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It’s time to catch up on the latest business news! While several businesses have or will be leaving town, several more continue to take interest in Newington. In this post, you will learn about those businesses that have closed, recently opened, or will be coming soon in a comprehensive recap! In addition, we will provide updates on projects and properties in development, and initiatives to boost economic development. Here’s the brief: -Hungry Bowl (3025 Berlin Turnpike) officially opened on February 3 after a soft opening. -Dave's Hot Chicken (3384 Berlin Turnpike) officially opened March 14 following a brief soft opening. Newington is their second location following them entering the state with their Milford store. -Ollie's (3103 Berlin Turnpike) officially opened in the former Big Lots on March 20, following a weeklong soft opening. -Around The Clock 4 Tots (41 West Hartford Road) recently opened a new childcare facility in Temple Sanai on the West Hartford line! -Karma's Closet (27 Garfield Street) culminated their move to downtown with an official grand opening and ribbon cutting on February 13. The consignment boutique was previously located at 3153 Berlin Turnpike. -Synct Therapy (123 Lowrey Place) moved from 705 North Mountain Road to the former Damato Chiropractic space. -AAA Bottle Redemption Depot (156 Pane Road) opened in a shared building on March 1, bringing the redemption center concept to town. -Taco John's has submitted an application to TPZ for a Public Hearing regarding a new freestanding restaurant on the property in front of Ashley Furniture (56 Costello Road). The property is adjacent to the Berlin Turnpike, but would be accessible from Costello Road only. The new restaurant will feature a drive-thru and is the first Taco John’s in the state! The Public Hearing is scheduled for this coming Wednesday, April 9 at 7:00pm. -Stickley Furniture Outlet (172 Kitts Lane) closed their popup furniture outlet store in the former Bob’s Clothing store in February. The space will become Pickleball City. The owner of the new facility went before Town Planning and Zoning for a Public Hearing for a Special Permit for a place of recreation and was “approved with conditions" at the February 26 meeting. Check back for an update on their opening. -Also at the plaza on Kitts Lane, an unnamed Chinese Buffet is seeking approval to open at 196 Kitts Lane, the former Sanitas Medical Center. A Public Hearing will be held at the next TPZ meeting this coming Wednesday April 9 at 7:00pm. Two spaces remain available for lease at the plaza, space 192 and 198. -917inktattoo has moved from their original space at 425 New Britain Avenue Unit C to 102 Pane Road, inside of Angry Hair. The New Britain Avenue space is now available. No word on whether there is a prospective tenant. -Mattress Plus has leased the former Metro Mattress space at 3153 Berlin Turnpike. The McBride Plaza will now have just one vacancy remaining, the former Karma’s Closet space. Other tenants include McBride Wayside Carpet, Munson’s Chocolate and Neptune Cremation. Metro Mattress had a brief run in Connecticut, and all stores in the state have closed. The other Newington location next to Stew Leonard’s (3475 Berlin Turnpike) is still vacant. -The Liv Dispensary (2661 Berlin Turnpike) is NOW OPEN in the former Pier 1 space. It is hard to tell it is open by passing, with the only indicators being a lawn sign, window poster and a temporary banner on the building stating they are open. Liv is the third dispensary in town, along with Fine Fettle (2280 Berlin Turnpike) and Zen Leaf (2909 Berlin Turnpike). There is still an approx. 10,000 sq. ft. space next to the new facility available. Visit their website for more information at https://thelivshop.com/menu/newington -The Little Cake Café (1052 Main Street, Rear) is now known as Breakfast at Angelo’s. The popular breakfast and brunch spot in Constitution Square remains under the same ownership, just a new name. The new branding was chosen because co-owner Vangjel “Angelo” Gjoni is the head chef! -Blaze Pickle (175 Lowrey Place) has recently announced they plan to extend their stay in Newington an extra month. Their seasonal location in town will remain open until May. They will also be announcing their future plans in the coming months. The pickleball facility had previously been located in Guilford and opened in the former Best Market space in November, serving as a temporary tenant during the winter season. -Signarama (2585 Berlin Turnpike) is coming soon to a space that was briefly home to Brother’s Appliance II next to Army Barracks. They are a chain of sign design shops with locations also in Danbury, Enfield, Norwalk Orange, Stamford and Vernon. Another future location is planned in West Hartford at 176 Newington Road, in the Elmwood Plaza. -LA Fitness (3563 