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A new village of shops is coming to Woodstock!
Plans were recently approved for Scranton's Shops to expanding into Scranton Village, a collection of 8 small buildings with a central carousel. The village will be located next to Scranton's Shops at 292 Route 169 in Woodstock. The plans for the New England village include: •Polar & Finn’s Ice Cream Shop & General Store •Cafe / Coffee Shop •Carousel •8 new small shops •Antique shop (currently open) •Gold Mining Experience (currently open) •Holiday displays during Christmas & Halloween! Interested in leasing one of the new village spaces? Reach out to Scranton's Shops through Facebook, email them at [email protected], or call the Scranton Antique Store directly at 860-928-3738. This should be a great addition and investment to the area, bringing with it jobs, tourists, and hopefully a boost to the local economy. Make sure to follow Scranton's Shops' social media for more details as construction gets underway.
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Two Dogs Coffee Shop is planning an expansion to their Danielson coffee shop!
The coffee shop will be tripling the size of its Danielson cafe at 157 Main Street, expanding into the adjacent vacant retail space. Renovation work is now underway on the new space! The cafe will add an additional 1,600 square feet to the current 800 square foot cafe, offering more seating, an expanded menu (new sandwiches and entrees coming soon), and opportunities for classes, events, and community gatherings. Congratulations to the owners on this latest expansion news! Two Dogs announced plans earlier this summer to open a second location in Norwich at 345 Main Street at the 'Crossings at 345' development at the former YMCA building. Two Dogs Coffee Shop opened in 2024 at 157 Main Street in Danielson; bringing with it a variety of drip coffee, cold brew, craft espresso drinks, lemonades, energy drinks, small bites, and offering small assortment of artisan-made products in their space. The shop roasts and packages their own beans at a facility in Pomfret Center. Congratulations to Limberia Tropical Algarete on a decade of sweets in Willimantic! The dessert shop, located at 1244 Main Street in Willimantic, is now celebrating its 10th anniversary as a family-owned business, owner Jacqueline Garcia and her team, continue to honor their Puerto Rican roots while introducing new flavors, products, and experiences to the community. Join them in celebrating their tenth anniversary this Sunday, August 16th starting at 10:30am! Festivities include: -Enjoy delicious treats, and a special offer of 10% off a $30.00 purchase or more -Bounce house for the kids by Tania Vazquez and Carzola’s Rentals -Music by DjQuil Barnes -Face paint by Face paint & More -Back to school drive by Willimantic Latino Lions Club -Ribbon cutting and participation by Willimantic Latino Chamber of commerce & Windham Chamber of Commerce Ten years ago, Jacqueline opened one of the first dedicated limberías in Connecticut, introducing many local residents to the traditional Puerto Rican frozen treat known as a limber. What began as a small family-inspired concept has now grown into a destination known for authentic flavors, creativity, and innovation! Over the years, Limberia Tropical Algarete has expanded far beyond traditional limbers to include other desserts like smoothies, frappes, croffles, bubble waffles, and much more! What makes Limbería Tropical Algarete unique is its commitment to balancing tradition with innovation. While honoring the recipes and culture that inspired the business, Jacqueline continually introduces new products, flavors, and experiences that reflect current dessert trends from around the world. Many of the products offered are prepared in-house, allowing customers to enjoy flavors that are difficult to find elsewhere while supporting a locally owned family business. Find them at 1244 Main Street in Willimantic They are open: Monday, Wednesday-Saturday 11am-7pm Sunday 11am-5pm
A new restaurant is coming to Putnam!
Juliet Ristorante & Mercato is coming soon to 26-28 Union Street in Putnam, the former Chickering Tavern space. The restaurant is anticipated to open in 2027. According to the owners Juliet will be "inspired by the romance, beauty, and traditions of Italy, Juliet will be a place to gather, celebrate, and linger—where every meal is an invitation to slow down, connect, and create lasting memories." The restaurant will be owned by Union Street Hospitality, from the same owners of the William Mason House and Anya in Thompson. Look for them to open in 2027!
