 Construction on Starbucks in North Branford should restart soon!
Building permits for the fit-out of the new Starbucks restaurant in North Branford were approved late last month; meaning the project can now move forward! The site has been reletively quiet for the past weeks and months; but heavy construction work should soon begin on the new drive-thru coffee shop at 286 Branford Road in North Branford. The new building will feature Starbuck's latest prototype with a drive thru, large outdoor patio, and large interior lobby. The coffee chain will occupy 2,465 square feet. We first announced the planned Starbucks roughly a year ago. Look for them to open later this year.
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A Wethersfield industrial building could be converted into a new supermarket! Ken Zhang, owner of Tri Star Foods, has applied for a special permit to convert the former food manufacturer/warehouse building into a new supermarket. Signage on the renderings show the name of the new supermarket as Ken Foods. The building is located at 1000 Silas Deane Highway in Wethersfield. Plans call for the renovation of the building including new facade and parking improvements along with a renovation of the interior into a new supermarket. Plans have been in the work for the grocery store since 2024 when the initial application was filed. The proposed changes were presented at the January 21st Planning and Zoning Commission meeting and the public hearing on the application was closed. No action was taken on the application at the meeting with Commissioners taking time to draft conditions for approval on the special permit. Deliberations will continue on February 3rd. Read the application and documents here: http://wethersfieldct.gov/.../ViewFile/Agenda/_01212026-454 Watch the meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqraUsOt5tQ  
Saks Off 5th has permanently closed their West Hartford location.
The off-price retailer was located at 1437 New Britain Avenue in West Hartford, part of The Corbin Collection. Saks Off 5th was one of the marque tenants of the redeveloped Sears store when it debuted in 2018. Saks Off 5th is an off-price version of the flagship Saks Fifth Avenue brand. Saks’ parent company filed for bankruptcy earlier this month and is working through restructuring. The chain has other CT locations in Clinton and Stamford as well as a full line Saks Fifth Avenue store in Greenwich. What would you like to see replace Saks Off Fifth in West Hartford? Comment below! 
A new rustic furniture and decor shop is coming soon to New Milford!
Countryside Farmhouse is coming soon to 60 Park Lane Road in New Milford. The new shop will sell rustic furniture, decor, country-themed items, antiques, primitives, vintage items, and much more. The shop will feature local vendors selling their wares. If you’re interested in a booth, please reach out to them at 203-470-4603. The shop is expected to open in March according to their Facebook page. Stay tuned! 
Wendy’s has closed their location near Westfarms.
The fast food restaurant has closed their doors at 331 South Road in Farmington, near the West Hartford line. All signage has been removed from the building. The location’s closure appears permanent. The property owner did receive approvals in 2024 to demolish the building and construct a new Wendy’s with a drive thru in its place. No building permits for the project or a renovation have been issued recently; with the last permit being applied for in March 2025 and is now labeled as cancelled. Wendy’s announced plans in late 2025 to close 200-350 underperforming locations starting in 2026. A Wendy’s location in Wallingford recently closed as well. Stay tuned for any updates regarding this location. 
As we braces for winter storm conditions and snowmageddon, Aroma Joe’s is offering a small but timely show of support for those keeping communities safe and powered.
On Sunday and Monday, Aroma Joe’s will provide free 16oz. hot or iced coffee to: • Plow truck drivers • Emergency personnel and first responders • Power restoration and utility crews While some shops may be closed due to the storm, the offer will be honored at any open Aroma Joe’s location across New England. Find Aroma Joe’s in 4 convenient CT locations: • Berlin at 458 Berlin Turnpike • Bristol at 1235 Farmington Avenue • Southington at 279 Queen Street • Waterbury at 670 Wolcott Street This is a simple, community-focused gesture aimed at helping frontline workers stay warm and fueled during long shifts. A new vintage co-op shop is coming soon to Canton!
The Vintage Vault is coming soon to 50 Depot Street in Canton; inside the Collins Company Axe Factory in the Collinsville section of town. Inside the new shop would find a mix of local vendors, creating a co-op style shop selling everything vintage including decor, furniture, clothing, and much more in the historic factory. You'll never know what you'll find. Renovations are now underway with plans to open in March or April! Follow along with their renovations on their Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/thevintagevault.ct/ The shop will be owned by Connor Riley, a 26 year old Simsbury-resident with whose family has roots in Collinsville. His parents live in town and his Aunt & Uncle started Crown & Hammer Restaurant and LaSalle Market. Riley loves vintage and recycling unique items; bringing his passions to life in a big way at The Vintage Vault! 