Berlin Turnpike) closed their Newington location on January 27. A new lease could not be worked out with the landlord, and the space is now available. The fitness club has a nearby location open at 1600 SE Road in Farmington near Westfarms. -Party City (3087 Berlin Turnpike) closed on March 23. The entire chain has ceased operations. The Newington store was one of the last locations in the state to close. Many sites where Party City stores were located have had their leases taken over by other retailers, however, the Berlin Turnpike space was not. -JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores (3105 Berlin Turnpike) in the same plaza announced their closure along with the rest of the company and is currently undergoing a liquidation sale. Signage in-store states there is no set date for closure. The Assistant Town Planner has been in talks with potential tenants, but nothing official at this time is known. Staples (3174 Berlin Turnpike) closed the Newington location on March 7. Bob's Discount Furniture will lease the space and relocate their store at 3203 Berlin Turnpike, across the street to the former office supply store this summer. -Chef’s Dog House (337 Willard Avenue) closed on February 28. A new lease could not be agreed on and the owner decided to move on. -Square Peg Pizzeria (80 Fenn Road) recently closed their location in town inside of Montana Nights. Full Belly Brick Oven has filled the void in its place as the food venue for the ax throwing facility. -Artisianna - Olive Oils and Balsamics (2600 Berlin Turnpike) closed their storefront in March. However, the business will continue online! -Old Glory (2335 Berlin Turnpike) is now Oasis Varieties. The shop remains as a smoke and vape shop. DEVELOPMENT UPDATE: -Keeney Manufacturing (1170 Main Street): The site was recently put back on the market for sale. The Town Planner stated that the town is currently in “discussions with an architect for a potential future application for the site,” but nothing is official at this time. -Meadow Commons (3333 Berlin Turnpike): There is nothing new to report. As previously reported, Club Pilates is the latest tenant to sign on to the new shopping center. The leasing plan still shows 100% Chiropractic, Beso Taco Bar and Sally’s Apizza as future tenants. Sallys has recently opened their Wethersfield and Farmington locations in the past few months, so Newington should not be too far behind. Still, there is no sign of the grocery anchor opening. It is still slated for Amazon Fresh and the targeted opening date was to be set for June. All other Amazon Fresh locations in Connecticut were cancelled and replaced with other grocers. -Frisbee Property (712 Russell Road): There have been several inquiries on this property, so I thought I would provide an update. The site, at the intersection of East Cedar Street and Russell Road adjacent to Cedar Mountain, has been slated for development for many years in many different forms, but nothing had ever materialized. The parcel has been cleared for construction. The current plan is for a gas station/convenience store, car wash and electric car showroom. According to the Planner, the owner/applicant has until October, 2027 to complete work on the site or come back to the town. We will keep an eye on this item. -690 Cedar Street/1 Myra Cohen Way: A groundbreaking for ‘The Spark on Cedar’ took place on March 5 at the former National Welding site next to CT Fastrak and the new WoodSpring Suites. The Spark is a new apartment community with several “thoughtfully designed floor plans and amenities.” For more information, you can visit https://www.sparkoncedar.com/ where you can get in touch with them and even get on their waiting list. -Cedar Pointe (550 Cedar Street): The Dakota development is ready for occupancy and accepting applications for apartments. An additional building is still slated to be constructed onsite in the future. For more information, visit https://www.demarcomc.com/cedarpointe MORE NEWS: -TOWN CENTER MASTER PLAN: Representatives from Colliers hosted the first Public Design Cherette for the Newington Town Center Master Plan on March 8. Information gathered from the informational session on December 9, 2024 was taken into consideration and design ideas were discussed and community input was taken through further engagement activities. Any additional input collected during the latest meeting will be included in a conceptual design to be compiled and shared at a later date. To keep up to date with this initiative, visit www.newingtontowncenter.com -ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION INITIATIVES: The EDC has been working on several social engagement initiatives of their own. Following the completion of Newington Passport this past holiday season, they are currently drafting “The Hobby Odyssey”, linking hobbies and interests with local businesses. See