfway/Wurst Haus/Crush Wine Bar next to Union Kitchen.
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The closing announcement reads: “Dear friends of Union Kitchen, We are sad to announce that we will be closing after service this Saturday, June 6th. With rising costs in West Hartford Center's real estate, we have made the hard decision to not renew our lease. We have had an incredible 9 year run in West Hartford. We hope to see you for one last meal in our dining room or a drink at our bar as we bid farewell to 43 LaSalle Road. Thank you to all our guests for your support over the last decade. Thank you to our vendors for helping us do what we do. And most importantly to our wonderful team (past & present) for pouring your heart into this restaurant. None of this would have possible without you. Thank you. We are closing this chapter with a grateful heart.”

Construction Update! Check out the progress on the new ALDI store in East Windsor!

Construction is well underway on the new ALDI supermarket in East Windsor. The outer shell building is roughly 50% complete with brick finishes now being installed. The new 20,664 square foot ALDI Supermarket store will be located at 151 Prospect Hill Road, the land between Comfort Inn and RTNC Auto Wash.

The discount grocery store sells a large variety of good at low prices, but does not offer a full-service butchery, bakery, or deli; opting for pre-package products instead.
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A drive thru restaurant is planned as a ‘phase 2’ of the development. ALDI has other CT stores in development or under construction in Bloomfield, Stratford, Guilford, Bristol, and Clinton.

Cold Stone Creamery is coming soon to Farmington!

The ice cream shop will be located in the soon-to-be redeveloped building (formerly home to Barnes & Noble) at 1599 Southeast Road in Farmington. Cold Stone Creamery will join other future tenants including Hannoush Jewelers, KidStrong, and Goldfish Swim School.

The lease has been finalized and signed according to the property owner. The ice cream shop plans to open in early 2027, with construction to begin later this year.

Cold Stone Creamery is a popular chain of ice cream shop known for their flavors created by hand-mixing ingredients on a frozen stone slab. They are expanding across Connecticut with a new location coming soon in Glastonbury and a new location opened last year in South Windsor.

The building was previously home to Barnes & Noble, which will be reopening this summer inside Westfarms. The building will be modernized and divided between Cold Stone Creamery, Hannoush Jewelers (flagship store), KidStrong, and Goldfish Swim School. There is still 3,200 square feet available for lease, find more information here: https://www.cbre.com/.../westfarms-mall-1599-southeast...
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Stay tuned for more updates about this exciting project!

BIRDCODE is eyeing a new location in Enfield!

The Nashville Hot Chicken restaurant is planning to open a new location in the Brookside Plaza (10-38 Hazard Avenue) in Enfield! The location is still early in development with plans expected to be formally submitted to the town soon.

Their menu consists of chicken sandwiches, tenders, and bites with 5 different spice levels from Country (the most mild) up to Code Breaker (eat at your own risk). The menu also has salads, fries, banana pudding, coleslaw, cookies, and much more.

Birdcode is a growing locally owned chain, now with 6 locations in Brookfield, Cheshire, West Hartford, Vernon, Darien, and New Britain. The restaurant will also open new locations in Canton, Glastonbury, and Plainville. Find more information about Birdcode on their website here: https://eatbirdcode.com/
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Stay tuned for more information as this project moves through the approval process and towards their opening!

First look at Hartford's newest restaurant, Joey B's Restaurant!

The new restaurant will be opening its doors later this week at 615 Franklin Avenue in Hartford, formerly home to The Place 2 Be. The space has been thoughtfully renovated and received a deep cleaning since Joey B's took over the space.

The restaurant plans to soft open their doors on June 3rd! Stay tuned to their social media (tagged above) for an official announcement.

This will be the second location for Joey B's, the restaurant's original location is in Berlin. Joey B's serves breakfast & lunch including traditional favorites, burgers, salads, sandwiches, and much more. Find their full menu here: https://eatatjoeybs.com/food-menu

Joey B's originally opened in 2020; replacing the Starlight Diner on Mill Street in Berlin. The business expanded in 2025; adding Joey B's Local Scoop as a ice cream and gelato shop with dozens of flavors.
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Important to note that Joey B's has no affiliation to the previous occupant.

Some good news for The Shoppes at Buckland Hills! A new restaurant is opening its doors today and 2 more restaurants are coming soon.

La Street Kitchen has opened its doors at The Shoppes at Buckland Hills. The new Latin restaurant is located in the mall’s food court, next to China Wok. On their menu you’ll find a variety of Latin food including tacos, quesadillas, pupusa, baleada, empanadas, Mexican street corn, churros, and much more! Enjoy one of their delicious milkshakes, smoothies, aquas, and other refreshing drinks. Stop in and give them a try!

Istanbul Cafe is coming soon to the former Toro Azteca / Bertucci’s space on the mall’s first floor! The new Turkish restaurant recently signed a 20 year lease and is now under construction near Hungry Pot. Stay tuned for more updates as they get closer to opening!

Woosmash is coming very soon to the mall’s food court! The new restaurant will serve a variety of Korean-inspired smashburgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, tots, chicken tenders & wings, and much more! This will be the first CT location for the New Jersey-based restaurant.

These are just the latest additions to the mall with even more coming soon. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements!

Is Tim Horton’s coming back to Connecticut? Probably not, this ‘coming soon’ sign appears to be a senior prank.

A sign announcing their imminent arrival has been installed at a new development in 1263 Hopmeadow Road in Simsbury. The sign states ‘Get Ready Simsbury. Coming X-Mas 2026 Tim Horton’s.’ The development is on the site of the old Wagner dealership.

This appears to be a senior prank by Simsbury High School. I couldn’t get the QR code to scan, but I am told by readers it plays Rick Ashley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’.
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Tim Horton’s previously operated in the state but closed all their Connecticut locations in late 2010. The chain previously operated locations in Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, Vernon, Groton (2), Norwich, Meriden, Stonington, North Stonington, Mystic, and Plainville.

A new breakfast joint is coming to East Windsor!

Faro Breakfast House is coming soon to 44 South Main Street in East Windsor, located in the former Krauszer’s Food Store space in the plaza.

Work is now underway to renovate the space into a new eatery. According to building permits it will be a quick-service restaurant primarily takeout and pick-up.

They are expected to serve all of your breakfast favorites as well as some delicious lunch options. You’ll also find a selection of Hispanic items including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more.
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Look for them to open soon!