The Paper Store is planning to relocate their Bristol location!

The Paper Store plans to move to the former Pier 1 Imports in Bristol. The store would relocate from 99 Farmington Ave (in Bristol Commons) down the street to 594 Farmington Ave (the old Pier 1 Imports.)

The retailer has leased 11,048 square feet of space in the shopping plaza, part of Bristol Plaza, according to a lease plan from the plaza’s owner. No timeline has been announced for the store’s opening.

The Paper Store is a change of retail stores that sell Hallmark cards, women’s clothing, gifts, jewelry, toys, home decor, stationery, and much more. Check out their website here: https://www.thepaperstore.com

The former Pier 1 space has been vacant since the retailer closed all their locations in 2020. The space has been used seasonally as a Spirit Halloween in past years.
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Stay tuned for an opening date once construction is complete!

By Christopher Fortier (The Southington Scoop)

Litchfield Saltwater Grille at 26 Commons Dr. has closed temporarily and will reopen later this month with a new name and menu.

Owners Andy Stowers and Brook Noel said the restaurant closed on Sunday and will return as Sage & Salt “around January 29.”

The new menu is expected to include several Saltwater Grille signature seafood dishes and new “modern comfort cuisine, more sandwiches, and an expanded happy hour menu,” according to the restaurant Facebook page.

Stowers tells the Republican-American that “Litchfield is saturated with middle- to high-end prices (at restaurants). We want to be more toward the middle.”
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All gift cards issued at Saltwater Grille will be honored at the new Sage & Salt. Business hours will remain Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 8 pm; Friday and Saturday 4 to 9 pm; and Sunday 4 to 8 pm.

​A number of GameStop stores are closing or have already closed across Connecticut! GameStop plans to close at least 6 Connecticut locations.

An official closing list has not been released by GameStop, the list below is comprised of stores that have confirmed their closure. There could be additional store closures. Please comment if you're store is closing but is not listed.

The stores that will be closing or have already closed include:
-Danbury, CT - Berkshire S.C., 67 Newtown Rd. (already closed)
-Groton, CT - Groton Shoppers' Mart, 985 Poquonnock Rd. (already closed)
-Naugatuck, CT - Cross Pointe, 799 New Haven Rd.
-Rocky Hill, CT - Town Line Plaza, 80 Town Line Rd.
-Stamford, CT - Ridgeway Cener, 2391 Summer St.
-Waterford, CT - Cross Road Center, 167 Waterford Pkwy. N (already closed)
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These closures come after years of slumping sales and the widespread use of online game stores integrated into newer consoles.

Boot Barn is planning their third Connecticut location for Milford!

The western-wear store plans to open a new store at 1360 Boston Post Road in Milford; the former Rite Aid Pharmacy. Boot Barn would occupy the entirety of the store space. Boot Barn is a chain of 'work wear' stores that sell boots and clothing.

The retailer plans extensive renovations to the interior of the building including a new layout, finishes, and western themeing. The exterior would remain the same, except new signage, graphics, and possible painting.

Construction is planned to begin in early March with an opening date planned for late April or May.
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This would be Boot Barn's third location in Connecticut, the chain has over 425 store across the country. Boot Barn opened their first CT location in Manchester in 2022. The chain has a store under construction plan in Plainville at Connecticut Commons.

Sky-High dining is back in Hartford!

The Foundry will officially open their doors today! The Foundry is located on the 20th floor of One State Street Building! The new eatery occupied the former On20, another upscale American eatery that opened in 2010 and closed in 2020.

The new restaurant will be owned by Chef Jeffrey Lizotte, the former Executive Chef of On20. Chef Lizotte owns the Present Company restaurant in Simsbury. The new restaurant has completely transformed the space into an elegant oasis overlooking the Connecticut river and the skyline of Hartford. The space is absolutely stunning!

Reservations are now available! They are currently booking pretty far out, so make your reservations today. Make them here:
https://tables.toasttab.com/restaurants/4aedc275-310b-440a-8598-65ad8a8ca5bc/reserve?partySize=2&dateTime=2025-01-16T10:30:00.000-05:00

The restaurant's menu includes starters like caeser salad, torchon of foie fras, swiss raclette fondue, sunchoke agnolotti, handerchief pasta, and others. The dinner menu consists of pan roasted halibut, butter poached maine lobster, oven seared rohan duck, prime strip steak & 48 hour short rib, house made rigatoni, and others. Sides include roasted seacoast mushrooms with miso butter, sauteed swiss chard, and crush golden potatoes. For dessert, the restaurant has black forest cake, roasted pineapple (with peppercorn cooke, lime sorbet, and caramel), olive oil cake, and coffee & doughnuts (espresso creme brulee with cinnamon sugar beignets.)

