Hartford Business Journal

6 Hartford Business Journal • June 1, 2020 • www.HartfordBusiness.com LATEST HEADLINES Southington's Cava Restaurant buys adjoining property ahead of $7M expansion In a time of uncertainty for many small businesses, Southington's upscale Cava Restaurant is plotting a major $7-million expansion to add ballroom, dining, parking and rooftop bar space. The family run business, which restarted outdoor dining service May 20 amid the state's phased economic reopening, recently invested more than $500,000 to acquire an adjoining 2-acre property on West Street to make room for an additional 200 parking spaces and a 6,000-square-foot addition to its main restaurant. According to plans, the addition will feature a large foyer welcoming guests to a 200-seat ballroom and other dining and rooftop bar space featuring another 75 seats. Cava's kitchen will also be expanded by 1,000 square feet and an elevator will be installed for guest use. CT businesses push for pandemic liability protections Worried Connecticut business owners are seeking state or federal protections against potential liability lawsuits from customers and employees who may contract COVID-19. As Connecticut slowly reopens its economy, there are fears that a lack of such protections may keep some from re-starting their operations. Pressure for some kind of action is being put on both Congress and Gov. Ned Lamont, who has already issued an executive order to protect hospitals and nursing homes from COVID-19 lawsuits. But it's uncertain whether Lamont can provide broad business liability protection through another executive order. – CT Mirror Shuttered Manchester Sam's Club property listed for sale The former Manchester Sam's Club property has been listed for sale for $6.9 million. Sam's Club, a subsidiary of Walmart Inc., is shopping the roughly 138,000-square-foot store space, at 69 Pavilions Dr., that it closed more than two years ago. Town records show the property sits on 13 acres and is appraised at $12 million. Outdoor is mostly out for these two Hartford museums While museums were among the businesses permitted to reopen May 20, many aren't likely to welcome back visitors en masse anytime soon. The fact that phase one reopening rules forbid indoor exhibits has left many museums with few options, and there are additional complexities around securing an adequate supply of sanitizer and personal protective equipment for staff and visitors. Both the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art and Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford will remain shuttered for now, their respective chief executives told HBJ. "We could do something outside but we really have a very small property," said Pieter Roos, executive director of the Mark Twain House, located at 351 Farmington Ave. "We don't really have a lot of options there." >> Latest Headlines continued The owners of Cava Restaurant in Southington are planning a major expansion of the 12-year-old business. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED GO TO >> HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM/HBJ-EVENTS CLICK ON CSUITE AWARDS OR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT & NOMINATE! & NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN | DEADLINE 7/9 PLATINUM SPONSORS: GOLD SPONSOR: SILVER SPONSOR: VENUE SPONSOR:

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