Bistro Basque & El Barrio have closed their doors in Milford.
The dual branded restaurant was located at 13-17 River Street in Milford. Bistro Basque & El Barrio permanently closed their doors on Saturday at the end of business; the restaurant confirmed their closure. Bistro Basque, a mix of Spanish tapas and French bistro, and El Barrio, an elevated Latin American experience, created by David Fernandez were combined in 2020 due to the pandemic. Both restaurant received rave reviews throughout their years of business. Bistro Basque opened in 2007; with El Barrio opening in 2016 under the same ownership. Did you ever eat at Bistro Basque or El Barrio? What was your favorite dish? 
A long-awaited restaurant has opened their doors!
Jimmy's Legacy Grille has opened its doors at 9 Main Street in East Haddam; in the shadow of the Goodspeed Opera House. The restaurant opened their doors yesterday to hungry customers. On their menu you’ll find ribeye steak, salmon, filet mignon, scallops, burgers, pizza, pastas, salads, and more. Check out food from around the world including specific menu sections for Italy, Thailand, & France. They also have an extensive liquor menu including a selection of wines, crafted cocktails, and beer. Find them at 9 Main Street in East Haddam The restaurant is open: Tuesday-Thursday 11:30am-9pm Friday & Saturday 11:30am-9:30pm Sunday 11:30am-9pm Closed Monday 
A new restaurant has opened at Meriden Mall!
Santos Kitchen is NOW OPEN inside the food court at the Meriden Mall; located at 470 Lewis Avenue in Meriden. The new restaurant officially opened last weekend. The restaurant describes itself as: "Puerto Rican Fusion restaurant offering different rice bowls, salads, Mofongo, Cuban sandwich plus American favorites like New England Clam chowder. Kids meals available as well offering fresh jumbo tenders with fries , Chicken & waffles, and much more!! We also will have a rotating menu to offer different meal combos." The restaurant is open regular mall hours! The new eatery joins other recent additions including Total Wireless and Adventure Palace. The Half Courts, a new basketball training facility, is coming soon to the former Rainbow space. 
Chicago Sam’s in Enfield appears to have quietly closed their doors.
The restaurant & sports bar was located at 95 Elm Street in Enfield, part of the Elm Plaza shopping center. The restaurant appears to have closed quietly in the last few days. Chicago Sam’s has deleted their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram; as well as deleted their website after the closure. We called and visited the restaurant to confirm the closure. Chicago Sam’s is now marked as permanently closed on Google; though it’s unclear if the business might reopen under new management, a new name, or any other way in the future. Stay tuned for any updates. 
A new gift shop is coming soon to Durham!
Little Gem on Main is coming soon to 354 Main Street in Durham. The shop is anticipating a soft opening in mid-April according to an announcement on their social media. The gift shop is the spiritual successor to Wallingford's Hidden Gem On Main, which closed last fall. Owner Chris Olin will be at the helm of the new store! The eclectic shop will feature a charming cottage vibe selling items from local artisans and businesses including sage, candles, smudging items, herbs, gifts, and much more! Chris aims to create an enchated, soft, safe, and calm atmosphere. Stay tuned to their social media for more details on their opening! Wonder is expanding rapidly across Connecticut with multiple new locations under construction and in-development! The new eatery is a virtual micro-food hall out of small retail spaces. Wonder features 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. New locations include: -West Hartford at Blue Back Square -Newington at Meadow Commons ~ Opening in April -Canton at The Shops at Farmington Valley ~ Opening in June -Darien at 306 Post Road -Westport at 1300 Post Road East ~ Opening in March Wonder currently has 3 Connecticut locations in Stamford, Fairfield, and Milford. The chain has over 70 locations across the United States with substantial plans for growth this year. 
Photo Credit: Screen Dollars
Apple Cinemas Xtreme has permanetly closed their Hartford location.
The movie theater closed at the end of business on Monday; it was located at 330 New Park Avenue in Hartford. The closure leaves the city with no large scale movie theaters. This is the second high-profile closure of Apple Cinemas in Hartford. The movie theater previously operated a location on Front Street from 2021 until its closure in 2023. The Front Street space is currently being converted into Carbone's Ristorante. The New Park Avenue theater was previously home to a Bow Tie Cinemas until it closed in 2020; Apple Cinemas opened shortly after in 2021. No word yet on what might replace Apple Cinemas Xtreme in Hartford. What would you like to see open here? Comment below! 