Bagel Bros & Co is coming soon to Oxford!

The new bagel shop will be located at 144 Oxford Road inside the Tommy K's Plaza. The bagel shop will open in the former Subway space in the plaza. Bagel Bro's has a single location currently in Shelton at 350 Howe Avenue.

The shop sells NY style bagels in many varieties including plain, everything, poppy, salt, egg, egg-everything, garlic, french toast, cinnamon raisin, blueberry, whole wheat, whole wheat-everything, sesame, onion, cinnamon sugar, jalapeno chedder, and others! They have a variety of spreads, sauces, and extra.

The shop also sells baked goods (including muffins, donuts, croissants, danishes) alongside a large selection of breakfast & lunch sandwiches on your choice of bagel! Check out their full menu here: https://www.bagelbrosandcompany.com/menu
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No opening date has been set for the new location. Make sure you follow their Facebook page (tagged above) to stay up to date on their opening!

Joann Fabrics has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy for the second time in the past 12 months.

The craft store filed for bankruptcy in March 2024 and emerged the next month as a privately owned company. The chain filed for bankruptcy again this morning, citing sluggish sales and inventory issues. The company is looking to sell off its assets. Stores are expected to continue to operate normally during the bankruptcy and possible sale process.

Gordon Brothers, the new owners of Big Lots stores, has made an offer on the company. The details of the bid have not been disclosed.

Joann Fabrics currently operate nearly 850 stores in the United States with 10 in Connecticut including:
-Manchester
-Hamden
-Southington
-Clinton
-Newington
-Brookfield
-Norwich
-Enfield
-Torrington
-Milford
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No stores closings have been announced.

A new coffee shop and a new Mexican eatery are coming to Burlington, CT, while another shop recently opened their doors!
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-The B. Hive is coming soon 221 Spielman Highway! The new Coffeehouse/Roastery/Specialty Shop will be opening in the coming months. The owners have completely reimagined the space with new furnishing, paint, and much more. They plan to begin hiring within the next month for the new shop! Stay tuned to their social media for an opening announcment!

-Los Cabos Mexican Grill is coming soon to 292 Spielman Highway, Burlington Commons Plaza, in Burlington. The new restaurant will be a sister restaurant to Bright Light Diner in Plainville. The restaurant is expected to serve traditional Mexican cuisine. A timeline for their opening has not been announced. Stay tuned to their social media for an opening announcment!

-The Nevermind Shop is NOW OPEN in Burlington! The store is located at 292 Spielman Highway in Burlington Commons. The shop sells a large variety of items including records, vintage posters, clothing, tapes, CDs, & more! This is the store's second location, with their other in Upton, Mass.

Take a peek at the new Great Wolf Lodge coming to Foxwoods Resort Casino this spring! We got a tour of the under-construction resort in Mashantucket.

Great Wolf Lodge is planning to this spring/summer on May 23th! You can now book your reserveration to stay at the new resort! Make your reservation here: https://www.greatwolf.com/connecticut

The resort will feature a number of kid-friendly attractions including their signature waterpark, MagiQuest (an interactive magic adventure), Oliver's Mining Company (a gold mining experience), Ten Paw Alley (bowling), Howlers Peak Ropes Course & Adventure Trail, Northern Lights Arcade, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Howl In One Mini Golf, and Virtual Frontier (a VR gaming experience).
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The hotel will feature 549 guest rooms including family suites, KidCabin suites, Grizzly Bear suites, Wolf Den suites, Deluxe Wolf Den suites, Deluxe Gizzly Bear suites, Great Wolf Geyser suites, and Deluxe Great Wolf Geyser suites. The hotel rooms can accommodate between 2-14 guests depending on their suite class. Rooms start at $349 including access to the waterpark. Use code MAY23 or GRAND at checkout for 30% off.

Rocky Hill's newest Italian restaurant has opened their doors!

Allegro Italian Restaurant is NOW OPEN in Rocky Hill! The restaurant is located at 2060 Silas Deane Highway in Rocky Hill, the former Rudy's Little Italy restaurant space.

