New Simsbury Store Opens Up Fast ... Really Fast

SIMSBURY, CT — The amount of time it took two area women to concoct a new business venture in Simsbury ought to make those in Congress jealous.

They did it in a little more than a month after sharing a meal together.

Then again, SubherbanLivin is not your typical business venture. And the duo behind it are not your typical entrepreneurs.

Owned and operated by East Granby resident Erika Lange, a Canton native, and Simsbury resident/native Jennifer Berry, SubherbanLivin is an alternative and holistic health services shop located at 10 Jim Gallagher Way, Unit 20, Simsbury. It opened on Oct. 21.

The store, SubherbanLivin, is open Thursday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. White Raven Reiki & Massage, also part of the operation, is by appointment.

But the women are not the only ones behind their operation.

That's because the duo operates a co-op, meaning other female business owners, many of them start-ups, use SubherbanLivin to jumpstart their own operations.

Of course, the fast track Lange and Berry took to take an idea and turn it into action is something rare for any business operation or government endeavor (like Congress).

According to Berry, the idea came over brunch a little over a month prior to the Oct. 21 opening.

“We literally left brunch and drove around town looking for a place,” Berry said.

The operation is located in "The Courtyard" building in downtown Simsbury.

According to Berry, SubherbanLivin showcases products and services from over 25 local artisans and professionals.

“We have products, services, and gifts for the whole family. The inventory is constantly changing. You could visit at any point and find something new,” she said, adding it didn't take long to find other entrepreneurial female clients to jump on board.

“We immediately signed the lease and then walked down to the craft fair where we met amazing women curators. Many of these women would become the first of 10-15 vendors who signed on to partner with us. It was a proud moment.”

The presence of a second floor on the space allows Lange to move her White Raven Reiki and Massage business there as well, Berry said.

While SubHerbanLivin is taking up a lot of their time these days, both owners have other irons in the entrepreneurial and community fire, so to speak.

Lange and her fiance, Frank Cardoso, own Old Well Tavern in Simsbury.

Berry, meanwhile, is currently a senior director in technology at Cigna. That's where she leads and sponsors the company's Women In Leadership program.

In addition, Berry is the vice chairperson and executive Board Member, for the non-profit Greater Hartford Girls on the Run, which helps girls develop important work and life skills as they enter adolescence.

For more information on SubHerbanLivin in Simsbury, click on its Facebook page here.