Hartford area’s retail market vacancy rates

[TRU7536]

Was reading this article from the Hartford Business Journal about Hartford area’s retail market steady amid online-shopping fears and their vacancy rates.

https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/hartford-areas-retail-market-steady-amid-online-shopping-fears

Not shocked about Enfield having the highest, would thought Manchester would be higher since they do have a few empty buildings like the old Sams club.

West Hartford seems to be thriving especially around Westfarms.
Glad Newington is still steady, with the Toys R Us building being the largest vacant on the Pike.

[AmesNewington]

Was reading this article from the Hartford Business Journal about Hartford area’s retail market steady amid online-shopping fears and their vacancy rates.

https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/hartford-areas-retail-market-steady-amid-online-shopping-fears

Not shocked about Enfield having the highest, would thought Manchester would be higher since they do have a few empty buildings like the old Sams club.

West Hartford seems to be thriving especially around Westfarms.
Glad Newington is still steady, with the Toys R Us building being the largest vacant on the Pike.

Say what you will, but despite online shopping fears, there are still plenty of shopping options, even in Connecticut. There have always been ups and downs throughout the years. I'd say things were worse off late 90s/early 2000s when all the regional discount department stores went out of business. Caldor in 1999, Bradlees in 2001, and Ames in 2002. That created several vacancies all at once. At this point, we are seeing the closures of weak chains or store locations of chains that did not have a future and are being "weeded" out. Kmart and Sears have been closing a little at a time, but unlike the regional discount stores back in the early 2000s, have been reoccupied in Connecticut pretty quickly. If they are still vacant, they are either in areas that are already struggling or are in the process of finding a replacement. I still like shopping in stores, and will support them whenever I can. I think we are seeing more smaller specialty stores popping up more than ever while the larger department stores are closing.

[TRU7536]

Was reading this article from the Hartford Business Journal about Hartford area’s retail market steady amid online-shopping fears and their vacancy rates.

https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/hartford-areas-retail-market-steady-amid-online-shopping-fears

Not shocked about Enfield having the highest, would thought Manchester would be higher since they do have a few empty buildings like the old Sams club.

West Hartford seems to be thriving especially around Westfarms.
Glad Newington is still steady, with the Toys R Us building being the largest vacant on the Pike.

Say what you will, but despite online shopping fears, there are still plenty of shopping options, even in Connecticut. There have always been ups and downs throughout the years. I'd say things were worse off late 90s/early 2000s when all the regional discount department stores went out of business. Caldor in 1999, Bradlees in 2001, and Ames in 2002. That created several vacancies all at once. At this point, we are seeing the closures of weak chains or store locations of chains that did not have a future and are being "weeded" out. Kmart and Sears have been closing a little at a time, but unlike the regional discount stores back in the early 2000s, have been reoccupied in Connecticut pretty quickly. If they are still vacant, they are either in areas that are already struggling or are in the process of finding a replacement. I still like shopping in stores, and will support them whenever I can. I think we are seeing more smaller specialty stores popping up more than ever while the larger department stores are closing.

The mid 90's to early 00's, we saw a lot of change with many regional companies going out of business. I remember it was a bad time on the Berlin Turnpike.

We saw Bradlees, Caldor, Ames, Nobody Beats the Wiz, Lechmere, Hechinger call close around that time.

Still glad Newington didn't approve the 178,000 sf Super Kmart on the Pike in 1994 and instead Lowes took that area in the late 90's.