EAST WINDSOR SCOOP: Molly's Sweet Spot to officially open on August 22nd; adds new later hours!8/10/2026 Molly's Sweet Spot is ready to celebrate its grand opening! The new bakery will officially open its doors on Saturday, August 22nd! The bakery has been in its soft opening since late June, but is now ready to make it official with a fun celebration. Molly's is also adjusting its hours; staying open later to better serve you. Join them on August 22nd for their grand opening from 9am to 4pm. The first 100 guests will receive a free decorated cookie. Kids will receive free mini cookies and everyone can enjoy some free samples! The bakery features a large variety of sweets & goodies including cakes, cupcakes, gourmet cookies, cakesicles, brownies, dessert bars, tiramisu, mousse cups, cinnamon rolls, donuts, muffins, scones, dirty sodas, and much more. The bakery offers some gluten free and vegan options. Flavors and designs in the case vary week by week; so there is always something new to try every visit! Molly’s offers custom cakes and desserts to order for any occassion! The East Windsor storefront with be filled with goodies to pick up on the way into work or just in the mood for dessert! Find more information on their website here: https://mollyssweetspot.com/ Molly's Sweet Spot is located at 122 Prospect Hill Road in East Windsor, part of Sofia's Plaza. Check out their NEW hours: Tuesday & Wednesday 9am-5pm Thursday & Friday 9am-6pm Saturday 9am-4pm Sunday 9am-2pm
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A new dining option has opened at The Shoppes at Buckland Hills!
Woosmash is NOW OPEN inside the food court at The Shoppes at Buckland Hills, replacing Burger Class. The new Michelin chef-owned restaurant celebrated their opening today with a grand opening planned for the coming weeks. Everything at Woosmash is made from scratch, from the pickles to the sauces everything is made fresh on-site. The restaurant aims to redefine food court cuisine with expertly crafted eats at affordable prices. The menu includes a variety of smashburgers, chicken sandwiches, and Korean-influenced items like their signature fried chicken wings & tenders, bulgogi burgers, Korean sodas, and much more. You’ll find sides like fries, onion rings, fried corn ribs, salads, and a variety of milkshakes. Mention The Manchester Scoop when ordering and receive 10% off your order! Go try it out and come back and tell us your thoughts in the comments. 
Dollar Tree plans to open its new Manchester location next week! The new / relocated Dollar Tree store at 430 Buckland Hills Drive in Manchester will open on August 13th at 9am according to a sign on the store's entrance. The new store is located in the old homr og Namco Pool space near Walmart & Savers. The new store will be roughly 20% larger than their previous location at The Plaza at Buckland Hills. The previous location close back in June to make way for Rally House, a new sports apparel store. Stop in and shop starting on August 13th!  
Ross Dress for Less is coming to Enfield! The discount clothing store has leased the former Ocean State Job Lot building in the Enfield Commons Shopping Center at 25 Hazard Avenue in Enfield! Ross Dress For Less will occupy roughly 22,800 square feet of space in the Enfield Commons Shopping Center according to the latest lease plan from Paramount Realty, the shopping center's broker. The space was last occupied by Ocean State Job Lot until 2022 when they relocated to the former Best Buy; the site has also been used seasonally by Spirit Halloween. No timeline has been announced for the store's opening, though it will definitely open in 2027 at the earliest along with their new locations in Manchester and Newington. The chain also has new locations opening soon in Chicopee and West Springfield Massachusetts. Ross is a quickly growing discount retailer, similar to TJ Maxx and Marshalls. This will be their fifth CT location after the Trumbull location and new locations coming to Newington, Manchester, and Hamden. The discount retailer offers the best bargains on the latest trends in clothing, shoes, home decor and more.  
A new coffee shop is coming to Factory Square, Southington!
