The first CT location for Taco John's is now under construction in Newington!
The Minnesota-based chain will be located at 56 Costello Road in Newington; in the parking lot of Ashley Furniture right off the Berlin Turnpike. They are expected to open in early 2026. The chain serves a variety of Tex-Mex favorites including burritos, tacos, quesadilla, taco bowls, wraps, nachos, churros, Mexican donut bites, and their famous Potato Oles! Taco John's closest location is currently in Leominster, MA. This location marks their first expansion into Connecticut; no other locations for the State have been announced. Where would you like to see them open next? Comment below!
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We are back for a long overdue update with a recap of openings, closings, new developments, and more in the latest Business Brief! Here is the brief: -Mattress Plus opened in the former Metro Mattress space at 3153 Berlin Turnpike. -Top Level Salon moved from 36 Lasalle Road in West Hartford Center to 36A Fenn Road. -The RECC (Real Elevation Coaching Center) opened at 169 Lowrey Place. -Andrea’s Tailoring moved from Westfarms to 117 Fenn Road in the Fenn Road Plaza August 1. -Bob's Discount Furniture moved from their longtime home at 3203 Berlin Turnpike to a newly renovated modern location at 3174 Berlin Turnpike, the former Staples. -100% Chiropractic opened at 3313 Berlin Turnpike, Unit 6 at Meadow Commons. -Club Pilates is also now open at 3313 Berlin Turnpike, Unit 5 at Meadow Commons. -Signarama has opened at 2585 Berlin Turnpike (next to Army Barracks). They hosted a ribbon cutting October 1. -NOT A PHASE CAFE opened in the former Toasted Oat space at 1100 Main Street on September 12 with a weekend-long celebration. -Spirit Halloween is back for the season; this time at 3087 Berlin Turnpike, the former Party City space. The Newington location opened last week after a late start compared to nearby stores and will remain open through Halloween. -Spooky Town Halloween Superstore also has returned this year after a hiatus last year. They are at 3168 Berlin Turnpike (next to Walmart) and will also be open through Halloween. -The Shop Strength & Conditioning opened a new fitness studio at 303 Walsh Avenue! They offer personal and small group fitness training. Visit them at www.theshop-ct.com -Blaze Pickle (175 Lowrey Place) made the decision to stay open after a positive reception. They went before TPZ to request to operate year-round. No long-term plans were discussed; however, they will be open through at least Spring 2026. -Starbucks closed their downtown location on September 27 at 995 Main Street. The location was remodeled in 2023, and was cited as an underperforming location. Around 200 locations are scheduled to close following the company’s recent financial struggles and plans to move in a more sustainable path forward. The coffee chain has 3 other locations in Newington and several in surrounding towns. -Market Square Music Academy (50 Market Square) closed their shop on July 14 after 4 years. The owner plans on continuing private lessons. -JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores (3105 Berlin Turnpike) closed the Newington store on May 24. The space is available for lease with no replacement tenant known at this time. -Mom and Pop Sushi (1046 Main Street) closed during the summer. The owners decided to retire. The space is available for rent. -Toasted Oat (1100 Main Street) closed their Newington location on July 11. While the owners insisted the closure wasn’t due to a lack of support, they did not give a reason for their decision. You can still find them at their original location at 50 Albany Turnpike in Canton. -Yanmin Yoga (451 New Britain Avenue, Unit C) closed several months after opening. We could not find a reason for the closure. -Hartford Healthcare’s GoHealth Urgent Care (3219 Berlin Turnpike) is now officially closed after a year of uncertainty on whether they would reopen. It is now official as their signage has been removed from the building and all location information is no longer on their website. A sign on their window refers patients to the 40 Fenn Road location or 175 Webster Square Road in Berlin. -Vacuum Village (2394 Berlin Turnpike) closed after over 40 years in business. The owner retired. -WhipLash & Spa (161 Carr Avenue) moved to 2 West Center Street in Southington in August. -Revolution Sports Club will be moving to a new space! The fitness center had been located at 169 Lowrey Place for the past 5 years, which is now The RECC. Their new space will be at 2434 Berlin Turnpike, Unit 9 (O’Neil Plaza). -Pickleball City will not be coming to 172 Kitts Lane. Although signage was installed in front of the former Bob’s Store space, the new business was removed from the site plan for the Kitts Lane plaza. -Kingdom Buffet is coming soon to 196 Kitts Lane. -Emilia Soy