Business/ Economic Development

Busted! Merchants Found Maskless Indoors

by | Dec 21, 2021 6:05 pm | Comments (52)

Paul Bass Photos

Health crew departs J Crew en route Tuesday to their next surprise inspection.

Chris Smith completes hot dog sale moments before the bust.

Anthony Keys was literally cleaning the walk-in” Tuesday at Junzi restaurant, he said, when a team of health inspectors swarmed in — and found him in violation of the city’s Covid-19 indoor mask mandate.

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Zoning "Gobbledygook" Zapped

by | Dec 20, 2021 3:12 pm | Comments (2)

Nora Grace-Flood photo

Pete Nizen III (pictured) repurposes engines in a spot now primed for new manufacturing.

Starting an automotive repair shop in Hamden just got a lot easier.

So did developing any industrial or commercial use enterprise in town, thanks to a series of new zoning regulation amendments aimed at reducing red tape faced by current and potential property owners and renters.

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Atticus Market's Beer Pitch Sparks Debate

by | Dec 15, 2021 3:06 pm | Comments (14)

Lisa Reisman Photo

Operations manager Brandi Hansen and manager Sam McGee awaiting order at Atticus Market.

Atticus Market, the new East Rock outpost downtown bookseller and café Atticus that which opened in the spring, has books. It has the groceries. It has pizza.

Now they want to add beer to the list. Neighbors turned up to show they love the store — but area package store owners had reservations about new competition.

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The Fiber Moment Has Arrived; Will Local Governments Seize It?

by | Dec 13, 2021 9:09 am | Comments (0)

The internet has transformed before our eyes and many probably didn’t even notice.

Curt Fox of Crown Castle and Dale Bruckhart of Digital Backoffice have had front row seats to this transformation. They joined us on The Municipal Voice,” a co-production of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and WNHH FM, to talk about the future of fiber and municipal networks. 

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ConnCORP, WorkPlace Team Up To Help Black And Brown Entrepreneurs “Seize” The Cannabis “Moment”

by | Nov 23, 2021 4:37 pm | Comments (6)

Nora Grace-Flood photo

Social Equity Council Chairwoman Andrea Comer, ConnCORP Board Chair Carlton Highsmith, WorkPlace President and CEO Joseph Carbone, and BJM Solutions Founder Fred McKinney at Tuesday’s press conference.

Black and Brown entrepreneurs will learn about joint ventures” — and perhaps enter into one — with the help of a marijuana manifesto” that’s in the works.

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Soccer Fans Cheer On Arsenal, Bring Cannon Closer To Goal

by | Nov 22, 2021 9:51 am | Comments (1)

Kevin Mackenzie Photo

The Cannon.

On Saturday afternoon the New Haven Gooners — the official supporters’ club for Arsenal, a London-based football team — came together at The State House to do what they have done countless times before: watch their beloved team play a match while lifting a few pints and laughing with a few friends.

The event had a purpose far beyond cheering on Arsenal; the fans also raised funds for their future home, The Cannon, a bar, restaurant, and gathering place at 135 Dwight St. that has been trying to open for over a year now and has ties to not only the Gooners, but to New Haven’s arts scene.

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At “Women Power” Panel, Self-Characterized “Imposters” Look Past Self-Doubt

by | Nov 18, 2021 3:08 pm | Comments (1)

Courtney Luciana Photo

Not imposters: Laura Hutchinson, Jennifer Openshaw, Jennifer Robin, Cherie Phoeinx-Sharpe, and Candace Freedenberg at Chamber expo.

The first day Cherie Phoenix-Sharpe pulled into the lieutenant governor’s office to begin working as her general counsel, she asked herself: Did I really land this position?

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Alders Approve 55-Year Union Station Deal

by | Nov 16, 2021 9:59 am | Comments (3)

City of New Haven image

Rendering of redeveloped Union Station.

On the same day that President Biden signed a $1 trillion infrastructure bill targeted at improving the country’s transportation networks, the Board of Alder granted final approval to a three-part plan to redevelop Union Station to include 600 new parking spaces, an intermodal center” for bus riders, and improved retail options.

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“Eat Up” Chili Cookoff Brings The Fire

by | Nov 15, 2021 1:11 pm | Comments (1)

Avnah Erskine learning about Sandra’s Next Generation’s meatless chili from Sharwyn Pittman and sister Tahirah Pittman.

Lisa Reisman Photo

Ice the Beef’s LaRhonda Walker Allick and Chaz Carmon at the Eat Up Catering’s Cookoff with Brian Burkett Thompson; Sandra’s Next Generation’s Sharwyn Pittman and Sandra Pittman; Eat Up’s Kristen Threatt.

There was the hickory-smoked chili from Bear’s Smokehouse. Chili with the tang of lime from Kady Ann Brown’s 173 Surf and Turf. An otherworldly blend of spices and peppers from Poreyah Benson’s Vegan Ahava. And one so hearty and nourishing it defied the contention of Sandra’s Next Generation’s Sharwyn Pittman that it contained no meat.

Those formidable entrants put those culinary wonders on display at the first annual Eat Up Chili Cookoff at the Omni Hotel, for a good cause.

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Restaurant Owners Look Past Pandemic

by | Nov 15, 2021 9:24 am | Comments (1)

It’s a common refrain – Connecticut is overshadowed by the Boston and New York metro areas. But is our restaurant scene overlooked?

For Scott Dolch, executive director of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, the obvious answer is yes. He joined the WNHH FM’s Municipal Voice” program, hosted and produced by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, to talk about the state of our restaurants and rebuilding after the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Shopper Spotted Despite Nextdoor Freakout

by | Nov 10, 2021 4:31 pm | Comments (21)

Nora Grace-Flood Photo

Dorian Bauknecht: 46 years, and counting.

Dorian Bauknecht showed at Marshalls as usual, like she has nearly each weekend for the past 46 years. Unlike either five or forty years ago, she made sure her car doors were locked and her wallet was securely hidden, in fear of robberies that almost never occur in the shopping plaza but that have become hotly discussed throughout town.

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Kiara Matos Opens Doors On Orange Street

by | Nov 1, 2021 9:24 am | Comments (3)

Brian Slattery Photo

Matos at her new downtown haunt.

A customer walked into Kiara Matos’s new storefront ceramics studio and gallery on Orange Street looking to buy two matching mugs she had seen earlier on the shelf. The problem: In between visits, another customer had come in and already bought one of them.

Don’t worry,” Matos said. I’ll make more.”

You’re doing well!” the customer beamed.

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