West Hartford Business Buzz: February 2, 2026 – We-Ha

A round-up of openings, closings, and other news about West Hartford businesses.

Business Buzz is sponsored by NBT Bank, and we are very thankful for their support!

By Ronni Newton

Today is Groundhog Day, and although it already seems (to me) like winter has lasted way too long, I’m sure that Punxsutawney Phil and all of his groundhog friends and cousins and the other prognosticating critters will see their shadows this morning and burrow back into their homes for at least six more long weeks of winter.

It is supposed to be just above freezing on Tuesday, but it doesn’t seem like the foot and a half of snow is going to melt any time soon. And don’t even get me started on the wind …

After digging out on Monday, it turned into a busy week that included West Hartford’s annual Economic Development Update, held at the Pond House. The event, hosted by the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce, is also a luncheon with some delicious options at the buffet! You can read my article about the presentation by Economic Development Manager Kristen Gorski and Economic Development Specialist Lauren Siegel here, and I’ve also linked to it below.

I hadn’t been to downtown Middletown in years, but had breakfast on Thursday morning at Perk on Main with my future daughter-in-law and her mom, who were in town finalizing some plans for the wedding (at St. Clements Castle) this summer. Cute breakfast place!

Going out for breakfast was a last minute opportunity, and I already had a networking lunch meeting planned with Noah Cornelius, a brand new reporter at NBC Connecticut who also lives in West Hartford. It was his first trip to Pepe’s, and he decided to try both the white clam and the original pies, while I had the white clam (and brought most of it home for Ted). It was a good thing I had a personal training session scheduled for late Thursday afternoon!

Saturday night, Ted and I attended the Bridge Family Center’s Children’s Charity Ball (which included dinner) at the Hartford Golf Club.

We had three trolls this past week, including one who submitted a comment using the name “fart.” Thank you to all who do comment with your full names, and avoid making personal attacks! Please note that it has been our policy for several years that full names be used when commenting directly on the site – with the exception of those commenters who were grandfathered when they commented prior to the policy being updated. Please comply or your comment will not be published.

If you are a long term, regular advertiser on We-Ha.com and have a 60 to 75 word submission for a future Business Buzz please send to Bob Carr at [email protected]. You can also contact Bob if you are interested in becoming a sponsor of a section of the site.

If you have information to share about local businesses, please provide details in the comments or email Ronni Newton at [email protected].

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Here’s this week’s Buzz:

• This week’s first two features are new businesses at Westfarms! On a sweet note with its roots in the south of France, Riviera French Café, which is at least partially located in West Hartford, according to Andréa Chrétien, who owns the business with his wife, Paloma. This will be the second location for Riviera French Café, which also has a cafe in Sarasota, Florida, and I spoke to Andréa over the weekend and asked him why they chose Westfarms. “Westfarms felt like a natural next step for us,” he said. “From the beginning, Riviera French Café was built around the idea of bringing a high-quality, thoughtfully curated café experience to places where people don’t always expect it – like shopping destinations. Westfarms perfectly aligns with that vision. We were drawn to Westfarms because it’s more than just a mall; it’s a true community hub. People don’t come only to shop – they come to spend time, meet friends, take a break, and enjoy the experience. That’s exactly the type of environment where our concept thrives. We love the idea of being a pause in the day: coffee in one hand and shopping bags the other,” he said. “From a brand perspective, Westfarms also mirrors the audience we’re excited to serve – guests who appreciate quality, aesthetics, and consistency. The mall’s mix of premium brands, local visitors, and out-of-state travelers made it feel like the right place to introduce Riviera French Café to Connecticut for the first time.” Andréa added that on a personal level, opening at Westfarms “represents an important milestone for us. Our first location in Sarasota showed us that our concept resonates beyond traditional neighborhood cafés. Choosing Westfarms for our second location allows us to grow intentionally – staying true to who we are, while expanding into a new market with confidence. Ultimately, Westfarms checked every box: strong foot traffic, a refined environment, a community feel, and an opportunity to bring a touch of the South of France to everyday moments. We’re incredibly excited to become part of the Westfarms experience.” Andrea said they are close to being ready to open, but estimated that it will be mid-March (the Westfarms website indicates Feb. 15, but he said the construction and approvals won’t be complete by then). “Our Westfarms location will follow the same core menu as our Sarasota café – built around specialty coffee, espresso drinks, matcha, and a selection of French pastries. You’ll also find some of our signature baguette sandwiches and French-inspired bites, because we want guests to have the full Riviera French Café experience: high-quality coffee paired with classic, simple, delicious French food. That said, we may introduce a few Connecticut-only touches over time (seasonal specials, local preferences, limited-time items), but our goal from day one is consistency – the same standards, the same recipes, and the same attention to detail that made Sarasota our home base,” he said.  “Everything is moving in the right direction and we’re very excited to welcome guests to Riviera French Café at Westfarms very soon.” More information, including the full menu, can be found on the website.

• Also at Westfarms, and also technically in West Hartford, London Arabian Perfume Bar has opened on the upper level at Center Court. It’s a beautiful store, and the tagline is “Where London elegance meets Eastern soul …
  Exclusive scents for extraordinary people,” with scents designed to “awaken the senses,” according to their Instagram page.

• I’ve also confirmed that Häagen-Dazs is coming to Westfarms Center Court! It will be the first ice cream place at Westfarms in years (there used to be a very popular Good Humor truck) and I have reached out to the Häagen-Dazs spokesperson but didn’t hear back in time. Much more to come!