Aromas will be opening a gift shop at 451 New Britain Avenue, Unit C, replacing Yanmin Yoga. They are a luxury brand that specializes in candles 100% hand-made with soy wax! Look for the opening soon! -Bora Bora Smoothie Cafe will be opening in the former Vacuum Village space at 2394 Berlin Turnpike in March, 2026. This will be the second Connecticut location. -A significant Meadow Commons update back on July 30 included the announcement of 3 new large tenants for the retail center. Market 32, Marketplace and Wonder will be joining the mixed-use development that features retail and apartments (Millyard at Meadow Commons). Market 32 (by Price Chopper) will be the grocery anchor to replace the proposed Amazon Fresh store that never opened. It is expected that the current Price Chopper store at 2985 Berlin Turnpike will close next year, and Market 32 will open at their new space shortly after. Marketplace (replacing the proposed Beso Taco Bar) will serve vintage modern American farm-to-table cuisine, including salads and bowls, seafood, pasta, and burgers. A Fall opening is anticipated. They will be located next to the future Sally's Apizza, which is also scheduled to open in 2026. Wonder is a food hall and delivery service featuring up to 30 different restaurant concepts in one central location. A timeline for opening is not known. -The Flash Lady Photography (51 Gilbert Road) celebrated a new, expanded studio with an open house and ribbon cutting on Friday (10/3). The new space will allow for an enhanced experience. See below to see how you can win a holiday photo session to take place in early November! -All Love Candles will be moving to Newington from their Evergreen Walk location. They will be taking the former Market Square Music Academy space at 50 Market Square! They are planning to open on October 25! -GF Fitness will be opening in the former LA Fitness building at 3563 Berlin Turnpike! -ZamZam Market will be opening at 3095 Berlin Turnpike (Ollie’s Plaza). They are a new halal market that will be selling halal meat, groceries, and fresh bread. Renovations to the space are ongoing. -Taco John's (56 Costello Road) has finally started construction on their new restaurant, the first location in Connecticut. Work on the site had been delayed due to approval for a grease trap to be installed (according to TPZ). They are expected to open in early 2026. -Laundromat Near Me is coming soon to 723 New Britain Avenue at Twin City Plaza! They expect to open by the end of the year. The laundromat will be co-owned by Wethersfield residents, featuring state-of-the-art equipment manufactured in the USA, the largest capacity washers and dryers in town, and App and coin payment systems. They also mentioned renovations and improvements to Twin City and are happy to be a part of the comeback of the plaza! Stay tuned for future updates. -Sand Dollar Laundromat (126 Market Square) is under new ownership and is now The Newington Laundromat. This past week, renovations took place and updated equipment was installed to make for a better experience. For more information, visit www.newingtonlaundromat.com -Newington Liquor Shoppe is also under new ownership (again). After being purchased in 2022 from previous owners, the liquor store at 143 Lowrey Place has been closed for several months. A new request for a liquor permit has been posted out front at Northwood Plaza. The new owner, Royal Wine and Liquor Limited Liability Company, registered the new business with the state several months ago. No word on when the shop would reopen. -Olympia Diner is staying open…for now! The iconic diner at 3413 Berlin Turnpike was set to be sold to a developer who planned on demolishing the building and replacing it with a fast-food restaurant. Public support for the historical business spanning beyond Newington brought the diner much attention. The proposed deal recently fell through and the owners who had planned to retire, will continue running the diner for the foreseeable future. However, they are still looking for an interested buyer. -Newington Meat Center is for sale. Owner Paul Lattarulo plans to retire in 2026, as early as January. The store would close after the holiday season if a buyer does not come forward. Newington Meat is located at 847 Main Street has been in business for over 60 years. -The Newington Kiwanis Flea Market may be discontinued after the close of the season. A post on their Facebook page announced there are only 3 Sundays after today to shop the flea market, and unless someone comes forward to take over the seasonal event that has been a part of Newington for 30 years, future seasons will not take place. The initiative helps our community through the flea market. They just presented Newington Human Services with a check for $2,000, which will help with the food bank and other services for those in need. Visit the Facebook page to find their