A new Puerto Rican restaurant has opened in Willimantic! Casita De La Picadera is now open at 45 High Street in Willimantic, the former home of A Mano Taco Shop. A Mano closed last September after 4 years of business. Casita De La Picadera celebrated their opening last Saturday. They serve a variety of Puerto Rican cuisine including street food munchies and finger foods. Casita De La Picadera is known as “Home of the Munchies.” Menu items include breakfast platters, Puerto Rican sandwiches, empanadillas, tostones, platters, pernil, seafood, and much more. Check them out at 45 High Street in Willimantic They are open: Tuesday through Thursday 7am-7pm Friday 7am-10pm Saturday 6am-10pm Sunday 8am-5pm  A local business plans to add a new outdoor shopping village to their offerings! Scranton's Shops at 300 CT-169 in Woodstock has proposed plans to become 'Scranton's Village — a place where happiness is around every corner. Designed with the charm of a classic country village, Scranton's Village is a one-of-a-kind destination where families, friends, and neighbors can come together to make lasting memories. The new village would feature 6 shops, each with its own unique experience. Plans call for a cafe, old-fashioned ice cream parlor, general store, a carousel, family train ride; all paired with their existing antique store and recently opened gold mining experience. Scranton's Village would host special events during the holidays including a Halloween themed with animatronics and special effects. Christmas would transform the village into a jolly attraction with holiday displays, christmas lights, hot chocolate, and more. A Planning & Zoning Commission public hearing on the plans will occur tonight starting at 7:30pm. Find the application and renderings here: https://www.woodstockct.gov/planning-and-zoning-commission/pages/7-16-2026-planning-and-zoning-meeting-documents 
Jersey Mike's is coming to Plainfield!
The sandwich shop chain will open a new location at 79 Lathrop Road in Plainfield, part of the Big Y Supermarket plaza. The new restaurant will be located adjacent to Cost Cutters Liquors. The chain serves a variety of hot and cold subs on a choice of 4 roll types including Italian, Rosemary Parm, Whole Wheat, and Gluten Free. You'll also find the popular 'tubs' featuring a sub of your choice on a bed of lettuce in lieu of a roll. Jersey Mike’s is quickly expanding, with other new locations coming soon in Lisbon (opening on 07/22), Danbury, Litchfield, Portland, Old Saybrook (proposed), and others. The location is listed as coming soon on their website here: https://www.jerseymikes.com/locations/coming-soon/US-CT The chain was previously eyeing a Plainfield location as part of a planned multi-tenant building next to O'Reilly Auto Parts; though that development has not moved forward yet 
Wingstop is planning a new location in Willimantic! The chicken wing chain has signed a lease at 1589 West Main Street in Willimantic, in the Willimantic Plaza home to BJ's Wholesale & Ollie's Bargain Outlet. According to lease plans recently posted by broker Phillip Edison, Wingstop has leased the former Cricket Wireless with over 1,600 square feet of space. The restaurant sells chicken wing, sandwiches, fries, cajun fried corn, and much more. Take a look at their menu online at https://www.wingstop.com/ The plans mark the return of Wingstop to the area, the chain previously operated a location outside Price Chopper at Storrs Center near UConn. The next closest location is currently in Vernon. Stay tuned for more information on their opening!  
A new Puerto Rican restaurant is coming soon to Willimantic!
Casita De La Picadera is coming soon to 45 High Street in Willimantic, the former home of A Mano Taco Shop. A Mano closed last September after 4 years of business. They are expected to serve a variety of Puerto Rican cuisine including street food munchies and finger foods. Casita De La Picadera translates to 'Little House of Finger Foods' in Spanish. Work is now underway to renovate the space for the new restaurant. The restaurant aims to open in mid-June. Stay tuned for more details on their opening. 
Congratulations to We-Li-Kit Ice Cream! They have been voted Best Ice Cream Shop in Windham County.
They will move onto later rounds of voting where they will go head-to-head with the Best Ice Cream Shop in New London County! We-Li-Kit is located at 728 Hampton Road in Pomfret Center, CT. They have been making their own ice cream for over 30 years, farmstead fresh product! On their menu you will find cups, cones, ice cream flights, sundaes, frappes, floats, bulk (half gallons & 2.5 gallons tubs), cakes, and much more. Make sure to check out their farm store selling farm-fresh beef, pork, and maple syrup. Find them at 728 Hampton Road in Pomfret Center, CT They are open daily from 12pm-7pm but will be open until 8pm starting in June Voting is now open for the Best Ice Cream Shop in New London. Vote here: https://www.theconnecticutscoop.com/ice-cream-playoffs.html 
A new locally owned shop is coming to Putnam!
Wick & Wander by The New England Couple is coming soon to Downtown Putnam! The new candle store will be located at 112 Main Street Unit 13 in Putnam, the former home of Wolperdinger Bookends. The owners of the new business, The New England Couple, are influencers who travel all over New England, showcasing some of the best destinations, shops, towns, and attractions we have to offer. The new business will be much more than just a candle store. According to the owners: "We decided that we are not going to just make a candle store but to try and make it a destination. A place where people go and say, Wow! A place when you come in you feel like family, a home! We have been to so many businesses throughout New England we really are trying to implement all the things we love so we are going to be doing a lot of decorating and building!" The shop will sell their signature organic soy candles along with room sprays, tarts, shower steamers, simmer poits, and much more! Their products are available for sale now online at https://www.etsy.com/shop/thenewenglandcouple/ Look for the new store to open after mid June! 