the attached document that explains more about Hobby Odyssey: https://www.newingtonct.gov/Agenda.../ViewFile/Item/15843... -They are also in the early stages of developing a “Town Branding” for Newington as a central theme for business and life in Newington. Please make an effort to attend or watch monthly EDC meetings the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm to learn more about economic development efforts. Deanna Reney, owner of Karma’s Closet, is the chairperson for the commission and has a great team of commissioners, some who are local business owners and advocates for business in town. -The Newington Kiwanis Flea Market will return for the Spring 2025 season on Sunday, April 27 and run through the end of June. Mark your calendars! Do you have business news you would like to share? Are you a business who wishes to advertise on The Newington Scoop? We are always looking for a few extra pair of eyes and ears, especially in Berlin. If you would like to share your story, send us an email at [email protected]. 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
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Square Peg Pizzeria has closed their location inside Montana Nights Axe Throwing at 80 Fenn Road. A new food option, Full Belly's Brick Oven has opened in its place. They will serve as the food vendor for Montana Nights. There is no information currently available online, including menus for the new restaurant, or whether they will offer takeout service. The closest Square Peg to Newington can be found in Berlin inside of The Truck Bar (151 Webster Square Road), as well as other locations farther away in Plainville, Glastonbury, Storrs and Vernon. 
Mattress Plus has leased the space formerly home to Metro Mattress at 3153 Berlin Turnpike (McBride Plaza).
The shopping plaza is also home to McBride Carpet, Munson's Chocolate, and Neptune Cremation. Metro Mattress closed their store at this location, in addition to a second store at 3475 Berlin Turnpike last year when the mattress chain left Connecticut after a short run. Karma's Closet also left the plaza and relocated their consignment boutique to downtown Newington in January. Mattress Plus has existing locations in Hamden, Orange, Milford and Old Saybrook as well as 2 in New Jersey. No word on their timeline to open or if there are more locations in the works in the state. Visit them online at www.mattressplusct.com 
 -Ollie's (3103 Berlin Turnpike) is NOW OPEN in Newington! The store is having a soft opening this week. They will be having their official Grand Opening on Thursday, March 20th at 9AM!
-The store closing sale at JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores (3105 Berlin Turnpike) is well underway. No closing date is known at this time. I am planning to visit the store later this week. -Party City is in its final days of liquidating all stores. The Newington store (3087 Berlin Turnpike) is closing in 8 days from today's post (on or around March 23rd). I visited the store today (3/16) and there is not much left. A lot of themed party wear, a few costumes, and miscellaneous items. JoAnn Plaza is going through several changes as JoAnn itself, Big Lots, Party City and TGI Fridays have or will close in the shopping center, leaving a large vacancy rate. The retail center is also plagued with a parking lot in poor condition with potholes and unkept landscaping throughout. Hungry Bowl recently opened in the former TGI Fridays space at 3025 Berlin Turnpike. There is a possibility for new tenants to move into JoAnn Fabrics and Party City, although nothing has been confirmed at this time. There is additionally a "lease pending" for another space in the plaza which we are keeping an eye on. What would your choice(s) be for new businesses in JoAnn plaza? 
Dave's Hot Chicken has set their opening date in Newington!
The chicken eatery will open this Friday, March 14th! The restaurant will be located at 3384 Berlin Turnpike, the former Batteries Plus space. The dining room will have seating for 49 customers. This will be Dave's Hot Chicken's second location; Milford opened in January. The chain has additional CT locations planned for Stamford and Southington. The new restaurant serves Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, normal chicken sandwiches, tenders, bites, shakes, fries, slaw, mac & cheese, slushers of various flavors, and more. They sells a 'Hot Box Roulette' featuring a box of 10 chicken sliders with 4 mild, 5 medium, and 1 reaper (their hottest flavor.) Find their full menu here: https://daveshotchicken.com/ Check them out this Friday! 
The Little Cake Cafe is now Breakfast at Angelo’s!
The popular downtown eatery which specializes in Breakfast and Lunch favorites, remains under the same ownership, along with the same menu and staff as before! You can visit them at 1052R Main Street (Constitution Square). 
