Central Connecticut Update October 2019

[Brammy]

Central Connecticut Update 10/19

Bristol:
The major story out of Bristol is the construction on Route 6 aka Farmington Ave the major commercial strip in the city is nearly finished. It was supposed to be finished last November, but they screwed something up when they were putting in new sewer lines and underground utilities. The whole project was a widening of the road between 900 Farmington Avenue and just past the Farmington town line. Except now they built a huge divider in the middle of the road in the area of Walmart, so I don't really see how that's widening the road.

1. The former Sonic remains empty.

2. After relocating to the Eblen's Plaza, Coliseum Pawn Shop closed. As far as I know their location in Naugatuck remains open.

3. At the Hobby Lobby Plaza there is no sign yet that Popeyes will be occupying the former Webster Bank. The former Joann's spot has a couple businesses in it.

4. The other half of the building that houses Go Urgent Care, which was built on the site where Frankie's was remains empty.

5. The building where Coliseum Pawn was located before moving to Eblen's Plaza is still empty.

6. A sign is up on the former D'Angelo's says Pokeworks will be opening in the building, but it isn't open yet. (This D'Angelo's closed long before their parent company began purging restaurants).

7. After downsizing into a new location a couple year ago Insane Irving's the hip-hop clothing store is closing after 82 years in business. - Retirement.

8. "Your CBD Store" opened next to Dee's Laundromat in the former Insane Irving's building.

9. The Staple's building remains empty.

10A. Bristol Plaza (Where Stop and Shop, TJ Maxx, Savers, and Job Lot is) - Mandee closed in the spring. Payless Superstore (the expanded shoe store location) is still empty. Century Buffet closed after 20+ years. (Good I got food poisoning the last time I went there). Jersey Mike's Sub Shop is opening in the former liquor store in the part of the plaza where Starbucks, Menchie's, and Moe's is located. Roz and Ali aka Dress Barn is still open for now.

I'm kind of hoping Old Navy and Ulta Beauty open in the plaza. I believe both would do good in Bristol and they would eliminate 4 vacancies.

10B. The plaza where Pier One is, which has the same ownership as Bristol Plaza and is considered by the owners as part of the plaza has a new vacancy. Firehouse Subs closed after the franchise owner went bankrupt. Management at this Pier One told my Mom they're not closing.

11. The former Walmart Neighborhood Market (originally Shaw's) remains empty. At nearly 55,000 square feet it remains the largest empty existing retail building in the city.

12. At the Bristol Commons/The Annex Plaza Olympia Sports is closing as part of that store's sale and purging of locations. The Plaza also remains the ugliest in Bristol. Lots of vacancies.

13. The Good Friends Diner opened this summer in the former Brass Pony Pub at the corner of 6 and Oakland Street. It was a Spanish style restaurant for  couple of years before closing in January.

14. Downtown Rite Aid remains empty as does most of the North Side Square Plaza. The new building for Bristol Hospital built on a portion of the former Centre Mall property opened in the spring. Another piece of the property was recently sold and will be built on soon. The popular 457 Mason Jar restaurant closed after the death of the owner. On nearby Memorial BLVD a portion of the former Tinty's Furniture building remains empty. 4 or 5 different small size grocery stores failed here along with a junk store that relocated here from Waterbury.

15. In the Forestville Section of town The Oasis Restaurant on Pine Street across the street from Stop and Shop Plaza was sold over the summer after 29 years in business and reopened as The Bell City Diner. (I haven't been there yet, but I've heard it's much more expensive than The Oasis was. I give it 6 months before it closes).

16. In Forestville at the Stop and Shop Plaza construction is going on in space that was formerly Jump N Jammin and Whiz Kids Daycare. Stop and Shop still needs a major remodel, though they just added Peapod Same Day Pick Up.

17. Several other businesses have closed due to retirement as well. - Shannon's Jeweler's across the street from Price Chopper, Montage Jewelers on Farmington Ave, and The Artificial Flower Shop on Lake Avenue.

18. The former Luiza's Diner on Middle Street remains empty.

Plainville:

1. A small "escape room" in a small strip mall closed.

2. Salon 466 moved to East Main Street.

3. The former Liberty Diner remains vacant. I believe the property is in limbo due to divorce.

4. Rob's Kitchen becomes the latest restaurant to try and make it in the former donut shop at the corner of East Street and Stillwell Drive.

5. A motorcycle shop opened in the former Parson's Buick. I believe they relocated from Meriden.

6. The former D'Angelo's remains empty.

7. The liquor store that was once in the plaza with Advanced Auto and Subway opened in the former Rite Aid giving them a bigger store

8. The former Family Dollar that was located in the above mentioned plaza is now Sials Deane Pawn. The liquor store space is empty.

9. The Mobil Gas Station at the corner of East Main and East remains closed due to construction.

10. A portion of the former Blockbuster remains empty.

11. In the Plainville Commons Plaza clothing store Jos A Bank closed as did Charming Charlie's - the latter due to that chain closing all locations.

12. Gengras Motors bought out Crowley VW/Crowley Ford-Lincoln.

13. The Big Y just finished a major remodel. Once closed the Dress Barn will be a large vacancy in that plaza.

14. Nothing else has been built on the former Chung Property beside the Goodwill that opened last year.

15. Waxy's Irish Pub inside the Fairfield Inn closed.

Southington.