An ice cream shop & mini-golf course has opened in Putnam with bigger plans in the works! The Scoop Social is NOW OPEN at 147 Kennedy Drive in Putnam, at Riverview Landscape Supply. The new business replaces the Riverview Ice Cream shop that previously operated at the site. At The Scoop Social they feature both soft serve and hard serve ice cream including 3 types of cones; waffle, sugar, and wafer. Soft serve comes in chocolate, vanilla, and twist. Hard serve flavors include 25 different options along with some dairy free options. Add toppings and sauces to ice cream to create a sundae and try a milkshakes or Tornado (like a Blizzard at DQ)! Mini-Golf is also open for the season! A round of mini-golf is $10 for adults, $8 for children, or $8 for seniors. They also offer memberships for mini-golf including unlimited rounds all season long. Memberships are $79 for adults, $59 for children & seniors, and a family pass (2 adults & children) for $179. Future plans for The Scoop Social include new firepits, live music on Saturdays, and visiting food trucks on weekends! They also plans to add beer & wine once their liquor license is approved. Find them at 147 Kennedy Drive in Putnam They are open: Sunday 11:00am-7:00pm Monday through Thursday 3:30pm-8:00pm Friday & Saturday 11:00am-9:00pm
A new children's entertainment center is coming to Putnam! Construction work on the new Bounce X Fun Zone is now underway at 50 Providence Pike in Putnam! The new fun zone will be located next door to Montana Nights Axe Throwing, occupying the remainder of the former Big Lots space. The new entertainment complex will feature multiple trampolines, a multi-sports court, climbing structures, arcade games, Ninja warrior course, a toddler area, 2 party rooms, and much more! We previously reported on this complex back in 2024 and now things are finally moving along! Stay tuned for more details on their opening.   
A new Mexican restaurant is coming to Putnam!
Agave Mexican Kitchen is coming soon to 62 Providence Pike in Putnam! The new restaurant recently started construction next to Elle Nail Salon in the plaza. The new eatery is expected to serve authentic Mexican cuisine and will feature a full bar! Get ready for delicious Mexican food with your favorite margaritas. Agave Mexican Kitchen will be owned by the Leon Restaurant Group. The restaurant group, owned by brothers Roberto & Ernesto Leon, own the Condesa Mexican Restaurant and Agave Social Cocina Mexicana. Condesa has locations in Watertown MA, Sturbridge MA, West Warwick RI, and Smithfield RI. Agave Social has 1 location in Narragansett RI. Look for them to open later this year. Sign up for updates on the opening on their website here: https://agavemexicankitchen.com 
A new tenant is coming to the former Ford dealership in Brooklyn!
Vachon GMC has filed for building permits to convert the former Heritage Valley Ford dealership into a new GMC dealership at 455 Providence. The building has been vacant since Heritage Valley Ford merged with their Putnam location in early 2025. The dealership group plans to modify the exterior and interior of the building including removal of the curved front entryway and storefront glass. In its place, new GMC branding elements and design features will be installed. Vachon previously operated 'Vachon Ford' in the building before selling the operation to Heritage Valley in 2023, Vachon retained ownership of the building in the sale. The dealership group has a number of dealerships throughout Connecticut including Vachon Chevrolet in Brooklyn, Vachon Buick GMC in Old Saybrook, and Vachon GMC in Putnam. 
A new bakery has opened in Danielson!
Amy's Cakery has opened the doors of its new bakeshop in Danielson! The new bakery is located at 21A Furnace Street, on the lower level of the iconic yellow building, across from NK Asian Market. The new bakery specializes in cakes, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, and cookies; with custom cake orders available. Each week you'll find a new rotation of sandwiches, baked goods, and other treats! A menu will be posted on Wednesdays on their social media page. The bakery opened its doors to the hungry masses on Friday, March 13th! Congratulations to the owner, Amy Despatie on the opening. Find them at 21A Furnace Street in Danielson They are open: Thursday through Saturday 10am-5pm Sunday 9am-12pm Closed Monday-Wednesday 
Chipotle has set its opening date for the new Dayville location!
The new Chipotle will opens its doors on Tuesday, March 17th! The eatery is located at Killingly Commons (1089 Killingly Commons) in the Dayville section of Killingly. The location feature their newest prototype including am interior dining room, small outdoor patio, and their Chipot-lane mobile order pick up window. Chipotle's opening is estimated created 30 new jobs with competetive benefits! Find them at 1089 Killingly Commons in Killingly They are open daily from 10:45am to 10pm! 
