West Hartford Business Buzz June 2: 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.

• There's a new Italian Restaurant coming to West Hartford! Poppy's Italian Kitchen has a sign up and based on the brown paper over the windows is in the midst of a build-out. The restaurant is located at 280 Park Rd., in the former Saffron Palace space just west of Playhouse on Park.
• Longtime West Hartford garden center Patrissi Nursery is once again owned by the Patrissi family. Rob Patrissi, son of the late Richard Patrissi, talks about his vision for the business which includes a strong commitment to customer service.
• The rejuvenation of Bishops Corner continues with the expansion of outdoor dining opportunities. The Town Council approved 35 new outdoor seats at Noodles and Company this week.
• It's time for the annual Celebrity Breakfast at Effie's Place! The event will be held on Tuesday, June 4, from 7 through 10 a.m., and is a fundraiser for the Park Road Parade. Town leaders and other local "celebrities" will be on hand to serve you Park Road Pancakes and other favorite dishes.
• A.C. Petersen's shoreline branch is now open for business! The family-owned West Hartford business purchased Old Lyme's iconic Hallmark Drive-In. A.C. Petersen Drive-In serves hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, fried seafood, lobster rolls, and (of course) ice cream. If you're heading to the shoreline, stop by for an outdoor dining experience on their picnic tables with a view of the Old Saybrook Light House.