The Goodwin Hotel in downtown Hartford has closed its French-American restaurant but plans to open a new eatery with new concept in 2018.
Goodwin Hotel Partners Randy Salvatore, founder and owner of Stamford-based RMS Companies, and Charles Mallory, chief executive of the Greenwich Hospitality Group, renovated the historic hotel, which opened this past May. But the owners closed the Harlan Restaurant Group’s Harlan Brasserie Saturday and say they are planning to renovate the restaurant and reopen with a new concept, name and operator.
Mallory says the change is “not a lateral move” but an “upmarket” improvement that will “elevate” the Capital City’s food scene. The new operator has not yet been named, but Mallory says owners have chosen someone “who is very familiar with the Hartford region and is equally as passionate about the continued revitalization of the area.”
In order to avoid job losses before the holiday season, Goodwin Hotel Partners has struck a deal with Bear’s Restaurant Group to offer Harlan employees employment within their restaurants.
The new operator will be employing around 40 staff members and will begin the hiring process early in 2018, Salvatore said.
The hotel continues to offer its guests breakfast, beverages and light fare in the side bar run by Harlan. Banquet services will continue to be provided by Harlan until the new restaurant opens