A local independent bookshop in Putnam has announced their impending closure. Wolperdinger Bookends announced that they will close their downtown Putnam bookshop on April 30th. The bookstore is located at 112 Main Street in Putnam, inside The Shops at Montgomery Ward building. The bookstore opened in August 2024 in the former Skeeter’s Toybox space. They carried new releases along with many popular genres including mystery, romance, biography, kids, and much more. The owner plans to continue the Wolperdinger name as a pop-up in their new home state of Florida. Please make sure to stop by with your gift cards before April 30th.  A local comic book and collectibles store will be moving to a much larger space!
Action Packed! will be moving their store, but they aren’t going far! The store will move next door to 40 Wilbur Cross Way in Storrs Center, the former Amazon Pick-Up space. Action Packed! is currently located at 34 Wilbur Cross Way. Their new space will be 4,000 square feet, nearly 6 times larger than their current 710 square foot space. Construction is now underway on their new home! The store carries a variety of comics, collectibles, video games, Pokémon, trading cards, Funko Pops, and more pop-culture items. They opened in early 2024. The store is currently open Thursday through Sunday 12pm-4pm while they prepare to move. 
An Italian coffee shop has opened in Columbia!
Sciarrettas Little Italy has opened at 326 Route 87 in Columbia! The new shop sell a variety of Italian desserts including their signature cannolis (multiple flavors) and freshly baked cookies! Signature cannoli flavors vary by the day, but some examples include Banana Chocolate Chip, Sicilian Vanilla, Tiramisu, Nutella, Limoncello, and others. On their menu you will also find coffee, cold brew, espresso, horchatas, and Italian Cream Sodas! Coming very soon is an assortment some Italian imported foods! They plan to launch more products and imports at their grand opening in a few weeks. Stay tuned to their social media for more information. Find them at 326 Route 87 in Columbia They are open: Wednesday-Monday 8am-5pm Closed Tuesdays 
A Downtown Putnam restaurant and bar has closed their doors.
The Crossings Restaurant & Brew Pub has permanently closed as of January 1st; with little notice. The restaurant was located at 45 Main Street in Putnam; inside the historic train station. According to reporting by WINY, the restaurant owed their landlord back rent. The business opted to close and give the space (and its content) back to their landlord. The owner stated all employees will receive their final paychecks and they are working to address all outstanding gift cards. 
Moe’s Southwest Grill has permanently closed its Willimantic location after 6 years of business. The restaurant was located at 1315 Main Street in Willimantic; in the plaza with Planet Fitness, GoHealth, and Dollar Tree. The exact closing date was not noted; but they closed in the last week according to employees at neighboring stores. The next closest Moe’s locations are now: -1 Dog Lane in Storrs, at Storrs Center near UConn -35 Talcottville Road in Vernon at Tri-City Plaza -708 Hartford Pike in Dayville What would you like to see replace Moe’s in Willimantic? Comment below!  
Barnes & Noble will be closing their bookstore in Downtown Storrs! Something interesting will soon replace it.
The Barnes & Noble bookstore located at 1 Royce Circle will be permanently closing their doors on December 31st. UConn will still have a campus bookstore at 2075 Hillside Road in Storrs, carrying books, school-spirit items, and supplies. The bookstore's closing will make way for educational space for a new brewing-education program partnered with Urban Lodge Brewing. The new program will be run through the Colleges of Engineering, Agriculture, Health, Natural Resources, and Business. The new space should be ready for fall of 2026. The new space will serve as an academic space during the day and could be open as a brewery & restaurant in the evening. The progrma would aim to support the craft brewing indstry with new Farm-to-Pint methods with an educational foundation. Hat tip to Nicole Zappone at The Chronicle who broke the story last week. 
An Italian bakery and Italian imports market is coming to Columbia! Sciarrettas Little Italy is opening soon at 326 Route 87 in Columbia! The new business will feature specialty imports, their signature Sicilian cannoli, and specialty coffees! Sciarrettas Little Italy currently operates a food truck nearby at 1 Cards Mill Road in Columbia, making the jump to a new larger space. Look for them to open soon! Stay tuned to their social media (tagged above) for an exact opening date!  
Demolition work is nearly complete on the fomer College Square building at 134 North Eagleville Road in Storrs! The building was once home to a number of businesses including Huskies Tavern, Sgt. Pepperoni, Yamato, Wing Express, and many others. Demolition began in previous weeks, with the majority of the structure now gone. The site will be home to ‘The Mark’, a mixed-use development by Landmark Properties. The development will feature fully furnished residential units with 738 beds and approximately 7,000 square feet of retail space. Huskies Tavern will open a new location on the ground-level retail space in the new building! They also operate Huskies Restaurant & Bar in Storrs Center, which will remain open once the Tavern opens! The Mark would eventually be joined by The Hub, another mixed use development acorss the street. Construction on The Hub is expected to begin in the future, once Landmark purchased that property. The entire development would be completed by 2028.  |
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