The space has been beautifully renovation for the new restaurant. The new eatery is owned by Betim Wilson Restaurant Group, with Betim Muzlijaj and Wilson Solano as owners.

The restaurant serves traditional Italian cuisine including pastas, chicken, seafood, veal, and steak. For dessert the restaurant serves chocolate mousse, creme brulee, lemon sorbet, tartufo, tiramisum cannoli, and cheesecake. Check out their full menu: https://allegrorockyhill.com/menu/

Allegro has a liquor licenses serving cocktails, beer, wine, and more.
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The eatery is open:
Sunday thru Thursday 11am-10pm
Friday thru Saturday 11am-11pm

An ice cream shop has closed its doors in Stamford, though the vacant space will not be empty for long, another dessert shop is moving in!

Cold Stone Creamery has closed their location in Stamford. The ice cream shop was located at 1109 High Ridge Road, inside the High Ridge Shopping Center.

The space will not be vacant for long. The Milkshake Factory will soon call the Cold Stone Creamery space home! This will be The Milkshake Factory's first Connecticut location. The shop sells milkshakes, ice cream, sundaes, drinks, and handmade chocolates!

The shake shop sells a large variety of traditional shakes like vanilla, chocolate, oreo, and strawberry. They also have a large variety of creative flavors like confetti frosted cupcake, caramel toffee cappuccino. bananas foster, s'mores, chocolatier, and many more. Find a full list of their flavors here: https://www.milkshakefactory.com/milkshake-menu/

The Milkshake Factory is a growing chain of ice cream shops. The chain currently has 11 locations throughout the United States; with plans for dozens more in the coming years. 

No timeline was immediately available for The Milkshake Factory's opening.

Folklore & Fable Booksellers has set their grand opening date for their new bookstore in Colchester!

The bookstore will officially open their doors on Saturday, February 15th and Sunday, February 16th! The bookstore will be located at 44 Main Street in Colchester.
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The store will be located just steps from the Colchester Green, joining a community of small businesses in the center of town! The new bookstore will open in the former home of Gifts on the Green. The gift shop moved to 43 Hayward Avenue earlier this year.
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Make sure you follow their facebook at Folklore & Fable Booksellers to stay up to date with their events! We are very excited for this new addition to downtown!

Work has started on the new home of Carbone's Ristorante in Hartford!

The famed Italian restaurant will open at 39 Front Street in Downtown Hartford, the former Apple Cinemas / Spotlight Theater. The restaurant recently started demolition work inside the former movie theater.

The restaurant will occupy over 11,000 square feet of the former theater. The movie theater open in 2012 as Spotlight Theatres before closing in 2021. The theater reopened in 2021 as Apple Cinemas before closing again in 2023. Carbone's received a $1.7 million loan from the CRDA to help fund the restaurant's renovations.
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Carbone's has been a fixture of Franklin Avenue since opening in the 1930s and has grown to include Carbone's Kitchen in Bloomfield and Carbone's Prime in Rocky Hill. The restaurant's longtime location at 588 Franklin Avenue closed during COVID-19 lockdowns and never reopened. The site is being eyed for redevelopment.

Construction in Downtown Naugatuck has been causing headaches for area businesses and their customers. One business is temporarily relocating, while another is asking their patrons to keep trying to visit.

Team Image LLC, a custom clothing shop, is located at 162 Church Street in Naugatuck. The shop is opening a new temporary location in Westbrook at Westbrook Outlets and starting new online ordering until construction is complete in the area. The shops name, phone number, and email will all remain the same.

The Loaded Goat Coffee Company, a coffee shop, is located at 64 Church Street. The shop is asking their patrons to keep trying to support them; pointing out that their business has been inaccessible to the public recently during construction. Please support them anyway you can.

Construction is underway on the new ‘Complete Street’ design for Downtown Naugatuck. The revamp streets will feature new storm water line, sewer, underground electrical, fiber, and other utility improvements. New paving and street-side amenities will be added. Construction started in 2024 and is expected to be completed sometime in 2025.
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It’s essential to keep supporting your local downtown business despite the headaches. These are just 2 of the dozens of businesses that are affected by this construction. Support your local shops to keep them in business.

​Prospect Medical Holdings has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The medical company owns ECHN Medical Group (multiple offices around CT), Rockville General Hospital, Manchester Memorial Hospital, and Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut; alongside dozens of others across the U.S..

