NEWINGTON BUSINESS BRIEF: October 2025

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!

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