Southington remains the most successful out of the towns I mentioned in this thread.

1. The second largest vacancy on Queen Street aka Route, 10 will be Party City in the ShopRite Plaza when they closed in February 2020. I'm kind of hoping Duluth Trading Company opens in that space. It's 8,350 square feet.

2. The former People's United Bank remains empty.

3. The former "new" Rite Aid remains empty.

4. Something may be going into the former Bertucci's on the corner of Queen and Spring. They've been working on the building for the past month.

5. Downtown. The former Rite Aid is becoming a relocated doctor's office owned by Bristol Hospital. They're moving from smaller space in another building on Main Street.

6. Downtown. The Manhattan is going to be the latest restaurant to try and make a go of it at 16 Eden Ave. This one is going to have a Prohibition Theme. - I can't tell you how many restaurants have failed in that spot since Thereas's closed after the owers retired.

7. On West Street aka Route 229 a new strip mall recently built behind Popeye's got several new businesses including a Korean Sushi restaurant and a Polish Restaurant.

8. Some minor vacancies include the former Payless in the Ames Plaza and a former eyeglass store in the Walmart Plaza.

9.  Salon 29 is a new salon at 934 Queen Street, which has been a couple different salons over the year.

10. The former Mexican Restaurant on 229 on the Southington/Bristol line remains empty. Nothing has been successful in that spot since McDonald's closed in 2008.

11. The former Renaldo's Pizza building, which burned in 2016 was sold to a guy who owned a restaurant in Avon. Nothing has been done with the building so far,

12. 2 CBD stores opened. One called "Your CBD Store" is in Riverbend Plaza and the other is in a former tanning salon on the North Main Street side of Route 10. Both have advertised on Kool 96.1/990 the oldies station licensed to Southington. (The only thing originating in Southington is the Italian show on Sundays).

[Everything Community]

Central Connecticut Update 10/19

10. The former Mexican Restaurant on 229 on the Southington/Bristol line remains empty. Nothing has been successful in that spot since McDonald's closed in 2008.

This was once a restaurant called Casa Margarita that lasted less than a year in 2015-16. An older family member of mine worked there. We were there for some brunch a few times.

[AmesNewington]

Ulta and Old Navy have recently been very active with expansion. According to weha.com, the former Babies "R" Us building is being considered for multiple tenants with Ulta being one of them. I can see both Ulta and Old Navy opening in Bristol. If Meriden can sustain them, so can Bristol. I would think Ulta and Old Navy would work in the TRU building in Newington next to Stews. Some believe Edge Fitness is looking at that spot.

As for the "new" Rite Aid in Southington, I can't believe CVS didn't try and scoop it up. I remember you mentioning a clause about no competitors were wanted in that building per Rite Aid, but it doesn't look like anything is interested. The CVS next to ShopRite is small and outdated. It's not too bad, but you could miss it if you don't know its there.

[standa]

What happened to the Red Oak Plaza in Plainville? What is there now?

[Brammy]

What happened to the Red Oak Plaza in Plainville? What is there now?

If that's the plaza that was on New Britain Avenue where Mars Dept Store was, the roller skating rink, Plainville Stadium Racing, and the drive in movies theatre all that was ripped down in the 1990s. The property was supposed to become a mall developed by Wilmorite (the company that developed the Danbury Fair Mall). Instead the property became a huge shopping plaza officially called Connecticut Commons, but locals call it the Plainville Commons. It was built in several phases.

Current Tenants:
AMC Theater (formerly Loew's Theatre)

Lowe's Home Improvement Store

DSW (formerly Big KMART)
Bath and Body Works (formerly part of DSW, which downsized)
PetSmart (formerly Big KMART)
Dick's (formerly Big KMART)
Vacant (formerly Imperial Buffet)
AC Moore
Old Navy
Justice (formerly part of Old Navy, which Downsized)
Marshall's (formerly Levitz furniture)
Vacant (formerly Levitz Furniture and later Mattress Firm)

Kohl's

Dollar Tree (formerly Linen's and Things)
Vacant (Formerly Linen's and Things later Charming Charlie's)
AT&T (formerly Linen's and Things
Vacant (formerly Linen's and Things later Jos. A Bank)
Five Below (formerly Linen's and Things)
Famous Footwear
Ulta Beauty (formerly KB Toy Works and later Sleepy's)

Friendly's

McDonald's

Applebee's

https://www.sitecenters.com/properties/connecticut-commons

[standa]

Thanks for the information. I had only heard about the Red Oak Plaza from Mars ads, and did not know that the Connecticut Commons was built at the same site.

[Brammy]

Southington
4. Something may be going into the former Bertucci's on the corner of Queen and Spring. They've been working on the building for the past month.

It's going to be a location for Plan B Burger Bar. It's supposed to be opening in February 2020.

https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Plan-B-Restaurant-to-Open-in-Former-Bertuccis-in-Southington-in-2020-563576411.html

http://www.burgersbeerbourbon.com/

Place is very expensive.

[NJxxJon]

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[M.R.CALDOR]

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[JimSawhill]

CBD........boooooo do real drugs.....  ::)

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LOL...