The hospital group plans to continue normal day-to-day operations. The State is closely monitoring the situation.

The hospital company lists $400 million in debts in their petition for bankruptcy according the PACER system. The medical group has come under fire recently in Connecticut for its failing hospital infrastructure, monies owed to staff and clinical partners, and the destabilizing cyber attack. The attack on Prospect caused delays in treatment and the leak of 110,000 customer’s information including social security numbers and other sensitive information.

The medical group has been in years of negotiations to sell their Connecticut business to Yale New Haven, another large medical group in CT. The sale has been mired in delays and lawsuits. It’s unclear if the sale will continue under these new conditions.

There are a number of new food options at the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford! Check out some of the new options below!

-Sunrise Cafe is NOW OPEN, they are located on the 2nd level; just outside of Macy’s. Sunrise Cafe offers a variety of hot and cold beverages, smoothies, coffee, sandwiches, pastries, snacks etc. Harry’s previous establishment Harry’s Eatery was located in the struggling Meriden Mall. He and his family are some of the nicest people you will ever meet, make sure you check them out!

-Pho Fusion Hub is NOW OPEN in the mall’s food court! The restaurant serves Vietnamese favorites like Pho, Bahn Mi, dumplings, Vietnamese coffee & tea. Check out their full menu here: https://order.phofusionhub.com/?

-PF Chang’s is still coming to the mall! The high-end Chinese bistro will be located in the former Bar Louie space near Macy’s. They plan to open later this year. Bar Louie closed in January 2020 alongside their West Hartford location.

-CasaCuba is coming soon to the mall’s food court. The restaurant will serve a number of Cuban favorites when they open soon! Thr menu offers a variety of delicious rice dishes, including black, yellow, white, and Cuban fried rice, paired perfectly with flavorful beans or soups. Enjoy savory entrees like ropa vieja, grilled chicken, pernil, and garlic shrimp, or try the ground beef potato and pasta dishes for a hearty meal.

Make sure you try all these great new eateries and do some shopping at the mall!

Lux Bond & Green in coming soon to Mystic!

The jewelry store will be located at 53 West Main Street in Mystic, the former Bank Square Books. Bank Square Books moved their famed bookstore up the road to 80 Stonington Road last year.

The new jewelry store is expected to open in early 2026. Lux Bond & Green purchased the building for $2.25 million in November 2024. At the time of purchase, Lux Bond & Green gave no information on future plans for the building.

Lux Bond & Green has locations in Glastonbury, West Hartford, Westport, Mohegan Sun, and Wellesley Mass. The brand also owns Store Fifty Two in West Hartford. The company previous operated locations in South Windsor, Greenwich, and Hartford.
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The news of the store's opening dispels the local rumors Gordon Ramsay purchased the building for a new restaurant. Gordon Ramsay frequented Downtown Mystic during the filming of his show, Hell's Kitchen, at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Kaleidoscope is relocating their Westbrook Outlet store to Chester!

Kaleidoscope will be relocating to 56 Middlesex Avenue in Chester, the former Chester Hometown Market space. Kaleidoscope is a marketplace for small creators. A moving date to the new location was not immediately available.

This new expansive 6,000 square foot space will become a vibrant multipurpose hub, offering something for everyone. From art exhibits to workshops, and delicious eats to unique shopping experiences, the goal is to create a welcoming atmosphere that celebrates creativity and community.

The space will also feature an instore restaurant, utilizing a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen. The owners are currently looking for a restaurant partner to open, if interested please reach out directly to Kaleidoscope LLC.
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The business opened in Westbrook Outlets in July of 2024. The outlet center is expected to be redeveloped with construction planned to begin in late 2025 pending all approvals.

Insomnia Cookies has delayed the opening of its new Hartford location until sometime in March according to a statement from corporate.

The cookie shop will open its doors at 247 Asylum Street in Hartford, CT. The restaurant will occupy a 1,613 square foot space formerly home to Ticket World. The shop serves cookies, baked goods, and ice cream. Corporate said the shop will open in March; though their Google listing lists February 21st as their opening date currently.

The chain is known for their creative flavors, cookies baked fresh, and delivered until after midnight everyday! Insomnia Cookies include the Classic Chocolate Chunk cookie, the Snickerdoodle and Confetti Deluxe. The bakery serves brownies, brookies, vegan options and a limited-edition menu.