AAA Bottle Redemption Depot has opened a redemption facility at 156 Pane Road, Unit C!
One of our first stories back in 2023 was for a series of "pre-applications" for potential businesses around town, and a redemption center at this site was one of them. They appear to have opened March 1. They are a redemption facility unlike that of a grocery store. Customers must bag like items separately. They accept plastic bottles, cans and beer bottles (non-craft only and must be brought in boxes). AAA has a location at 4 Niblick Road in Enfield. To learn more, visit their website at https://aaabottleredemption.com/ 
We are sad to report that Chef's Dog House will be closing this Friday (2/28).
The restaurant has been a staple in the north end of town for well over a decade. They specialize in not only hot dogs, but also burgers, soups, breakfast specials and more. Although Chef's has seen a change in ownership in recent years, it has still been a popular and regular stop for many. Lease negotiations were not able to be worked out. The owner has decided to move on to other endeavors and will not seek another location at this time. Visit them at 337 Willard Avenue (behind 7-Eleven) before they close on Friday! 
Ollie's will open their new Newington store on Thursday, March 20th at 9AM!
The retailer describes themselves as "America's largest retailer of closeout merchandise and excess inventory" and offers "up to 70% off the fancy stores prices every day". They saw an opportunity when Big Lots closed their Newington store last fall. There is a store flyer available online for opening week. See what bargains will be in store by clicking this link: https://flipp.com/.../7117145-ollies-bargain-outlet... Ollie's is still hiring. You can apply online by clicking here: https://recruiting.ultipro.com/OLL1000OLLIE/JobBoard/355913c1-206d-48a4-bb34-020064efe845/?q=&o=distance&w=06111%2C+Newington%2C+CT%2C+USA&wc=-72.727023%2C41.689204&we=-73.06702299999998%2C42.02920400000002%7C-72.387023%2C41.34920399999997&wpst=4&f4=_DHfuE3xxlS2ap8dOR-E6w Ollie's will be located at 3105 Berlin Turnpike. Will you be shopping there? 
Here is your opportunity to be a part of the future of Newington!
The Town of Newington, CT will hope a Public Design Charrette on Saturday, March 8th, from 9am-12pm at Newington Town Hall. A brief presentation on the project will be given before people are broken into smaller groups to provide your vision for the three key areas of the new Master Plan. The charrette will conclude with each group presenting their ideas, and the input will help guide the Town Center's future! Light refreshments will be served. Check out the attached flyer for more information.
Karma's Closet is celebrating its Grand Opening in their new location with a special preview sale!
The consignment boutique moved from their longtime location at 3153 Berlin Turnpike to the Town Center at 27 Garfield Street on January 8th, in the former A&D Health building. They will be holding a preview sale this weekend (today through Sunday) with 20% off storewide! The official grand opening and ribbon cutting by Newington Chamber of Commerce will take place next Thursday February 13 at 5:30PM with a "toast" and even more deals Valentines Day weekend (follow their social media for more details)! Stop by and see the new location if you haven't had the chance!
Synct Collaborative Therapy has leased the former Damato Chiropractic space at 123 Lowrey Place in Northwood Plaza!
According to their website, Snyct offers behavioral health services including ABA therapy, social skill groups, evaluations, parent training, and workshops. They were previously located at 705 North Mountain Road. We have reached out to Snyct for more information and are waiting to hear back from them. I am not sure if they are open in the new space yet as I have only passed by on the weekends, however, there is equipment set up in the front lobby. The space has been partially renovated to accommodate the new tenant. We hope for an update soon! Visit their website to learn more: https://www.syncttherapy.com/ We got an inside look at the new Hungry Bowl opening soon in Newington at 3025 Berlin Turnpike! The interior is beautiful and a significant transformation from the TGI Fridays that had previously occupied the space. Hungry Bowl will offer Mongolian bowls, sushi, ramen and more. Patrons can choose to dine-in or order online. They hope to open by this coming Monday, February 3, however, that is tentative. Visit their website to see their menu: https://www.hungrybowlusa.com/ 
Five Guys is being proposed for the Berlin Turnpike in Wethersfield near the Newington town line!
