When did you last go to The Shops at Somerset Square to buy something rather than to eat something? The center's new owner is betting on that second kind of trip. In spring 2026 it announced six new tenants. Five serve food. The sixth is a massage studio. None is a traditional apparel store.
That bet is still mostly on paper. As October closes, one of the six is serving customers. The other five sit behind "coming soon" signs, and the one that best shows where the center is headed isn't expected until early 2027.
A $30 Million Purchase at 68 Percent Occupancy
Poag, one of the original developers of The Shops at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor, bought the 115,000-square-foot Glastonbury center for $30 million in 2022, according to the Hartford Courant. The center was 68% occupied at the time. Within a year that figure reached 79%. In May 2026 the Courant reported that the new tenants opening between this summer and next year would bring occupancy to 87%, citing Dumeer of the leasing firm Goman + York.
The new leases add up to nearly 18,000 square feet. Dumeer told the Courant that the outdoor areas would be reshaped for patio dining so the center feels more pedestrian-friendly and keeps visitors around longer. No update since then has said that patio work is finished.
The Connecticut Scoop's tenant list shows which storefronts are being re-leased: the former Coldwater Creek, Francesca's, Bluemercury and Massage Envy spaces are all getting restaurant or service tenants. A few retailers remain, including Chico's, Jos. A. Bank and Lux Bond & Green. The new arrivals join a food lineup that already includes Chipotle, Harvey & Lewis, MaxFish and Social Lounge & Bar. The Scoop also lists Bareburger among the center's recent openings.
Where Each of the Six Stands Heading Into November
Two local outlets published opening forecasts in May, and they didn't always agree. The Connecticut Scoop posted its list on May 2. The Courant followed on May 21. The center's own directory showed these labels in the last full week of October.
| Tenant | Space | May 2026 forecast | Status, late October |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAVA | Former Bluemercury space, Suite 700 | 2026 | Open |
| Tiger Belly Noodle & Sushi Bar | Next to Starbucks | Summer, or late summer to early fall | Coming soon |
| Colony Grill | Former Coldwater Creek space, Suite 340 | Fall 2026 | Coming soon |
| Cold Stone Creamery | Former Francesca's space, next to J.Jill | Fall 2026 | Coming soon |
| Aroma Body & Foot Massage | Former Massage Envy space | Summer, or fall | Coming soon |
| Milestone | Former Max Amore space, next to Talbots | Early 2027 | Coming soon |
The fall forecasts haven't technically expired yet. Still, Tiger Belly and Aroma have now passed their summer dates, and no opening date has been posted for any of the five. A sign can come down quickly, so check the center's store directory or the restaurant's own page before you plan a night around one of them.
CAVA Is the One You Can Visit Now
CAVA took the former Bluemercury space at 170 Glastonbury Boulevard, Suite 700, and its Glastonbury location page now shows "Now Open." The national chain serves fast-casual Mediterranean food: grain and green bowls, pitas, grilled meats, falafel, roasted vegetables and dips such as harissa, hummus and tzatziki. The location takes online orders, and its phone number is (959) 510-4310.
CAVA also fits the center's lunch crowd. It opens into the same quick-meal lineup as Chipotle and Bareburger. It doesn't stretch the center into evenings, which is the job the other new leases are meant to do.
Colony Grill Is the Biggest Room in the Lineup
The evening shift starts with Colony Grill. In an update reported by Patch in January, the chain said its 130 Glastonbury Boulevard location would seat more than 175 people indoors. Colony Grill was founded in Stamford in 1935 and is known for thin-crust pizza and its "hot-oil" pies. The Courant described it as a gathering place for families, friends and sports fans, part neighborhood tavern and part pizza joint.
The Connecticut Scoop reported that Glastonbury will be Colony Grill's first Hartford County location, not counting an Avon restaurant that has since closed. Until it opens, the nearest Colony Grill is outside the county.
Two smaller openings round out the evening and the weekend. Tiger Belly is coming from Granby, where its first location is known for ramen, pho, sushi and Asian comfort food. Cold Stone Creamery is moving in next to J.Jill. The Scoop reported that it marks the brand's return to Glastonbury after 16 years away. Aroma Body & Foot Massage will be the chain's third location, after West Hartford and Manchester.
Milestone Shows Where the Center Is Headed
The tenant that best shows the center's direction is the last one scheduled to open. The Connecticut Scoop describes Milestone as a Mystic and Georgetown favorite known for classic American bites, craft cocktails and live music, and places it next to Talbots. It is taking the space Max Amore occupied until that restaurant closed in 2019. Owner Peter Fine told the Hartford Courant that he picked the space because of what it used to be:
"The primary reason I chose that location is because there was a rich, soulful restaurant in that space for 25 years. It was a hub of neighborhood activity."
In the same article, Fine described Milestone as "a neighbor gathering spot" with quality food, quality cocktails and some live music. He said he's a fan of Colony Grill and expects The Shops to "become a real focal point for community gathering." Put a 175-seat pizza tavern, a music-and-cocktails room and a reshaped patio together and you get the center the new owner is building. With Milestone projected for early 2027, the full version won't exist until well after this holiday season.
Some Pieces Have Already Moved
Not every change is still pending. Chico's has relocated to 120 Glastonbury Boulevard, Suite 200, in part of the existing Talbots space. When the Scoop listed this spring's tenants, it noted that Bareburger and HOTWORX had already opened and that J.Jill and Lux Bond & Green had been renovated. Bareburger posts its weekly hours on the center's tenant page, and HOTWORX has an active Glastonbury studio page.
Regulars will find fewer clothing racks and more restaurant kitchens in the same parking lot.
Holiday Hours Are Set, Holiday Events Are Not
The center has posted its holiday-season schedule but no events yet. Its holiday page promotes Santa's arrival and Black Friday without dates, and it says to "Check back in November." The hours are already set:
- Regular hours run 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, including the weeks of Nov. 30 through Dec. 20.
- The center is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26.
- Christmas Eve hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the center is closed Christmas Day.
- New Year's Eve and New Year's Day hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Hours for each restaurant may differ from the center's, so check the restaurant before you go.
If you want something on the calendar before the Santa schedule goes up, a few dated events around town fill the gap. Wind Hill Community Farm is hosting Trick or Treat at Wind Hill Farm on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 1 to 3 p.m. at 3006 Hebron Ave., with spooky mocktails, crafts and treats while supplies last. Welles-Turner Library's 2CF Studio has drop-in hours for seasonal crafts and gifts on Nov. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. at 2407 Main St. The town's Turkey Day Dinner is Nov. 17 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at Riverfront Community Center, 300 Welles St. Registration closes Nov. 10, and tickets are $10 for residents and $12 for nonresidents.
At Somerset Square itself, the list to check before November is short: CAVA is open, Chico's is in its new suite next to Talbots, and five storefronts still say "coming soon."
Changes to the businesses near your home can matter when you sell, and Danais & Gordon Team tracks openings like these as part of every Glastonbury pricing conversation. If you're thinking about a move in the next year, start with a free home valuation and selling plan built on what's happening near your street right now.
