Central Connecticut Update April 2019

[giantsfan2016]

Central Connecticut Update April 2019

Bristol:

1. The new building for Bristol Hospital being built on a portion of the former Bristol Centre Mall property is nearly completely and will open in June. In addition to housing new services for the hospital, several services spread throughout the city in leased space will come together under one roof. Additionally at least one more portion of the former mall property is close to being sold and a couple of others have interest.

2. Staples which closed in November 2018 remains vacant.

3. There's been some interest in the former Sonic restaurant, which closed in December 2018. There was almost a deal with a national restaurant chain, but they decided the space was too small.

4. A new pizza place and a brewery will be sharing the former CVS in Park Plaza on North Main Street across from the former Centre Mall property.

5. The former Rite Aid in North Side Square on North Main Street remains empty. In fact except for a store front housing an off-campus branch of Tunxis Community College, The Bristol Chamber of Commerce/The United Way on the second floor, and a free-standing Burger King and free-stadning Sovergn Bank the entire Northside Square is empty.

6. Bristol Commons (The Plaza where Price Chopper is in the former Grants/Caldor/Big KMART). Still lots of vacancies including the former KB Toys, the former Radio Shack, the former Mattress Firm (which was originally for a very short time Brooks Pharmacy), and part of the former Blockbuster Video.

7. The former Walmart Neighborhood Market (former Shaw's Supermarket) is empty nearly 2 years after closing.

8. Bristol Plaza - The oldest shopping center in Bristol built in the early 60s. Vacancies are popping up like crazy in this plaza. Berkshire Hathaway Realty moved up Route 6 near the Terryville townline. Starling Optical is supposedly moving next to Hobby Lobby in the Bristol Farms Plaza. Mandee is is going out of business. Payless is closing all their stores. This Payless is a large super store. The Bristol Hospital Lab is mostly likely moving into the new Bristol Hospital Building downtown. Other vacancies still exist including a former Tanning Salon, a former liquor store, and the former Dee's Laundromat.

9. Bristol Farms Plaza - Just a few years ago this shopping center was on life support. Now it has just one vacancy. In 2018 Edge Fitness opened in the former Marshall's/Arron's Rental Space, a nail salon (still under construction), and a nutritional suppliment store have opened in the former Joann's (leaving a small portion of the old Joann's empty). Starling Optical is opening in the former Sears Garden Center next to Hobby Lobby, and Popeye's is looking at the former Webster Bank.

Everything else in Bristol seems to be status quo.

Southington:

1. Los Mariachi's a Mexican Restaurant in the former McDonald's on West Street (Route 229) closed.

2. Dollar General opened on West Street and the Meriden Waterbury Turnpike.

3. A year later Bertucci's remains vacant.

4. A year later both Rite Aid's remain vacant. The one on Queen Street Route 10 is the largest vacancy on Queen Street.

5. The new development at 755-811 Queen Street is complete with the opening of a full-service AAA center opening in December 2018.

6. Queen Plaza - T-Mobile downsize by moving into the former Radio Shack. Anytime Fitness moved into the former T-Mobile. A 3000 square foot Payless is the only vacancy in the plaza.

7. Ground will be broken on Long Horn Steakehouse in May on Route 229 near Target.

8. A new state of the art Dunkin will be built in front of the AMC-Starplex Cinemas on Meriden Waterbury Tunpike It will replace an older one in front  if the Econo Lodge.

9 The new Marriott Hotel on Route 229 is open.

10. Several new businesses are opening in a new strip mall adjacent to the Marriott.

11. Tops IGA Marketplace the only grocery store in the Plantsville section of town burned down in the beginning in March.

12. People's United Bank at 812 Queen Street closed at the end of January due to the marriage between them and Farmington Bank.

13. Yet another restaurant closed at 16 Eden Avenue downtown. (I lost track of how many restaurants have failed in that spot since Theresa's closed after the owners retired).

14. Downtown Cafe Del Mondo is supposed to be reopening under new ownership.

Plainville:

1. Dollar General opened.

2. The former Rite Aid is still vacant.

3. D'Angelo closed.

4. Power House Motor Sports is moving into the former Parson's Buick. They retired and closed in the spring of 2018, selling their inventory to Stephen's Auto Mall in Bristol.

5. The former Liberty Diner is still vacant. Tied up in litigation after a failed marriage.

6. Two vacancies in the Connecticut Commons Plaza on New Britain Ave. - Former Mattress Firm and former Imperial Buffet.

7. Goodwill opened on New Britain Avenue.

8. Whiting Motors a used car place opened on the corner of Whiting and East where the Car Doctor was formerly located.

9. The Car Doctor moved to Hayden Street where Auto Landmark was once located. (They moved to Route 10 several years ago).

10. Guerrian's Grill reportedly closed. They are the latest failure in the small building on the corner of East Street and Stillwell Drive where there was once a small independent donut shop.

11. The former Family Dollar remains empty after they relocated to a new free-standing location a couple years back.

12. Anthony's Mobil Gas Station is closed under going renovations. The garage business remains open I beleive.

[Everything Community]

*11. Tops IGA Marketplace the only grocery store in the Plantsville section of town burned down in the beginning in March.

We were at this supermarket on March 3rd, just hours before the fire!