The popular burger joint would occupy a vacant space in between Starbucks and Wingstop in the new Atlas Commons (1862 Berlin Turnpike). An 1,892 sq. ft. vacancy would remain for lease. Plans are in their early stages. There is no timeline for opening. The leasing plan for Atlas Commons can be viewed here: https://www.loopnet.com/.../1862-Berlin-Tpke.../32694351/ Stay tuned for more on this new scoop! Are you excited that a Five Guys will finally be close by? Tell us in the comments! 
The last day of business for Staples will be Friday, March 7, 2025.
Signage posted in the windows of the store reveal the closing date and direct customers to nearby locations in West Hartford (2550 Albany Avenue), Glastonbury (49 Putnam Boulevard), and Southington (672 Queen Street). There is no official liquidation sale taking place, other than markdowns on select items. Regular store promotions are still displayed in the entrance. The office supply and copy store has been at 3174 Berlin Turnpike for over 30 years. Bob's Discount Furniture will be moving to the space from their longtime location at 3203 Berlin Turnpike this summer. Construction is expected to begin in May. The new year is off to a busy start with plenty of business news to report and keep an eye on. In this latest business brief, we will provide a recap of news from the end of last year, some new scoops, and more! Here’s the brief: -Turgeon Jewelers (3219 Berlin Turnpike) had a soft opening October 29 with an official opening and ribbon cutting on November 12. The jewelry store moved to town from their longtime Wethersfield location at 1841 Berlin Turnpike. -PJ's Coffee (3313 Berlin Turnpike) opened with a preview day November 19 followed by their official opening on November 20. They are a part of the new Meadow Commons. -Blaze Pickle (175 Lowrey Place) opened a seasonal pickleball facility on November 22 in the former Best Market space which had been vacant for the past 5 years. They are planning on operating for the season until the end of April. Future plans for the facility are unknown. -Stickley Furniture Outlet (172 Kitts Lane) opened a popup location just before the start of the holiday season in the former Bob’s Clothing store which closed in September. They plan on being open until February. Pickle City will then take over the space once Stickley moves out. No word on the duration the pickleball facility will be open. -Casadoro Ristorante & Bar (2929 Berlin Turnpike) soft opened the latest DORO owned restaurant with an Italian theme on December 18! -Karma's Closet has moved from their longtime location at 3153 Berlin Turnpike to a new downtown space at 27 Garfield Street as of January 8! An official opening celebration/ribbon cutting will follow. -John Turner Consulting, Inc. opened an office recently in town at 65 Louis Street. They are a consulting service for a number of services in geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting, and special inspections to name a few. They have locations in several states with Newington being the sole CT location. -Yanmin Yoga (451 New Britain Avenue) opened over the weekend. They are a yoga studio. -WoodSpring Suites (712 Cedar Street) has finally opened their 122-room extended stay hotel after a delay held back their opening several months! You can book a room here: https://www.woodspring.com/.../woodspring-suites... -American Freight Appliances & Furniture (65 Holmes Road) closed all locations at the end of the year. The Newington store was a Sears Outlet for many years until recently when American Freight took over the space. -LA Fitness (3563 Berlin Turnpike) will be closing the Newington location on Monday, January 27 at 2:00pm. This will create the largest commercial vacancies on the Berlin Turnpike at 50,000 square feet (the newly built Amazon grocery space is the second largest vacancy). -Party City will be closing all stores nationwide, including the Newington store at 3087 Berlin Turnpike. Store closing sales are currently underway. -Bob's Discount Furniture (3203 Berlin Turnpike) will be moving their store to 3174 Berlin Turnpike, currently Staples, which will be closing the Newington location in the next few months. See our posts here: https://www.facebook.com/thenewingtonscoop/posts/pfbid026X9iYL7MG7V4iuaeYgQXt1Xa9ka3uJVziG5f56d5giFyhgkCfk4qBHX8QXQU7TgWl AND here: https://www.facebook.com/thenewingtonscoop/posts/pfbid0bMVCLEuUf1GLxrigDREHkHPvHhnaokBxEME5rdEhiUJcYdHhCZmzqsSiXPTgYyGil -Ollie's is coming soon to 3105 Berlin Turnpike, formerly Big Lots. They are a closeout store known for their buyouts. They are currently hiring for all positions. See our post here: https://www.facebook.com/thenewingtonscoop/posts/pfbid02bBYkToxvamW8VsrWPfmeo1FCvdce7usM4LBkq8zZhZ9BdJ3Y3LcrapZDSK5ARtptl -Hungry Bowl (3025 Berlin Turnpike) is close to opening; however, an exact date is unknown. Interior work is almost completed, signage is up on the building with some exterior improvements