New England Coffee Guy will be opening a new coffee shop at 168 Center Street in Southington, the former Perkatory Coffee Roasters space. Perkatory combined this location with their Queen Street location last month. The new coffee house is expected to open in September according to the announcement! They will be located in the main hall of the Factory Square building joining Witchdoctor Brewing Company, Barb's Pizza - Southington, The Sushi Class, Rosie's Royal Chocolates, Leaps & Bones, GameCraft Arcade, The Den at Hush, Hush Spa, Curioporium, and many other fun shop! The owner said in an annoucement: "My vision for NECG Factory Square goes far beyond serving great coffee. I want it to be the place for your first date. The place for an important conversation. The place where old friends reconnect after years apart. A place where you’re comfortable enough to put your feet up, get lost in your favorite music, slow down, and simply breathe. A place to escape the noise for a little while. Because this has always been about more than coffee. Coffee. Music. Mental Health. Giving you peace… one sip at a time." New England Coffee Guy was previously the in-house coffee shop for WeHa Brewing & Roasting Company; operating as 'The Cafe by New England Coffee Guy' until WeHa Brewing permanently closed at the end of July. Check them out when they open in September! 
A new discount retailer is coming to Manchester and its one people have been asking for!
Ross Dress For Less is coming soon to The Plaza at Buckland Hills in Manchester! The retailer will occupy over 32,000 square feet of space, combining the former Party City space with a portion of the former Joann Fabrics space. Ross Dress For Less will be joined by Nordstrom Rack in the remainder of the Joann's space. Nordstrom Rack is the off-price version of the high-end retailer. Rally House, a branded sports merchandise store, will be opening this fall in the former Dollar Tree, bringing the plaza to full occupancy. The former Joann Fabrics & Party City space will receive an extensive renovation including new storefront facades and parking lot improvements for ADA compliance. Ross is a quickly growing discount retailer, similar to TJ Maxx and Marshalls. This will be their fourth CT location after the Trumbull location and new locations coming to Newington and Hamden. The discount retailer offers the best bargains on the latest trends in clothing, shoes, home decor and more! Look for Ross to open in 2027! A new pizza pub has opened its doors in WeHa!
The Brownstone is NOW OPEN in West Hartford Center! The new pizza pub is located at 7 South Main Street, the former Sam's Gyro space. The pizza pub is owned by Matthew Rusconi. The new 'come-as-you-are' neighborhood pizza pub will feature New York-style slices, 18" large pies, personal pizzas, smash burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and much more! They offer fun lunch and happy hour specials as well as late-night 'Smash & Slice' deals. Find their full menu including specials and deals here: https://thebrownstonewh.com Join them for live music, karaoke, live sports games, and other fun interactive events in their space. Becoming your go-to for late night cravings and entertainment in West Hartford Center. This is the second location for The Brownstone. The first location opened at 114 Asylum Street in Downtown Hartford in 2023, taking over the Artichoke Pizza space. Find them at 7 South Main Street in West Hartford They are open: Monday & Tuesday 11am-9pm Wednesday 11am-11pm Thursday 11am-12am Friday & Saturday 11am-2am Sunday 12pm-9pm A trio of new quick-serve restaurant brands are planning a new co-branded restaurant in Bristol!
Cold Stone Creamery, Planet Smoothie, and Wetzel Pretzels are eyeing a shared location at 838 Farmington Avenue in Bristol, the former Poke's Works Mexican Grill building. Each restaurant inside the building would have its own individual counter and brand identity, acting as a small version of a food court as oppose to a single restaurant. Cold Stone Creamery, Planet Smoothie, and Wetzel's Pretzels are all sister brands under the MTY Group. This would be the first CT location for Planet Smoothie. The existing building would be expanded by 848 square feet, bringing the total size to 2,576 square feet. A new outdoor patio would be added to the building as well. All three restaurants would share a common dining room with 16 seats. Stay tuned for more details as this project works through approvals and construction! A new grocery option is coming to Enfield! Dollar General is converting one of its Enfield locations into a DG Market! The store located at 481-483 Enfield Street is currently closed as the interior is renovated for the new format. DG Market is a grocery-focused version of Dollar General. Markets have a larger grocery offering including produce, packaged meats, dairy, frozen food, refridgerated food, and an expanded dry goods selection. The store's selection of non-grocery items will be diminished though not eliminated. The store is currently closed for renovations and is anticipated to reopen later this week with the new format! DG Market currently has 3 CT locations in Essex, Middlebury, and Thomaston. 
The Shoppes at Buckland Hills has sold the Dave & Buster's building in Manchester.
