This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
05/03/2016 04:30 PMAs the summer season approaches, several new businesses are opening and several existing businesses are moving to new locations in the same town. Here’s a summary of some of the business changes in the area to watch for.
An Old Business Closes, a New One Takes Over: The sudden closing of Shoreline Fitness’ two busy gym facilities in March was a shock to many of the fitness club’s members, especially to those who had paid a full year’s membership fee in advance only a day before the business closed for good.
The surprise closure was followed by a statement, posted on the gym’s doors, from Funktion Fitness, the firm that had agreed to buy the old gym businesses’ assets. In the announcement, the new firm’s principal owner, Sam Spector, introduced himself and explained his plans. Both the Old Saybrook and Clinton sites would be renovated but not at the same time—the Old Saybrook site would close first to allow work to proceed and then when it re-opened, the Clinton site would close for renovations.
A follow-up note on April 18 to Funktion Fitness’ new members explained that the Old Saybrook site, after a month of renovations, would re-open on Saturday, May 7. Shortly thereafter, the Clinton site would close for renovations. Members who normally use the Clinton site would have access to the Old Saybrook site while the Clinton site is closed for updating. (For more information, visit www.funktionfit.com).
Business Openings and Closings: In other major business news, a newly re-imagined James Farmacy will re-open on Thursday, May 5 in the space of the old James Pharmacy at Pennywise Lane and Main Street. According to insiders, the old fountain counter will be preserved. The new retail food site will offer organic-sourced food products, have a juice bar, and offer classes on health topics.
Opening soon is a new specialty fitness facility, Joint Effort, that will offer low-impact guided exercise at 341 Boston Post Road.
Within the new retail development at 75 Main Street, the site of the former North Cove Outfitters, are several tenants whose doors have opened for business in the past six months or will soon. Dagmar’s Desserts, which relocated from another Main Street site is already open. Also there is Villa Nails, and a physical therapy business. Holding a grand opening on Memorial Day Weekend is Denali, an outdoor clothing retailer; its other storefront is in New Haven on Broadway.
Pearls and Plaid is a new boutique tenant opening within a remodeled Tova’s vintage clothing and accessories shop at 1330 Boston Post Road. Mike’s Barber Shop, Kariann (a jewelry store), and Susan Taylor Insurance plan openings on Main Street. The 1430 Boston Post Road address will soon have several businesses owned and operated by members of the same family: Himalaya Juice Café offering smoothies, teas, and alcohol, and a vegetarian restaurant.
Shoreline Sewing, a seamstress business, plans to open at 880 Boston Post Road. The Medicine Shop will occupy a storefront next to Subway. Also in business are Re-unique, an antiques store at 837 Boston Post Road, and Juliann Steahr, a medical office at 341 Boston Post Road.
Saybrook Point Inn celebrated the grand opening of its new Tall Tales luxury guesthouse last week. Located next door to the inn’s historic Three Stories guesthouse. Tall Tales is a Victorian-era home overlooking Long Island Sound.
Pathway Lighting has bought the commercial building across the street from its current facility on Elm Street, The firm plans to use the new site to expand. Cardone & Daughter, a former Westbrook business, has moved to a Custom Drive site in Old Saybrook. Enterprise Rent-a-Car has opened a new site where Stanley Motors used to be on Boston Post Road East, and the former bowling alley site on the Boston Post Road has finally been sold, but no plans for the site’s re-development have yet been filed with the town.
Business Shifts in Westbrook: Westbrook’s Town Center is changing.
One business, the Papercraft scrap-booking store, has moved from a retail site on Essex Place on the Town Green into the former Keeling Lighting site on the Boston Post Road opposite Water’s Edge Resort and Spa; that retail building has been vacant for several years. Moving into the old Town Green storefront where the scrapbook enterprise was located will be a Gowrie Insurance company employee wellness center. The Zoning Commission approved this change in use for the former retail site last week.
The former Bliss Market, now out of business, will be replaced soon by Simon’s Marketplace. This new business will be the fourth food venture for the owner who operates a food stand in a shipping container at the Deep River dock, has a second Simon’s Marketplace in Chester at 17 Main Street, and owns and operates the Blue Oar restaurant in Haddam at the marina.
In addition to these shifts, an approval last week from the State of Connecticut will increase patient visits to the Middlesex Hospital Shoreline Medical Center on Flat Rock Place. With state approval of the request from Middlesex Hospital to buy and install a new linear accelerator and CT scanner at the Shoreline Medical Center, the center’s oncology services can expand. It may be 18 months or so before the new equipment and services are up and running. The request had been opposed by Yale-New Haven Hospital, which has a shoreline medical center in Guilford and a new facility in Old Saybrook.
The new linear accelerator will be located in Westbrook instead of at the Middlesex Hospital in Middletown where the one it will replace is located.