to be made. We will keep an eye out for the opening date. -An unnamed Chinese Buffet is being planned for 196 Kitts Lane next to Stop and Shop. The leasing plan for 172 Kitts Lane (in the pictures) denotes the future restaurant. MEADOW COMMONS UPDATE: Club Pilates is the latest tenant to sign on to Meadow Commons. They will be located at 3313 Berlin Turnpike, in the same building with PJ's Coffee and Playa Bowls. No opening date has been set. In other Meadow Commons news, in addition to PJs Coffee opening, Sally's Apizza is scheduled to open later in the year, and according to what was said at the EDC meeting on January 7th, the grocery anchor space which is still slated to be Amazon Fresh is now being pushed back for a June 1st opening. This date is still tentative. The grocery store was formerly scheduled to open this month, but there has been no activity at the site. We will continue to wait and see how this progresses. -We were first to bring you the scoop that Taco John's will be opening their first Connecticut location in Newington! They will be building a new pad site in front of Ashley Furniture at 56 Costello Road. See the post here: https://www.facebook.com/thenewingtonscoop/posts/pfbid0AqF64tzWVp9jypJH3aUCkJaSbXhSMixfoGKQiasUC983doL4Kk4W2EimahtCv9u4l -Just one parcel south on the Turnpike (3384 Berlin Turnpike) will be the future home of the first Dave's Hot Chicken in Connecticut. Interior buildout of the former Batteries + Bulbs space has begun. -Middlewoods of Newington (2125 Main Street) is now known as Masonicare at Middlewoods of Newington. Masonicare has formally merged with United Methodist Homes, which includes senior living communities Atria Greenridge Place in Rocky Hill as well as Middlewoods in Newington, Farmington, and Shelton. The merger will expand Masonicare’s reach in providing high quality senior care. Other than signage changes, life at Middlewoods remains largely unchanged. TOWN CENTER MASTER PLAN: Representatives from Colliers Engineering & Design led the very first informational meeting for the Newington Town Center Master Plan. Information from the initial public engagement survey was shared, interactive activities helped to gain more insight on these results and additional questions were answered from participants. The next meeting will take place sometime in February or early March, at which time more of a conceptual plan will be shared with further public input. Visit the website for the Master Plan to stay informed of the upcoming meetings and popup events as they become available at www.newingtontowncenter.com and we will let you know of these dates. The Newington Economic Development Commission successfully kicked off their very first Newington Passport contest during the holiday season. Several local businesses participated, where residents had to visit businesses and get their “passport” stamped. Prize winners were selected at the annual Night of Lights on December 6 and The Newington Scoop helped in announcing them. The commission is looking for suggestions for the 2025 holiday season and have already considered improvements to the guidelines for the process. We held our very own giveaway, the 2nd annual Small Business Scoop giveaway. An impressive lineup of local businesses was generous in offering some great prizes in time for the holiday season. I’d like to thank The Flash Lady Photography for sponsoring the giveaway once again, as well as the businesses that participated: Giovanni's Bakery and Pastry Shop, Blaze Pickle, Artisianna - Olive Oils and Balsamics, Market Square Music Academy, Revolution Sports Club, Karma's Closet, WhipLash & Spa, Turgeon Jewelers, Kaze-Kai Karate, Evolution Yoga & Wellness Co., The Community Room Cafe, Wagging Tails Pet Resort & Spaw, Final Cut Sports Barbershop, Paragon Strength & Performance and Seed Central. Your support of The Newington Scoop is greatly appreciated! FUN FACT: Assistant Town Planner Erik Hinkley stated at the Economic Development Commission meeting last week that 88 new business trade name certificates were filed last year with the town for both home based and corporate businesses. COMMUNITY OUTREACH SCOOP: Coach Milton from Socceropolis will be running a half day "MLK Day Indoor Soccer Camp" on Monday, January 20 from 9AM-12noon for boys & girls ages 4-6yr olds at the Mortensen Community Center Gym (200 Garfield Street). Do you have business news you would like to share? Are you a business who wishes to advertise on The Newington Scoop? We are always looking for a few extra pair of eyes and ears, especially in Berlin. If you would like to share your story, send us an email at [email protected]. Reading this Business Brief on another group? To see more content and stay with the scoop, give us a LIKE and a SHARE. The Newington Scoop. Did you know we are also on Instagram? Follow us there: www.instagram.com/thenewingtonscoop
Taco John's is opening its first Connecticut location in Newington!