According to land records filed with the town, the buyer of the property is Dave & Buster Inc, meaning they now own the building they have been leasing since 2014. The sale officially closed on July 30th for $7.569 million. This is the fourth major property sale of the mall's outparcels in the last year. The LongHorn parcel sold for $2.75 million, The Red Robin parcel sold for slightly over $2 million, and the Fairfield Inn & Suites sold for $2.2 million. The Market Grille parcel is under contract to be sold, being listed for $1.76 million. Important to note, none of the businesses in these parcels will be affected by the property sales. Namdar Realty Group purchased the mall and outparcels in early 2025 for $25.8 million at a foreclosure auction. The owner will recoup over $16 million of the purchase price of the entire mall complex through the sale of these outparcels. The mall's valuation at the time was $42.3 million 'As-Is' and had a prospective stabilized value of $51.1 million by late 2025. 
The former Sears in Manchester is up for sale!
Transformco, the parent company of Sears and Kmart, has listed the former Sears in Manchester up for sale with Atlantic Retail as the broker. The property located at 190 Buckland Hills Drive in Manchester, attached to The Shoppes at Buckland Hills. Though attached to the mall, the property is a separate parcel currently owned by Transformco Properties. An asking price was not listed for the property. The 141,000 square foot property has sat vacant since Sears closed its doors in 2021, with the exception of 2 brief stints as a Spirit Halloween store. The listing of the former Sears comes just a week after we broke the news of the sale of the Red Robin property for $2.05 million and sale of the LongHorn property for $2.75 million. Both tenants have existing leases and are expected to remain open and operating. Find the listing here: https://platform.reverecre.com/.../0bcbc473-da31.../files What would you like to see open in this space next? I would like to see Boscov's or Ikea. Comment your suggestion below! 
Sally's Apizza is now hiring for their new Newington location!
The restaurant is hiring for a number of part time and full time positions including Restaurant Manager, Executive Sous Chef, and General Manager. Interested parties can apply online at https://sallysapizza.com/careers/ According to their website, Sally's is anticipated to open by the end of the year at 3333 Berlin Turnpike part of the Meadow Commons development; now home to Market 32, Market Place, CAVA, Wonder, and others. The restaurant will occupy 5,250 square feet with an outdoor patio. This will be Sally's 7th Connecticut location including Norwalk (opening soon), Wethersfield, Farmington, New Haven (OG), Stamford, and Fairifeld. They have more CT locations coming soon in Danbury, Foxwoods, and South Windsor. The Gathering Diner has a new owner and a new look!
The restaurant is now under the ownership of Mike Zimei! The Bolton-native purchased the restaurant and has given it a refresh including the interior and exterior with new signage! The Gathering Diner is located at 471 Hartford Road in Manchester, next door to SOS Chicken. The eatery has been a staple of Hartford Road since it moved from Marlborough in 2010. When I visited this morning, the place was packed! On their menu you’ll find a variety of breakfast fare including pancakes, French toast, eggs Benedict, waffles, egg sandwiches, omelets, and much more. Find the full menu online here: https://thegatheringdiner.com Congratulations to the new owners! Wishing you many years of success. Find them at 471 Hartford Road in Manchester They are open: Tuesday through Sunday 7am to 1pm 
Tomorrow, 08/02, is the 25th annual Cruisin On Main!
The event will bring together classic, novelty, exotic, and fun cars to one space. The entire Main Street will be home to hundreds of cars, vendors, and all of Downtown Manchester’s amazing shops. The event will start at 10am and go until 3pm. Main Street (from Mary Cheney to CVS) will close at 7am for set up and reopen to vehicle traffic at 5pm. Cars left on Main Street after 7am will be towed for the event. Make sure to check it out tomorrow, Sunday, August 2nd starting at 10am! Bristol's newest wood-fired pizza shop has opened its doors! Tavello Pizza is NOW OPEN at 140 North Main Street in Bristol this summer! The new pizza shop is part of the Centre Square Village development in Downtown Bristol. The pizza shop features wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza made with handmade dough; inspired by Naples Italy. The restaurant will also feature salads, cannolli, gelato, an espresso bar, beer & wine, desserts, and will eventually offer pizza making workshops! Find the full menu online here: https://tavellopizza.com/ Tavello is just the latest tenant to open at the property. Mr. P’s Frozen Treats open a new ice cream shop at the site last week. Both restaurants join the existing line-up including Monterrey Mexican Restaurant, Pure Foods, Dark Moon Gifts, and others. Centre Square Village is a new development by Carrier Construction. The development is located on the site of the former The Mall at Bristol Centre which operated until 2005 and was demolished in 2008. Find them at 140 North Main Street in Bristol They are open daily from 11am to 9pm! Check out their lunch specials! 
