'Destination' Business Brings a Bit of Everything to West Hartford Neighborhood

Harvest Country Store can't possibly be described in just one sentence. The new market, which had its soft opening on April 5 in the former 7-Eleven location on Oakwood Ave., is a combination organic coffee bar/ice cream parlor/breakfast cafe/purveyor of ready-made gourmet salads and sandwiches/convenience store all rolled into a cozy yet airy space right across the street from Kennedy Park.

"We have everything under the roof that you'd want to enjoy on a beautiful summer day," said Jen Gupta, who co-owns the store with her husband Neeraj and his former college buddy Ian Halpern.

The trio opened Harvest Wine & Spirits on Farmington Ave. several years ago, and for years had been talking about adding another business. Then they became aware of the long-vacant 7-Eleven spot and decided it would be ideal.

"The perfect 'munchie' spot is something we've talked about for years," said Gupta. They're all foodies, and all grew up in urban areas (Philadelphia and Chicago) and loved the idea of a spot which could provide everyone's favorite treats. They wanted to make it a destination spot, too, with something for everyone including indoor seats and a spacious patio where families can sit and enjoy their ice cream cones.

One major attraction is the coffee – which comes from Equal Exchange in West Bridgewater, MA – and is all fair trade. "We have the only completely organic, fair-trade coffee bar in the area," said Halpern. All of the syrups are vegan-friendly, vegetarian approved, GMO-free, and free of high-fructose corn syrup, he said.

They did extensive taste testing before deciding on a somewhat dark house blend – named "Love Buzz."

"We try to house 'local greats,'" said Gupta. There are pastries and ready-made salads and sandwiches made fresh daily from the kitchen at Billings Forge in Hartford. The hard ice cream is from Shady Glen in Manchester and the soft-serve is from Guida's in New Britain.

There are bagels from Goldberg's in Elmwood, and bagel sandwiches are available until closing. There isn't a grill, but Halpern said that the eggs and bacon are cooked fresh in a convection oven.

Harvest Country Store also serves Grote and Weigel hot dogs, chosen after much taste-testing, that can be topped with a secret-recipe relish.

After extensive research (and taste-testing), they found a Philadelphia supplier of pretzel cones, for just the right salty/sweet combination with their ice creams. Lactose intolerant? No problem, because they will scoop out some lactose-free sherbet from a container in the freezer case.

"We hope to get in touch with even more cottage industries, and expand our offerings," said Gupta. She said they have also received approval from the town to hold a farmer's market, and will likely start that next year, creating another draw for the community.

They are working to serve the needs and special desires of their neighbors, in an ethnically and racially-diverse part of West Hartford that doesn't have many other retail establishments within walking distance. Those needs and wants may include organic grocery products, the latest trendy grain, gluten-free bread, popular snack foods, diapers, and batteries.

"The Snickers live next door to the organic chocolate bar and everyone's happy. We don't discriminate," said Gupta.

The refrigerator section contains singles of a wide variety of soft drinks, some which you see everywhere, and others with unique labels.

"We brought over the idea of the beer cave [from Harvest Wine & Spirits] and how we do singles. We have everyday sodas and energy drinks, but we also have organic, really cool water, infused with ginger, cardamon, and orange peel," said Halpern.

There's mint/lavender water. There's also black – yes, black – water. Both Halpern and Gupta said that the infused waters are very refreshing, and that it's more of an aromatic difference rather than a true taste difference.

They anticipate busy times in the summer, when Kennedy Park is busy with baseball, swim meets, kids using the splash park, and family barbecues. Rolls, disposable plates and utensils, condiments, and other picnic needs will be kept fully stocked.

"We're trying to make it a destination place. We're not the old 7-Eleven," said Gupta. However, they are ordering a "Harvest-version" of a frozen drink machine for those who miss the Slurpees. They will serve juice flavors as well as the traditional flavors, said Gupta, who as the parent of 2 and 4-year-old children understands the need to balance healthy, fast, and fun.

Halpern said that many felt the neighborhood had previously been a bit neglected. "One neighbor said that we finally got a piece of Blue Back Square here," Halpern said.

After just two months, Harvest Country Store appears to already be achieving the city/college town vibe they wanted the business to have. They have WiFi, even out on the patio, and business people as well as a few local politicians have been holding meetings there.

"It's so nice to see everyone socializing here, people who might never meet otherwise," said Gupta.

Harvest Country Store is located at 161 Oakwood Ave., West Hartford. For more information call 860-523-3263 or visit their Facebook page.