With the “open” sign off and lights out for several regular business days, food and some furniture have been removed from 405 Capitol Avenue. This new shop had its grand opening in October 2013.
Before Froghollow Coffee Shop, this space was occupied by Capitol Grocery for approximately one week. It had previously been the site of La Paloma Sabanera for nearly ten years.
Wolf Schawwber
Kerri-
This is greater Hartford. We all will experience the loss of one of our favorite spots.
The places that fill their whole could be a whole different biz than before and we’d still expect them to fill the same void. It won’t.
I can’t count on one hand how many places my family’s owned, friend’s have owned or just other places that have faded with the years.
This just documents in real time what happens to one of many (mainly small) businesses in the Hartford area year after year, decade after decade.
What happens to the good soul who worked his tail off to keep his shop, “Pretty Black Smoke Shop”, open across from the Half Door on Sisson Ave? He helped raise money to get a wheelchair for a neighborhood girl. What a great business. Exactly how one should work, and one that builds a positive community. What could the City of Hartford do to invest in these honest/independent business men to keep shops open (no empty storefronts) (hello jobs!) The stores are there, mortar brick and all, clean them up. Maybe sell..umm, I don’t know…produce (a start for Hartford)…at one of these vacant “downtown north ghettos” shops. Eminent Domain.
Jim
I do not quite understand what Wolf means by his comment.
It seems that goods and services are more expensive in Hartford because rent is high. People can spend less on products outside of Hartford… Rent is high due to taxes being high. It is a vicious cycle that is difficult to fix because of our government’s unwillingness to adjust the tax structure.
Oops I just ranted. Sorry.
lobonick
a fascinating development… the idea to follow la paloma at that that particular site was a bold one.. especially when the public in the area knew how the exit of la paloma went down…
Chris Brown
It appears there were flaws in the bold business plan of opening a coffee shop after trash-talking, insulting, and alienating the neighborhood residents and workers who supported the established coffee shop that closed on the same spot. Color me not surprised.