Goodwill has opened its new location in Southington!
The new Goodwill store officially opened this morning, July 30th! The new thrift shop located at 328 Queen Street in Southington, in the former Oceam State Job Lot space. The store is located just steps away from their previousl location in the same plaza. The new Goodwill features a number of noticeable changes including: -Newly resurfaced parking lot -Wider aisles -Bigger store footprint -Streamlined donation drive-thru Inside your find incredible deals, uncover hidden gems, and embark on a journey to find exactly what you're searching for. By giving items a second chance, not only are you being sustainable, but you're also supporting individuals of all abilities through personalized employment, training, and services. Check out the new store at 328 Queen Street in Southington! They are open: Monday through Saturday 9am-8pm Sunday 9am-7pm Barnes & Noble is NOW OPEN inside Westfarms!
The bookstore opened its doors this morning at 10am to a line of eager readers. Barnes & Noble is located on the mall’s first level next to The Gap. Inside you’ll find a large selection of books, toys, games, vinyl, and much more. Check them out next time you’re at the mall! Barnes & Noble was previously located down the street from Westfarms at 1599 Southeast Road in Farmington, closing in May ahead of the building’s redevelopment into numerous new tenants. 
Construction Update! Work is nearing completion on the new Aldi store in East Windsor!
Construction is wrapping up on the new ALDI supermarket in East Windsor. 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. Signage was recently installed on the exterior of the new grocery store. Shelving and other store fixtures are now being installed inside the new store. 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. 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. Stay tuned for a store opening date once one is released! West Hartford Center’s newest matcha & dessert shop has set its soft opening date! Bliss Matcha & Beyond will open its doors on Saturday August 1st at 981 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford, the former Boost Bowls location between BK & Co and J McLaughlin. This will be their preview/soft opening week, guests can enjoy 10% everything throughout the week. The menu for the new restaurant features a variety of matcha items including matcha lattes, matcha soft serve, matcha tiramisu, frappe, and much more! Not in the mood for matcha? They also have classic versions of bubble tea, signature cheese cloud latte, soft serve, lattes, desserts, and other items! Find their full menu online at: http://www.blissmatchaandbeyond.com/ This will be their second location with the original at 98 Olive Street in New Haven. Check them out starting on Saturday, August 1st. 
Manchester has a new black-box theater!
Dionysus Theatre Company has found a new home after the Enfield Square Mall’s closure! The black-box theater is now located inside the Manchester Historical Society building at 175 Pine Street! After years of creating theatre, building community, and finding their way through several different landscapes and iterations of home, Dionysus Theatre Company is thrilled to announce the new collaboration with the Manchester Historical Society as their Artist-in-Residence! They are now hosting auditions for their new play, “Marvin’s Room”. Find more info on their casting here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Fjn9E4Xr2/?mibextid=wwXIfr Check out their website online at: https://dionysustheatrecompany.org/ 
A new eatery is coming to Old Wethersfield!
A new restaurant is under construction at 164 Main Street in Old Wethersfield! The building has been beautifully renovated on the exterior and the interior is now under construction for the new eatery. Building permits list the name of the restaurant as ‘Brew & Bloom’ and according to PZC approvals from 2025 it would serve tea, food, small plates, and tea inspired cocktails. They also plan to include a retail component would be things people could buy while drinking tea or eating according to PZC documents from last year. Property owner Larissa Lake stated at the PZC meeting last year they also plan a spa on the second floor of the building, complimenting the tea house business on the main level. There are rumors that Beam House in Glastonbury is somewhat involved in the restaurant plans, though we haven’t been able to confirm their involvement. Stay tuned for more information as they get closer to opening. Bristol’s newest ice cream shop has opened its doors! Mr. P’s Frozen Treats is NOW OPEN at Bristol! The new ice cream shop is located at 120 North Main Street in Bristol, part of the Centre Square Village building. They celebrated their ribbon cutting yesterday (07/24) & grand opening today (07/25)! The new parlor is a family-focused community ice cream shop offering handcrafted ice cream and seasonal specials. Their mantra is ‘Uniting family, connection, and community over local frozen treats where everyday moments turn into something special.’ On their menu you’ll find a 39 flavors of hard serve ice cream (including some dairy free, sugar free, and vegan options) and 3 soft serve flavors! Try your favorite in a cone or cup, or as a sundae, shakes, P-Storm (similar to a blizzard.) Pics of the menu are in the attached photo gallery or find it online on their website here: https://www.mrpsfrozentreats.com The ice cream shop joins the existing line-up of retail/restaurant tenants including Monterrey Mexican Restaurant, Pure Foods, Dark Moon Gifts, and others. The development will soon welcome Tavello Pizza as well. Check them out at 120 North Main Street in Bristol! They are open: Sunday through Thursday 12pm-8pm Friday & Saturday 12pm-10pm
A cat lounge will be permanently closing its doors in Plainville.