The growing fast-food chain serving up Mexican favorites such as tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, will be located in a new pad site to be constructed in front of Ashley Furniture at 56 Costello Road. A Petition for a Public Hearing has been submitted to the town to be scheduled for the next TPZ meeting. The closest location is currently in Massachusetts (Leominster). Taco John's is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They will join several new food establishments along the Berlin Turnpike which include CAVA, PJ's Coffee, Playa Bowls, Shake Shack, Casadoro Ristorante & Bar, and Dave's Hot Chicken (coming soon). Find out more about Taco John's at www.tacojohns.com. Stay with us for further updates on this newest project! Bob's Discount Furniture is planning on moving their longtime Newington location after nearly 34 years! Plans are in the works to move the discount furniture store from 3203 Berlin Turnpike, diagonally across the street to 3174 Berlin Turnpike, currently home to longtime tenant and office supply chain, Staples. The project is currently being put out to bid seeking contractors to complete the project work, which is scheduled to begin in May with a mid to late summer opening. Staples is still open and is not currently closing. We are keeping an eye on the situation. No word on the future of the Staples store in Newington. Bob's was founded in December 1991 by Bob Kaufman with the current Newington store serving as the very first in the chain, which is now headquartered in Manchester with around 180 locations spanning several states. Staples has also been at its current location for over 30 years. Stay with us for more updates!     
Thank you for another great year at The Newington Scoop!
In 2024, we celebrated our first anniversary, did feature stories on The Pearson Events Venue, Fancy Sushi, and Bark & Hearth, launched The Berlin Scoop, hosted successful giveaways, while breaking several scoops before the big news outlets! Newington welcome several new businesses this year. Some of those included: -Blaze Pickle (seasonal) -Casadoro Ristorante & Bar -CAVA -CT Breeder -F45 Training -Haven Hot Chicken -Healthy Spa and Reflexology -Hey You Tattoo -LaserMaxx -Middlesex Orthopedic & Spine Associates -My Home Kitchen and Bath -NewGen Pickleball -PJ's Coffee -Playa Bowls -SafeSplash + SwimLabs -Salsa Fresca Mexican Grill -Shah's Halal Food -Shake Shack -Shell (Fenn Road) -Smoke City -Super 6 Convenience Store -The Community Room Cafe -Tips Like Sugar, LLC -Turgeon Jewelers (relocated from Wethersfield) -Wagging Tails Pet Resort & Spaw - Newington Several businesses moved within town to bigger and better locations: -Artisianna - Olive Oils and Balsamics -Dunkin' (Main Street to East Cedar Street) -Hound and Home LLC -Sunbelt Rentals -The Shop Barber -Verizon (Wireless Zone) Newington gained 2 new housing developments, The Pike and Millyard at Meadow Commons which both began welcoming new residents this summer. Meadow Commons officially opened with Shake Shack as the first mixed use concept in Newington! There are several things to look forward to in 2025. Several new businesses have been announced, are currently in planning stages or close to opening. A study was introduced regarding the downtown area. Colliers Engineering & Design held the first public engagement meeting on December 9th. A preliminary survey was made available for the public to provide input on their vision for the town center. Stay with us for further updates on everything happening in the new year! What was your favorite new business or story from 2024? Did we leave out any new business openings? Let us know! HAPPY NEW YEAR! 