The shop’s hours will be:
Sunday 12pm to 1am
Monday through Wednesday 11am to 1am
Thursday and Friday 11am to 3am
Saturday 12pm to 3am
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We will continue to keep an eye on it and keep you updated on their opening.

Macy’s has officially announced their planned store closures for this spring. The list includes 66 locations throughout the United States, including a number of Macy’s Flagship stores in major U.S. Cities.

Connecticut has been spared from the closing list. No Connecticut locations are slated for closure.

Macy’s currently has 6 locations in Connecticut including: Farmington at Westfarms (2 anchor pads), Manchester at Buckland Hills (2 anchor pads), Stamford at Stamford Town Center, Danbury at Danbury Fair, Milford at CT Post Mall, and Trumbull at Trumbull Mall.
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Check out the full closing list here: https://s202.q4cdn.com/.../FY-2024-Year-End-Closures-1-9...

Ruby Tuesday has closed their location at the struggling Meriden Mall!

The restaurant has been a longtime tenant of the Meriden Mall. Ruby Tuesday has been closing many of its locations in recent years. The chain once had dozens of locations throughout Connecticut; they now have 2 restaurants remaining in Windsor Locks and Lisbon.

A final day of operation is not known; though the restaurant is marked as closed on the chain’s website.
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The mall has struggled in recent years with the closure of Dick’s Sporting Goods, Forever 21, H&M, Old Navy, and many more.

Beauty & Essex has set their opening date for its new restaurant at Mohegan Sun!

The new Pawn-Shop themed restaurant will open on February 7th next to Johnny Rockets at The Shops at Mohegan Sun! The restaurant is owned by the Tao Group, owners of Tao Restaurant at Mohegan Sun.

The restaurant is now accepting reservations for their opening! Make a reservation here: https://taogroup.com/.../beauty-essex.../reservations/

The 11,000-square-foot restaurant will feature Tao Group's signature global cuisine, including popular dishes such as the Grilled Cheese, Smoked Bacon & Tomato Soup Dumplings, Tuna Poke Wonton Tacos, Classic Beef Wellington, Grilled Double Cut Lamb Chops as well as exclusive menu options crafted specifically for Mohegan Sun according to the press release.

Known for its eclectic menu, speakeasy vibe and sophisticated ambiance, Beauty & Essex has an innovative design that starts in the restaurant's entrance with a well-curated modern day pawn shop, featuring a collection of vintage jewelry, custom musical instruments, one-of-a-kind art and more, curated by Gold Girl, Lauren Kaminsky. Everything in the shop is available for purchase and each item tells a story, inviting guests to discover luxury in the most unexpected places.
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The restaurant replaces Geno's Fast Break. Geno's Fast Break was a food court, branded to Geno Auriemma. Beauty & Essex was originally planned to open in fall 2023; though the opening was delayed.

Pho House LLC. of Andover is officially opening its doors at 12:00 PM today! Go try the flavors of authentic Vietnamese cuisine at their new location.

Location: 144 Route 6, Andover, CT 06232

The restaurant serves your favorite dishes like steaming bowls of pho, fresh spring rolls, stir fry, rice dishes, boba, bao, and so much more! Take a look at their menu attached.

Be among the first to experience the cozy atmosphere, friendly service, and mouthwatering menu. Whether you’re dining in or grabbing takeout, they can’t wait to share this special day with you!
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Spread the word and bring your friends and family. Let’s make this a grand opening to remember!

Take a peek at the all-new The Friendly Toast, coming soon to West Hartford! We've received these photos from ConstruxCo. 

The all-day brunch restaurant will be opening at 36 LaSalle Road, the former Division West Bistro space! Division West closed their doors in mid-January of 2024 after their tax permits were revoked.

Work is progressing quickly! The eatery's signature green has been painted on the walls and other updates are being complete. Look for The Friendly Toast to open later this year, possibly late winter/early spring!

The Friendly Toast has 11 locations currently with 2 new locations coming soon including West Hartford. The chain opened in 1994 in Portsmouth, NH. They’ve expanded adding locations in Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine.

Make sure you follow We-Ha.com and stay up to date with the lastest updates on their opening. See We-Ha's latest The Friendly Toast update here: ​https://we-ha.com/west-hartford-business-buzz-november.../