Purrfect Lounge announced its pending closure, their final day will be on September 1st. The adoption lounge is located at 17 Farmington Avenue in Plainville. The space operated as a cozy and welcoming cat lounge located where guests could relax, unwind, and connect with adoptable cats in a peaceful setting. They offer fun events like yoga & paint nights with kitties, Purrfect Lounge offers a one-of-a-kind experience for cat lovers of all ages. They still need to find forever homes for their last 5 cat residents. Book your appointment online at: https://www.purrfect-lounge.com Looking to spend time with cats after September 1st? Check out some of Connecticut’s cat cafes including Marcie’s Angels Cat Cafe in Glastonbury, Perk and Paws Cat Cafe in Torrington, Mew Haven Cat Cafe in New Haven, Two Wrasslin' Cats in East Haddam, and All the Single Kitties in Old Saybrook. Find more great news on our website here: https://www.theconnecticutscoop.com/ The owner of The Shoppes at Buckland Hills has sold off 2 of their outparcels and 2 more are now under contract. -The LongHorn parcel has been sold to OPOF2020 CT STEAK, an LLC owned by Orion Investment & Management / Real Estate Group. The property at 350 Buckland Hills Drive was sold for $2.75 million according to town records. The sale will not affect LongHorn's day-to-day operations. -The Red Robin parcel has been sold to DeVimy Manchester CT, an LLC owned by DeVimy Equities. The property at 360 Buckland Hills Drive was sold for $2.05 million according to town records. The sale will not affect Red Robin's day-to-day operations. -The Dave & Buster parcel at 100 Buckland Hills Drive was listed for sale for $8.75 million and is now listed as 'Under Contract', though a sale has not been finalized. The sale will not affect D&B's day-to-day operations. Find the listing here: https://www.crexi.com/properties/2014346/Manchester-CT-06042 -The Market Grille parcel at 110 Buckland Hills Drive was listed for sale for $1.76 million and is now listed as 'Under Contract', though a sale has not been finalized. The sale will not affect Market Grille's day-to-day operations. Find the listing here: https://www.crexi.com/properties/2467937/Manchester-CT-06042 The sales come less than 8 months after the mall sold land under the Fairfield Inn & Suites to its operator for $2.2 million. Namdar Realty Group purchased the mall and outparcels in early 2025 for $25.8 million at a foreclosure auction. The mall's valuation at the time was $42.3 million 'As-Is' and a prospective stabilized value of $51.1 million by late 2025. Looks like redevelopment plans are coming back to life for the former Sullivan Avenue Plaza (formerly home to Geissler’s) in South Windsor!
Signs advertising the new redevelopment of the plaza have been installed on the screen fencing at 965 Sullivan Avenue. Plans call for a mixed-use development with residential and retail use. The project received zone change approval back in 2021. New apartments would be constructed on the site in a wooded area along with the former Hot Leathers building. 125 residential units were previously proposed for the site, made up of 83 one bedrooms & studios and 42 two bedroom units. The former plaza and grocery store would be heavily renovated to bring it up to current retail standards. The former bank building and gas station will remain as potential retail spaces for lease. No word yet on what retail tenants might occupy the retail space. Geissler’s closed the store in July 2025 after nearly four decades. Could this be the perfect location for a Sprouts? The chain recently announced plans for a large expansion into New England! What would you like to see open here? Comment below! |
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