LA Fitness (3563 Berlin Turnpike) will be permanently closing their Newington location on Monday, January 27, 2025!
According to a flyer posted at the club (photo credit to Reddit), all members of the Newington club will have expanded access to all LA Fitness, Esporta and City Sports Clubs nationwide. The closest LA Fitness is in Farmington at 1600 SE Road. The gym is located in Newington Fair, a shopping center also home to Stew Leonard's, Burlington and Sam's Club. The gym has been an anchor in the plaza for the past decade. Sullivan Hayes Northeast has listed the space for lease. What would you like to see replace them? Respond in the comments below.
We are hearing the new Casadoro Ristorante & Bar is opening this evening (12/18)! This will be their soft opening, with a grand opening and ribbon cutting following after the new year! (Please check back here for an official opening time) The new restaurant, located at 2929 Berlin Turnpike, will feature the next generation of Italian-American cuisine. The building has been transformed into a beautiful new upscale restaurant after several months of construction! The restaurant continues to hire. You can apply on the DORO careers site here: https://www.dororg.com/careers Casa Doro is part of the Doro Restaurant Group; their restaurants include: Doro Marketplace, Treva, Avert, Zohara, and Artisanal Burger Company. They have new restaurants planned for Wethersfield and Glastonbury. They have a website (www.casadoroct.com) but it does not feature any information or menus at this time. Follow them on Facebook or Instagram to see their progress. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casadororistorante Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casadororistorante/... Club Pilates is coming soon to Newington! The fitness studio will be located within Meadow Commons at 3313 Berlin Turnpike. Club Pilates will occupy the space to the left of 100% Chiropractic, in the plaza with PJ's Coffee and Playa Bowls. No timeline has been announced for their opening. Stay tuned for more information! Club Pilates has over 1,000 studios around the world; hosting pilates, cardio, stretching, and HIIT classes. Club Pilates has a dozen CT locations including studios coming soon in Cheshire and now Newington! PJ's Coffee will soft open their new Newington location tomorrow! PJ's Coffee will host a Friends and Family event on Tuesday 11/19 from 2pm-6pm. The event will have 50% off drinks, 10% off apparel, and free small hot or iced coffee. Wednesday's opening day will feature free beignet samples. Opening Week will feature BOGO 50% off Hot/Iced Coffee, 20% for Healthcare and First Responders, 20% off for Veterans and Active Military, and 20% off for Teachers and Students! The event was posted to their Facebook. See the post here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15N1qFVdPm/ The New Orleans based company sells coffee, pastries, beignets, and more. The coffee shop will be located at 3313 Berlin Turnpike Unit 12; part of Newington's Meadow Commons development. A Chinese Buffet is coming soon to 196 Kitts Lane!
Not much is known about the specifics at this time. The leasing plan for the plaza at 172 Kitts Lane now lists the Chinese buffet as coming soon in space 196, the former Sanitas Walk-In. There is still a 5,001 sq. ft. space available in between the future buffet and Stop and Shop as well as a 13,300 sq. ft. space on the other side, the former Party City. The plaza has seen an increase in new tenancy since the property was purchased earlier this year. Stickley Factory Outlet is operating a temporary location in the former Bob's space, which will later become Pickle City, a pickleball facility. Spirit Halloween also had a seasonal location in the former Party City. What would you like to see take the last two vacancies? A pair of new tenants are coming to the former Bob's Stores space in Newington! Stickley Furniture will be opening a temporary outlet store in Newington! The store is expected to open next Wednesday 11/13 and operate on a temporary basis. An exact end date was not immediately available. Stickley previously operated a full-line store in Newington, it is now home to LA Fitness. Find their hours here: https://shopstickley.com/pages/stickley-furniture-mattress-newington-ct Pickle City, a pickleball facility is expected to occupy the same space after Stickley leaves. The facility is listed in the plaza's lease plan as occupying the entire Bob's Stores space. An exact opening timeline was not immediately available from Pickle City. Pickle City will join an ever growing list of new Pickleball facilities in Newington! Blaze Pickle plans to open next week at 175 Lowrey Place and NewGen Pickleball recently opened at 77 Pane Road. |
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