West Hartford Business Buzz May 5: Openings, Closings and Other News

People in West Hartford love to be "in the know" about happenings in town, especially the openings — and closings — of local businesses. We hear things all the time, and some of them turn into big stories. But sometimes we don't have enough news to write an entire story, even though the information is definitely newsworthy. For a while we ran a "Visions for Vacancies" feature on Sundays, but it was getting to be difficult to find vacancies every week.

Every Sunday we'll highlight the business stories you may have missed during the past week, and give you the scoop on the other news you may not have heard about. And if you have tips about businesses opening or closing, please include them in the comments or send an email to ronni.newton@patch.com.

• This was the week for restaurant news! Several weeks ago we reported the unexpected closure of Thirty5 Bar & Grille, which had opened just six months earlier as the reincarnation of Reuben's Deli. On Thursday, Patch learned that the vacant restaurant space would be home to a French bistro to be run by the owners of Treva on Farmington Ave. Owner Dorjan Puka said he had been "looking for a year to open my second dream."
• Another West Hartford restaurant will also open a second location. A.C. Petersen Farms has purchased the iconic Hallmark Drive-In in Old Lyme, and will re-open that business on May 15 as A.C. Petersen Drive-In.
• Athleta is now open at Westfarms Mall. According to a news release from the company, "Athleta’s first store in the market will highlight a broad assortment of apparel for run, yoga, gym/training, swim, hike/explore and everything in between.  Additionally, it will offer a personalized styling service, complimentary hemming, kiosks that link directly to the website offering customers access to additional product and sizes, free fitness classes and in-store discounts for fitness professionals. The Westfarms Mall store will be located on the upper level near JC Penney. In support of its national partnership with Girls on the Run, Athleta will make a donation to the organization’s local chapter in celebration of the new store opening."
• Iris Photography has announced that it will officially open its storefront photo studio in West Hartford Center on May 19. The studio is located at 10 LaSalle Rd. (see banner at the top of this page!) right next to Lululemon and across the street from Starbucks. The family-friendly Grand Opening Open House on May 19 will run from 2 to 5 p.m., and will include a Polaroid photo booth for kids.
• Looking for office space in West Hartford Center? Patch received a tip last week that the first floor of 68 South Main St. is available. Berkshire Bank has moved out, and the building owner is looking for a tenant to replace them.  The space measures approximately 3,500 square feet.