contact information if you are interested in continuing a great event. -VIVE Collision of Newington will be holding a ribbon cutting October 14 with the Newington Chamber of Commerce. They are located at 172 Kelsey Street, formerly Bryan’s Autobody. -Vida Fit held a ribbon cutting with the chamber on September 17. They opened a year ago at 596 North Mountain Road. -We are excited to announce our 3rd annual Small Business Scoop Giveaway! The Flash Lady Photography will once again be our sponsor, as well as offering a pre-giveaway holiday photo session that will take place on November 2 (be on the lookout for a post very soon!). We are looking for businesses to participate in the giveaway this year, both new and established. This is a great opportunity to promote your business and give away a free service or item during the holiday season. Our giveaway coincides with Small Business Saturday, and serves as a reminder to “support local.” We have a wide variety of businesses right here in Newington, and more on the way. We love giving them the spotlight! If you are interested in participating, please email Chris at [email protected] and you will receive more information. The first 2 Small Business Scoop giveaways had a great turnout! WE LOVE A GOOD SCOOP-Do you have business news you would like to share? Are you a business who wishes to advertise on The Newington Scoop? If you would like to share your story, send us an email at [email protected]. Please do not post any potential scoop in the comment sections of our posts, as we want to confirm all information before making a news item public on the page. Accurate reporting is important to us! Reading this Business Brief on another group? To see more content and stay with the scoop, give us a LIKE and a SHARE. Did you know we are also on Instagram? Follow us there: www.instagram.com/thenewingtonscoop 
Bora Bora Smoothie Cafe is coming soon to Newington!
The smoothie shop will take over the former Vacuum Village space at 2394 Berlin Turnpike. Vacuum Village closed recently after nearly four decades in the space. They are expected to open in March 2026 after renovations. The cafe features a tropical vibe and island-atmosphere with smoothies, fruit bowls, crepe, coffee, milkshakes, and more. They currently have a single Connecticut location in New Haven and multiple others around the country. 
Starbucks will be closing its downtown location.
An employee confirmed the closure of the coffee shop location at 995 Main Street after close of business tomorrow, September 27. Starbuck's has implemented a turnaround strategy due to declining sales which includes closing approximately 200 locations. The Main Street location was cited as underperforming. A remodel and reopening took place 2 years ago. Starbuck's has several locations nearby including 3 in Newington at 14 Fenn Road, 3575A Berlin Turnpike, and 3265 Berlin Turnpike (inside Target), as well as in surrounding towns. The space has been listed for lease by the landlord. Marketplace is coming soon to Meadow Commons!
A company representative revealed that the new restaurant plans an early Fall opening but could not give a more specific timeline. The Newington location will have a very different layout and design in comparison to other area locations. Their menu will be identical to their Shelton location (see pictures of that location below). You can see the menu here: https://marketplacekitchenbar.com/.../shelton-lunch.../ Marketplace offers vintage modern American farm-to-table cuisine, including salads and bowls, seafood, pasta and burgers. They can host private events and will also have DJs on weekends for a late-night vibe! For now, you can check them out at their closest location in Avon at 336 West Main Street. Marketplace will be joining the retail component of Meadow Commons at 3333 Berlin Turnpike, which has continued to see new tenants including the recently opened 100% Chiropractic, and several future tenants including Market 32, Sally's Apizza and Wonder! Visit Marketplace online for more information: https://marketplacekitchenbar.com/ 
Olympia Diner is staying put for now!
The diner will remain open! Olympia Diner is located 3413 Brerlin Turnpike in Newington. The diner was to be demolished and replaced with a new fast food restaurant under a proposal from the developer, these plans have now been dropped according to a report from WTNH. The landmark has operated in Newington since the 1950s. It has been a pop-culture icon, appearing in movies like Jacknife, Promises in the Dark, Once More with Feeling, and 41. The diner is still up for sale at the time of this post. An asking price is not listed.The property is offered for sale or ground lease situated within the most sought after corridor of the Turnpike, located on the corner of Pane Road, surrounded by the markets most noted National Brands and newest redevelopment sites. 