Woody's Coffee & Ice Cream in Cromwell has new owners!
The coffee and ice cream shop is now under the ownership of the Rasmussen-Tuller family; a family of five — Andrew, Ken, Kaidyn, Isaiah, and Bella — and Woody’s is truly a family venture for them. The shop is located at 319 Main Street in Cromwell. The new owners will keep the same great menu and some new additions coming soon. They serve delicious coffee and ice cream, with plenty of options including sugar-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free treats. They hope to continue Woody's atmosphere, a welcoming spot of families, friends, and neighbors in the Cromwell area. An exact reopening date was not immediately available, stay tuned to their social media for the latest information. Woody's is now hiring for their crew! The shop offers a flexible schedule, a competitive pay, fun-upbeat working environment, and a family-friendly team! Reach out to them on their social media or email your resume to [email protected] Big changes are coming to West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square! New restaurants and tenants are coming soon! -Wonder, a micro-food hall concept, is coming soon to part of the former West Elm space at Blue Back Square. The new concept features dozens of restaurants in a single kitchen. You’ll find cuisines of all kinds at Wonder from celebrity chefs as well! Construction is now underway, look for them to open this year! -Charcuterie is coming soon to Blue Back Square, located at 80 Memorial Road (next to Solidcore). The new eatery will feature create-your-own charcuterie board as well as a beautifully appointed lounge to enjoy your selection and relax! Look for them to open soon! -Nana’s Dim Sum & Dumplings is coming soon to 111 Memorial Road at Blue Back Square; the former Gran Gusto / Rizzuto’s space. The eatery will serve a large variety of Chinese dumplings and small plate appetizers for sharing! No timeline has been announced for their opening. -Insomnia Cookies is nearing their opening with exterior signage recently installed! The chain will be located at 70 LaSalle Road in West Hartford Center. The eatery features large cookies including classics, seasonal, and ever-changing selections of flavors. Look for them to open very soon! -The Toy Shop is coming soon to 967 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford Center. The toy store is under construction in their new home but is open to shop online at www.TheToyShopWeHa.com -Max Zeller Furs & Fashion Outerwear has reopened their West Hartford location! The shop is now located at 977 Farmington Avenue; lower level of the building. Shop their furs, leather goods, accessories, and much more. Love the new electronic sign in the window! These new additions join the other recently opened restaurants including Crepes Choupette, Coracora, and others. 
A dirty soda shop is coming soon to Plainville and Milford!
Get Fizzy CT will be opening two new storefronts this year! The dirty soda shop is coming soon to Plainville and Milford; expanding from their current trailer at Lowe’s in Southington. The Plainville storefront will be located at 94 Whiting Street; a multi-tenant commercial building. Work is getting underway to convert the space into the drink shop! The Milford storefront will be located inside Pilgrim Furniture City at 1755 Boston Post Road; taking over their in-store cafe space. Hiring is now underway for this location. Apply here: https://tinyurl.com/GetFizzyMilfordHiring Dirty soda is a popular trendy drink where customers can choose their soda base, add a variety of flavors, add creamer, and toppings. This allows you to totally customize your drinks to your individual taste. They also have a menu of pre-selected soda combinations.
Two Enfield Square Mall tenants have relocated to new spaces!
Pelley’s Sports has relocated to 622 Enfield Street in Enfield! The store is now part of Enfield Plaza; home to Odin’s Keep Axe House and other tenants. Pelley’s Sports sells sports memorabilia and merchandise. Kebab House/Mozaic Cafe have relocated to 169 Elm Street in Enfield; into the owner’s other business, Vivaldi’s Pizza. The new name of the restaurant is Kebab’s To Go. The restaurant serves Turkish & Mediterranean cuisine; 100% Halal. Stop in and support these locally owned businesses in their new locations! 
7 Brew Coffee is one step closer to open in New Haven and North Haven! -In New Haven. the prefabricated building was dropped into place on Thursday! 7 Brew will be located at 1447 Whalley Avenue in New Haven; part of Whalley Commons shopping center. 7 Brew plans to open the new New Haven location in February according to the franchisee! -The North Haven location will be opening its doors very soon at 117 Washington Avenue! We will have the official opening schedule to share soon; but in the mean time you can sign your local business or school (15 minutes from the new North Haven stand) up for free drink delivery! Sign up here: https://form.jotform.com/252857349052160 The shop serves a number of beverages including 'The 7 Originals', coffee flavors like blondie, brunette, smooth 7, white chocolate mocha, cinnamon roll, german chocolate, and sweet & salty. The shop also features 7 Energy (an iced energy drink with numerous flavors), smoothies, milkshakes, teas, lemonades, 7 Fizz (sparkling water with any flavor), cold brew, and classic espresso and coffee drinks. 7 Brew now has Connecticut locations in Wallingford, Vernon, Orange, & Bridgeport. They have new locations coming soon in North Haven and New Haven!