• Keeping with the Westfarms theme, I received a press release last week from Jordan’s Furniture, announcing their their 2026 “Make the Finals” promotion. “Jordan’s Furniture is thrilled to announce their ‘Make the Finals’ promotion for 2026, offering customers a chance to get all their furniture and mattresses for free if both the UConn Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams reach their respective national championship games this April!” The promotion began on Jan. 20, 2026, and through Feb. 16, 2026, “any purchase made at Jordan’s Furniture could be completely free if both the UConn Men’s Basketball Team advances to the championship game on April 6, 2026 and the UConn Women’s Basketball Team advances to the championship game on April 5, 2026. There is no limit on the amount or selection of furniture and mattresses. Whether you’re shopping for a single item or furnishing an entire home, your purchase is eligible. This promotion is open to all customers, not just those in Connecticut – anyone shopping at a Jordan’s Furniture location or online can participate.” Both teams are looking good (great wins over this past weekend), and the women are defending champs while the men have won two out of the past three years. “We are excited to be the Official Furniture Store of UConn Athletics and to provide this fantastic opportunity to our customers,” said Josh Tatelman Co-CEO. “With both UConn teams performing at such a high level, the possibility of giving away millions of dollars in free furniture and mattresses has never felt more real. We are rooting for the Huskies and for our customers across every Jordan’s market!”

• There was a plethora of business information shared at the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce annual Economic Development Update, held last Tuesday at the Pond House (click here for complete details), and the presentation included a few items that had not previously been shared publicly. One is that it was announced that the organic grocer planned for Heritage Park, at the former UConn campus, will be Fresh Market! I don’t have any further details, and it’s going to be quite a while before the building is even constructed (first they need to demolish the existing former campus buildings and remediate), but will definitely follow the progress.

• Another item shared in Tuesday’s presentation was the announcement that Kathryn Hunt Studio will be expanding its business at 970 Farmington Avenue. I was in touch with Kathryn and she said construction should be completed in the next few weeks. I’ll have more details as soon as they are available.

• The pole sign is up for Mozz & Co. at 22. Raymond Road. There’s still work to be completed inside, but hopefully it won’t be much longer until the opening!

• A West Hartford resident, Fiona Stewart Jimenez, has been chosen by the Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee as their 2026 Grand Marshal. Jimenez will lead this year’s parade down Chapel Street in New Haven on Sunday, March 15. According to the news release, Jimenez was born in Meriden, CT, to parents originally from Dublin, Ireland. The youngest of four children, she now resides in West Hartford with her husband, Emanuel, and their two children, Tomás and Áine. She is a proud member of the New Haven Gaelic Football & Hurling Club. After graduating from Maloney High School in 2007, Fiona earned a Bachelor of Science in Resource Economics from UConn in 2011 with a concentration in Environmental Policy. While at UConn, she was a founding member of the Celtic American Cultural Society, later known as UConn Irish, and had the joy of dancing and singing in numerous performances. Fiona continued her education while working for the Connecticut Green Bank, earning a Master of Business Administration from UConn in 2018. She currently serves as a Senior Manager in Investments at the Connecticut Green Bank, where she manages lender relationships for the Smart-E residential loan program, while also supporting initiatives including the Solar Marketplace Assistance Program and Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program. In addition, Fiona serves on the organization’s Safety Committee and helped establish the Women’s Resource Group and mentorship program. With the Green Bank’s support, Fiona completed a certificate in Women’s Executive Leadership from the Yale School of Management in 2024.

• Congratulations to Jane Konover Coppa of West Hartford, who is one of six people who will be honored at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut 60th Anniversary Gala on Feb. 28. According to a news release, her “leadership and philanthropy reflect a powerful commitment to community impact. As a leader at The Simon Konover Company, headquartered in West Hartford, she has continued her father’s legacies of integrity, excellence, and community engagement, while also dedicating her time and resources to charitable efforts throughout Connecticut, including deep engagement with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut and the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. Her support for BBBSCT’s first major strategic growth plan was key to its success in the 2010s, and our team is forever grateful for her support and guidance.”

• I’m honored to have been asked to moderate a “Reel Talk” following a screening of “Marathon Mom” at the 30th Annual Phyllis Hoffman Hartford Jewish Film Festival this week. The screening of the 90-minute documentary begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at the Mandell JCC, and panelists include Fleet Feet owner Fernanda Jacobs, JCC member and fitness enthusiast Rachel Leventhal-Weiner and JCC fitness instructors Jessica Macdonald and Laura Barash. For more information, or to purchase tickets for the film, visit the website hjff.org or use the QR code on the poster below.

• Also happening this week is Max Cares Foundation’s Winter Wine Tasting! The event, held at The Bushnell, features more than 200 wines paired with food from each of the Max restaurants.

• I don’t know if this is a permanent closing – no one seems to be able to obtain any information – but it was reported by CT Insider this week that the Wendy’s at 331 South Road, across from Westfarms, was closed. I reported in this column in April 2024 that the Town Plan and Zoning Commission (TPZ) had granted a Special Use Permit for a drive-through, and there were also plans (filed with West Hartford and Farmington, since the property spans both towns) to construct a 2,680 square foot building with a drive-through on the site of the existing 3,220 square foot restaurant (which was to be demolished), and also make improvements to the parking and driveway areas, as well as landscaping, signage, and stormwater and sanitary sewers. The existing Wendy’s has (had) 108 seats and 72 parking spaces, and the proposed new restaurant was to have 40 seats and 34 parking spaces. Wendy’s recently announced that it is closing some underperforming locations, but there is no list – now and the South Road location no longer appears on their list of locations. The signage has been removed from the building, but the driveway and parking lot were plowed after the recent snow, and the furnishings still appear to be inside. I did not receive a response to my calls or emails to Wendy’s. According to West Hartford officials, Wendy’s had submitted permit applications but they were canceled after 90 days due to inactivity – which happens automatically.

Remember, if you have any business news to share, add it in the comments section below or email Ronni Newton at [email protected].

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