NOT A PHASE CAFE has set their opening date!
The new breakfast and lunch spot will open for business a week from today, Friday, September 12th! They will be located at 1100 Main Street, formerly Toasted Oat Cafe, which closed a few months ago. Not A Phase will serve up breakfast and lunch favorites as well as hot and cold beverages. To kick off the New England fair season, they will be offering egg and cheese on a donut and a funnel cake iced coffee! Regular hours will be: Monday-Friday 6:00am-3:00pm Saturday 7:00am-3:00pm Sunday 7:00am-2:00pm Stop by next week and check them out! 
Pickleball City will NOT be opening at 172 Kitts Lane.
Despite signage being installed on the front of the building and their TPZ application being approved, the pickleball facility is no longer listed on the site plan for the plaza. The former 48,884 sq. ft. Bob's Space is once again available for lease. If this changes, we will let you know. A new banner has been installed in front of the future Chinese Buffet slated to open at 196 Kitts Lane in the same plaza. It will be Kingdom Buffet. Work crews have been busy the past few weeks delivering fixtures and equipment to the space and building it out for the new restaurant. Not much else is known at this time, including an opening date. Stay with The Newington Scoop in the coming weeks, as we have more scoops to share, but are still waiting on confirming information before bringing them to you.
All Love Candles has found a new home in Newington!
All Love, a local candle company got its start in Manchester, then found a home at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor. After terms could not be negotiated with the owners of the outdoor shopping center, the search for a new location began. That perfect spot will now be in Newington at 50 Market Square, in the former Market Square Music Academy! All Love Candles be bringing back local small-business retail! They will carry soy-based candles in several unique scents along with an assortment of other locally made products. They will host candle making classes, music nights and tarot nights, creating a warm, cozy community gathering space. The new downtown Newington location will offer more flexibility and accessibility. The owner wanted a central space with plenty of parking, surrounded by restaurants and other small businesses. She is hoping for an October opening. Stay tuned for updates! Bob's Discount Furniture will open their new Newington location tomorrow, August 16th! Tomorrow's opening will be a soft-launch before the grand opening & ribbon cutting on August 29th! The new store is located at 3174 Berlin Turnpike in Newington, the former Staples store. The new location replaces the original Bob's location at 3203 Berlin Turnpike; where the chain of over 200 stores opened over 30 years ago. The ribbon cutting will take place at 9:30am on August 29th followed by $2500 donations to John Wallace Middle School and the Connecticut Humane Society. Bob's will also be presenting a check for $25,000 to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals from the sales of their Little Bob plushies. Bob's Founder, Bob Kaufman will be in attendance at the grand opening to interact with customers and media! The grand opening will also feature food trucks and giveaways. The store occupies over 24,000 square feet of space, chock full of quality furniture at discount prices. The store carries furniture for the entire house including living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, kids, mattresses, and more. Stop by Bob's Cafe for some sweet treats! Check them out at their new location tomorrow! They are open: Monday through Saturday 10am-9pm Sunday 11am-7pm 
GF Fitness is coming soon to Newington!
The gym is expected to take over the former LA Fitness building at 3563 Berlin Turnpike in Newington, part of Newington Fair Shopping Center. The gym chain has an existing CT location in Bristol; it opened in 2024 replacing another LA Fitness. The Bristol location contains amentities like pickleball, child care, a large fitness center with cutting edge equipment, over 50 weekly classes. and much more. The Newington location is expected to have similar amenities. Employees at the Bristol location confirmed plans to open in the Newington LA Fitness building. No timeline has been announced for their opening; but construction would be minimal because the space was previously home to a gym. Sign up for opening updates and pre-opening offers on their website for the future Newington location here: https://gffitnessgyms.com/location/newington/ Big updates for the Meadow Commons development at 3333 Berlin Turnpike!
-Market 32 will be opening in the planned Amazon Fresh space in the development! According to a new lease plan released by Charter Realty, the Price Chopper owned chain will open in the 43,078 square foot grocery space! No opening timeline has been announced. It would be expected that the nearby Price Chopper will close once Market 32 opens; though that has not confirmed with corporate. -Beso Taco Bar is out and Market Place is in. Both restaurants are owned by Market Hospitality Group. Market Place serves seafood, salad, pasta, sandwiches, and more. No opening timeline has been announced. Find their menu here: https://marketplacekitchenbar.com/ Find the updated lease plan here: https://charterrealty.com/.../Newington-Meadow-Commons-07... 