Women’s specialty chain Francesca’s is preparing to closing its doors.
The clothing and accessories chain plan to close their stores and liquidate their inventory according to reporting from WWD (Women’s Wear Daily). The closure comes 5 years after their bankruptcy which saw hundreds of their stores close. Francesca’s has 7 locations in Connecticut including: -West Hartford, West Hartford Center -Farmington, Westfarms -Canton, The Shops at Farmington Valley -Danbury, Danbury Fair -Milford, Connecticut Post Mall -Mashantucket, Tanger Outlets Foxwoods -Clinton, Clinton Premium Outlets The chain is currently running a ‘Warehouse Sale’ on their website with all items currently under $15. All sales are now final in-store and online. Shop here: https://francescas.com Read more about their planned closure here: https://wwd.com/.../francescas-inventory-shut-down.../ 
Today is Aroma Joe's BeanAversary and to celebrate they are giving away free coffee!
The BeanAversary is to celebrate Aroma Joe's pledge to use only Rainforst Alliance Certified Coffee Beans, this is the 8th annual celebration. Stop in to any Aroma Joe's locations today (01/16) for a FREE 16-ounce hot or iced coffee! Limit 1 coffee per guest. AJ's Rewards members can enjoy an even bigger perk - a FREE 24-ounce hot or iced coffee valid thorugh 01/22. For every coffee given away Aroma Joe's will be donating $1 to AJ's Cares Foundation. Their mission is to positively impact local communities with a focus on health, education, veterans, and families in need. Aroma Joe's CT locations include: -Berlin at 458 Berlin Turnpike -Bristol at 1235 Farmington Avenue -Southington at 279 Queen Street -Waterbury at 670 Wolcott Street Stop in for your free coffee today! 
Starbucks has opened its doors at The Shops at Stonebridge in Cheshire!
The new coffee shop is located at 2061 Highland Avenue in Cheshire, at the junction of I-691 and Route 10. The coffee shop features a beautiful and inviting interior lobby/dining room along with a drive-thru. The new Starbucks is open daily from 5am to 9pm! Starbucks is just the latest new tenant to open in the complex. Saybrook Home, Blender Bar, BIRDCODE, Shake Shack, Chipotle, Harvey & Lewis, Choice Pet, Barnes & Noble, and others have opened in recent months. Whole Foods Market will open their doors on February 5th and TJ Maxx is tentatively scheduled to open on March 12! 
BIRDCODE is planning a new location in Plainville!
The locally owned chain is planning to open a location at 359 New Britain Avenue in Plainville according to building department documents; joining the plaza with Shangri-La, DORO Marketplace, and Jersey Mike's! Permits applications were recently filed with the town to install new Birdcode signage on the building by Hartford Sign & Design LLC. Birdcode announced plans for a Plainville location at their Cheshire opening; though did not disclose where at the time. Birdcode is a West Hartford-based chain of Nashville Hot Chicken restaurants. Their menu consists of chicken sandwiches, tenders, and bites with 5 different spice levels from Country (the most mild) up to Code Breaker (eat at your own risk). The menu also has salads, fries, banana pudding, coleslaw, cookies, and much more. The chain now has 5 locations in Connecticut including Cheshire, West Hartford, Vernon, Darien, and New Britain. The restaurant plans to add 8 additional locations in 2026, both in Connecticut and outside the State. 
A new sandwich shop has opened in New Britain!
Retro Subs has opened their doors at 269 Beaver Street in New Britain! The building was previously home to The Frosty Mug. The new restaurant serves sandwiches in throwback atmosphere! The new eatery has a 1990s theme; with music posters, records, and memorabilia plastered throughout the dining room. You’ll also find a DJ inside periodically; spinning some throwback hits while you eat. On their menu you’ll find traditional cold and hot subs including ham, turkey, meatballs, chicken cutlet, steak & cheese, and much more! Serve with choice of veggies, condiments, sauces, spices, etc. Join them for their grand opening on January 23rd from 11am-9pm. They will be having opening day festivities, live DJ, and offering a free can of soda with every sub purchase! Find them at 269 Beaver Street in New Britain! |
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