By Brian Hutchins

As the Northwest Corner emerges from the pandemic, there have been some notable changes in the North Canaan business community.

Arnold’s Garage, at 2 North Elm Street, has closed its state emissions testing service and vehicle repair business, although it will continue to offer towing, a machine shop and auto body services. Labor shortages and rising costs were reportedly driving factors in this decision.

The closest site to Norfolk for emissions testing is now Litchfield Hills Motorsports on Torrington Road (Route 4) in Goshen. After a short pause to reorganize their operations, they now report that “business is booming.” Additional demand, due to testing center closures besides Arnold’s, have made it an appointment-based operation now, with reservations necessary weeks in advance.

With locations in Torrington and Bantam, a chain franchise called Quiet Zone is also an option, and they offer “no appointment necessary” service. They said they too have seen a considerable uptick in traffic but are managing to “plug along” and help all customers. Still, it is advisable to call or email Quiet Zone or any testing facility before taking your vehicle in, to confirm they are available to evaluate your car, truck or scooter.

On the restaurant front, Audrey and Sam Leary, owners of the Blackberry River Baking Co., have decided not to reopen their location at 18 East Main Street, across from Stop & Shop. Forced to shut the cafe in March 2020, they shifted to offering curbside pickup service from their Bistro at 99 Main Street. 

The Berkshire Country Cafe on Main Street has also closed its doors. Owner Ryan Craig, proprietor of the Berkshire Country Store in Norfolk, gave several reasons for his decision to close his Canaan eatery.

He estimates that the pandemic cost his businesses up to 12,000 transactions a year. The current lack of workers has also been a major problem. Many job opportunities exist with no one to fill them. Craig said that “to reopen in Canaan we would need four new employees to start all at once.” Finally, the cost of goods and fuel surcharges, and the increase in the minimum wage, have brought expenses way up. “A more gradual roll-out of that plan would have been so much better,” says Craig. While a price increase would help, he said there is a limit to how much even a loyal customer base can handle, adding “I have to make tough decisions to keep the lights on.”