Bob's Discount Furniture has set a tentative opening date for their new location!
A representative from Bob's has confirmed the discount furniture store will officially move to their new space at 3174 Berlin Turnpike on August 18th. The current space at 3203 Berlin Turnpike will close shortly before that date. No future use of the building has been announced at this time. Bob's has transformed the former Staples store which closed on March 8th with a full renovation, including an updated facade and paint to the exterior. The Newington store was the first location for the furniture retailer 34 years ago. 
Mom and Pop Poke and Sushi (1046 Main Street) has permanently closed!
The owners have made the decision to retire. They quietly shut the doors of the sushi restaurant sometime in the past week. The restaurant had been open 5 years at the Main Street location. Mom and Pop offered a variety of sushi, poke bowls, along with soups, salads, and entrees. No word on a replacement tenant at this time. Wonder is planning a new location at Meadow Commons! Wonder is a restaurant startup, creating a virtual food hall out of their small store spaces. Wonder feature cuisine from restaurants around the country and many Celebrity Chefs including Alanza Pizza, Bankside by JJ Johnson, Bobby Flay Steak, Detroit Brick Pizza Co., Streetbird by Marcus Samuelsson, and many more! They will serve Chinese, Sushi, Pizza, Poke Bowls, Pasta, Mexican, Spanish, and much much more! Each location has at least 10 restaurant concepts. According to permit filings from July 7th, the restaurant will be taking over a 2,799 square foot space in the development. A building permit for the project has not been issued yet. No timeline has been announced for their opening. The chain currently has CT locations in Stamford and Fairfield; with more locations coming soon in Darien and Milford. You can learn more about the brand on their website here: www.wonder.com Meadow Commons is a new development at 3333 Berlin Turnpike in Newington. The plaza is home to PJ's Coffee, Playa Bowls, 100% Chiropractic, CAVA, and Shake Shack. New tenants are under construction including Sally's Apizza, Beso Taco Bar, and Club Pilates. A national grocery store is supposed to anchor the development; though the opening timeline has been pushed back numerous times and no tenant build-out has been started. Andrea's Tailoring is moving to Newington this summer! Owner Andrea Rowe has 30 years of experience as a fashion designer, pattern maker, and tailor. She began Andrea's Tailoring 20 years ago in West Hartford Center. From there, she moved the business to Westfarms 6 years ago. The shop will be moving from the mall to 117 Fenn Road, in the Fenn Road Plaza. Their new name will be Andrea's Tailoring and Things Jamaican. The new space will allow for a better shopping experience for customers. The opening is planned for August 1st! The shop specializes in bridal gown and men's suits alterations, among others. They also offer formal wear for sale. To allow for the move, the current location is offering 50% off mother-of-the-bride and wedding gowns in stock! 
A new breakfast and lunch option will be coming soon to downtown!
For those who are lamenting the impending loss of Toasted Oat Cafe which closes tomorrow, a new option will be filling the 1100 Main Street space fairly quickly. Owners Kim Parker and Jared Linn will be opening Not A Phase Cafe, a mid-2000s emo-themed cafe (they want to "try and bring back some serotonin for the millennials while making great food") serving breakfast, lunch, specialty coffees and teas, and dirty energy drinks! We were also informed that they will be answering the call for bagels, vegetarian and vegan options, as well as gluten free choices. Indoor seating will be a component. They will be initially open 7 days a week to gauge customer traffic but hoping to be permanently open every day. Not A Phase Cafe is planning a mid-August opening at this time. They will share their logo, and a preliminary menu will be available in the next week. We will bring them to you here at that time. Stay tuned! 
Toasted OAT Newington will permanently close the doors of their Downtown Newington location on July 11th after 3 years of business at 1100 Main Street!
