Specialty Soda Shop Set To Open In Hartford

HARTFORD, CT — A new business set to open in downtown Hartford later this summer will merge the old-fashioned concept of the classic soda shop with a level of sophistication common at most coffee shops.

It is called "Emrey’s Specialty Sweets & Sodas" and it will open in Downtown Hartford later this summer.

It will be located at 196 Trumbull St., an area last occupied by FedEx before sitting vacant for years.

Property owners Shelbourne and Lexington Partners are recipients of the HartLift Program, which aided in the costs of what is an extensive buildout.

When it opens in August, Emrey's will feature a soda bar that will offer old-fashioned soda floats, specialty sweets and hand-crafted milkshakes.

It will be owned by Melissa Melonson, who "has created a modern spin on a classic concept."

"Inspired by the creative concoctions found at soda shoppes in the mid-20th century, Emrey’s redefines and upgrades the vintage candy shop blueprint into a whimsical and unique experience offering a lot more than meets the eye," wrote Lumi Hospitality, which is handling publicity for the development. Lumi is also owned by Melonson.

Family-owned, the soda shop’s "Emrey's" name is a combination of Melonson’s daughters' names — Emmi, 4, and Aubrey, 11.

The menu will feature unique-flavored soda floats and milkshakes.

Items will include a cold-pressed watermelon soda float, a banana Foster’s extreme milkshake and a blueberry cream soda float.

The shop will also feature unique gifts and limited-edition merchandise.

The interior of the shop will feature vintage decor and modern, retro-inspired pieces.

Julio Concepcion of the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, which managed the HartLift Grant program, said developments like Emrey's are what the grant program is for.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Emrey's Specialty Sweets and Soda's to the Hartford community," he said in a statement. "As our downtown area continues to flourish, it's so important that we offer families more choices for entertainment. With its vintage-inspired charm, this one-of-a-kind soda shop is an exciting and much-needed addition to our beloved city."

The building is in the Pratt Street Historic District, which has transitioned to a pedestrian-only street that hosts dozens of events each year and has become a much-desired spot for new retail.

All of the spaces are now leased to new restaurant and retail concepts set to open this summer and fall.

Michael Seidenfield of Shelbourne, who owns many of the Pratt Street Historic District buildings, said “'Emrey's Specialty Sweets and Soda's' is the perfect usage for the retail at 196 Trumbull. This unique and original concept will add to the other destination-worthy shops opening up on Pratt Street. We are thrilled to welcome Melissa Melonson and her team to the revitalized heart of the downtown.”

Melonson is also the founder and owner of Hartford-based Lumi Hospitality, a boutique marketing agency with a focus on hospitality, real estate and destination marketing.

Lumi works with many established Hartford real estate developers, businesses and organizations and the City of Hartford.

To follow the progress of Emrey's, click on its Facebook page at this link.