Mallory Brook Plaza AMES (Winsted Connecticut)

[cdavid991]

The Ames at Mallory Brook Plaza shut its doors in 2002. Ten or so years later, the plaza is still clinging to life. Below is a photo of the Ames while still in operation in 2000.



Today, the former Ames building has been subdivided into two separate stores, Peebles, which is a clothing store, and a Tractor Supply Co., which specializes in western clothing, hardware, grain, and feed. The following photo is of the Tractor Supply Co. and the Peebles.



The Peebles-half of the former Ames has been completely modified, with a remodeled facade, new interior and exterior lighting, new floors, and ceilings.



The Tractor Supply Company half, on the other hand, has been left completely untouched. Aside from a white repaint, the Ames facade is still completely intact...albeit now adorned with the "Tractor Supply Co." signage. That said, I don't think that Tractor Supply's lessee has any ideas about spending money to renovate or this quickly fading building. Upon entering the store, most of the setup is completely original, and typical of the Ames-ian epoch. Large, dusty turbine like ceiling fans and seemingly endless rows of milky white fluorescent lighting bring back memories of stopping here with mom to pick up a couple 8' strings of icicle lights for $6.99 and 50" rolls of Christmas tree garland.



The outside of this former Ames really shows the buildings age. Below is one of the pillars that is crumbling away.



I know it is hard to see due to the low resolution of my digital camera, but this is a photograph of the water leaking in front entrance to the Tractor Suppply Co. It seems the roof must have a pretty bad leak in it somewhere, because water is flowing freely throughout the entire vestibule of the store. In the second-below photograph, one of the lights under the vestibule has completely filled up with water and is dripping from all sides!





The strip mall part of Mallory Brook Plaza is not doing any better than the Tractor Supply Co. Dilapidated and depressed looking, it is rapidly fading away. One interesting thing about the strip mall is the fusion zone laser tag. Believe it or not, this is actually an arcade!



The plaza Liquor Store, Berkshire Spirit Shop. In Winsted, it is pretty much protocol that any public shopping center has to have at least one liquor store. Adjacent to the Berkshire Spirit Shop is a Radio Shack.



Next to the Radio Shack is a Sears Hardware Store, a Pizza Restaurant, and a Family Dollar.



Lastly, we have the Mallory Brook Cinema. Recently, this theater has come under new management. I don't think that the new owners will be able to keep it open for long, though, as their management of the facility is haphazard and poorly orchestrated.



Here's the entrance signage



Prior to the mid 2000s, New Hartford Road (where Mallory Brook Plaza is located) used to be somewhat of a ongoing strip of shopping centers and stores. I remember down the road from Mallory Brook there used to be a standalone Toy Works (thx to TRJ_22487 for this info...couldn't recall exactly what it was) that my dad would take me to whenever we were in the area.

[TRJ_22487]

This is where both my father and I grew up, him in the 60's and me in the 90's. I have many memories of this Ames. I snapped a few quick photos from my car in 2004. I remember when the movie theater was built. I have been dying to see any photos of The Toy Works that was slightly down the road in a small standalone building. It closed in 1997 and was an extremely tiny, dark store with a wonderful videogame section. It turned into an auction house.

[thpdg123]

I believe my father said that Ames store used to be a Kings store.

[JimSawhill]

I believe my father said that Ames store used to be a Kings store.

I believe it was and before that Mammoth Mart.

[TheFugitive]

My former Ames store in Imlay City, Michigan is now also a
Tractor Supply location.