The restaurant made the announcement on their Facebook page this evening. Toasted OAT notes the closure is not due to a lack of support from the community, but for other undisclosed reasons. Toasted OAT will continue to serve the public at their Canton location at 50 Albany Turnpike. The restaurant is known for their delcious breakfast and lunch options including breakfast burritos, sandwiches, breakfast plates, and bowls. We thank Toasted Oat for participating in a number of our giveaways over the past two years. Thank you for your support and you will be missed. 
Market Square Music Academy will be closing after 4 years on July 14!
The owner posted on Facebook of her decision to focus on her family and step away from her storefront business and continue to offer private lessons. The music academy opened at 50 Market Square in 2021 offering music lessons in voice, piano, and guitar among others by several talented instructors. We wish everyone at Market Square Music Academy the very best! 
Eddy Farm opens for the season tomorrow, July 1st!
The roadside farm stand will be open July through October. They sell fresh vegetables, local sourced items such as honey as well as fresh cut flowers. They are still looking for people to work at the stand. You can send them an email at [email protected] to inquire. Their hours will be Monday through Friday 10am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm. Eddy Farm is located at 851 Willard Avenue (directly across from Garfield Street). Stop by tomorrow and support a local family business. What are you looking forward to buying the most? Let us know!
WhipLash & Spa (151 Carr Avenue) is moving to Southington! Owner (and lash artist) Christina Petillo announced on Facebook she will be moving her business to 2 West Center Street in Southington as of August 1, 2025. She will be accepting new clients at that time. WhipLash offers "everyday luxury for the everyday woman" with eyelash extensions, lash lifts, brows, spray tans, waxing and makeup. We would like to thank Christina and WhipLash for participating in our first few giveaways and offering a free service to the winner. Best of luck in your new home! Join Newington Parks and Recreation and Newington Chamber of Commerce for some fun events! Newington Goes Country, tonight 5/12 from 5-10pm. Stop by Mill Pond Park for food, beer, a petting zoo, line dancing among other activities with music by Nick Casey! Food Truck Friday happens tomorrow 5/13 from 5-10pm at Mill Pond Park. Highlights include hay and train rides, a beer and wine tent, and fun games where you will also find a great lineup of food trucks in the park. Food trucks will also be there Thursday night! Next Thursday 6/19 from 5-8pm, come on down to Market Square for the annual Crusin' Newington Classic Car Show! Many vintage cars will be parked along Market Square. Don't forget to stop in to one of the many favorite restaurants in the center while you're there! Will you be at one (or all) of these events? What are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments.
Walmart (3164 Berlin Turnpike) is having a Grand Reopening celebration for their Newington store!
Stop by tomorrow (5/23/25) from 9am-11am for food trucks, vendors, fun and a special ceremony beginning at 9am. While you're there, check out the recently refreshed store and especially the new mural on the wall by the main entrance which features several Newington landmarks designed by local artist Sophie Groenstein! The Newington Walmart opened in September 2001. Next door, Bob's Discount Furniture is currently transforming the former Staples store (3174 Berlin Turnpike) into their new location, moving from 3203 Berlin Turnpike. They hope to open by mid-Summer. By Chris DuBois 
JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores is in their final days of business until they close their store in Newington!
As of today (5/17/25), signage states there are 8 days left until the doors close permanently. I went this morning one last time and items are 60-80% off with merchandise condensed to the front half of the store. JoAnn has been located at 3105 Berlin Turnpike in Newington for around 25 years after being at Brickyard Plaza in Berlin for several years prior. The closure will create a large 39,000+ sq. ft. vacancy in a plaza that has already lost several businesses in the past few years. There are signs of hope with the opening of Ollie's and Hungry Bowl. The entire chain is going out of business both in-store and online and all locations will be shut down by the end of this month. Some have already closed in the state. Stop by before next weekend! By Chris DuBois 
Blaze Pickle (175 Lowrey Place) has announced they will stay open in Newington for another year!
The pickleball facility opened in November 2024 in the former Best Market space. They were only intending to stay until April and extended the season to the end of May. The decision was made to remain open at least through next year. Blaze will be offering an Unlimited Summer Play Pass beginning June 1st and running through September 30th. Players will have access to climate-controlled courts during the warmer months 7 days a week with free court time and unlimited uncoached plays: all for just $99! Visit www.blazepickle.com to reserve a court and check for the latest updated hours. |
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