Ocean State Job Lot

[d_fife]

the one in windsor ct near hartford ct and in a former kmart that moved other side of town (which closed) and 41,000 sq.ft.

[d_fife]

ocean state bristol Ct in the tj maxx / stop and shop plaza.

[d_fife]

the one in southington CT

[d_fife]

ocean state job lots in naugatuck ct in the old ames plaza and was probably the original stop and shop.

[AmesNewington]

The Ocean State Job Lot in Berlin CT. A&P Super Foodmart anchors the plaza. Woolworth and Railroad Salvage was here, and now also has a Family Dollar, a cleaners, a chinese restaurant, and a fitness center.

The boarded up part with the oval "openings" is the old brick design the plaza had until the late 90s.

The opening in the building to the extreme right was where Woolworths was, but it burned down in 1997.

[d_fife]

the one in meriden ct in the old ames plaza and a rumor came that it would take over half the old ames.

[d_fife]

Originally posted by d_fife
the one in meriden ct in the old ames plaza and a rumor came that it would take over half the old ames.

sign of the one in meriden ct in the ames plaza

[Rayco7030]

i was inside the location in the formers Ames in chicopee,mass


the store has half the lcoation as a store and half as storage

and it goes to the back wall :yup:

[BillyGr]

There is now a location in NY State - in Ballston Spa - an old Grand Union building.

They are planning a second location in Schenectady in the plaza on Watt Street (this has a former Ames/Caldor that is now a fitness center and Price Rite).  There are two possible spots - the old Price Chopper (which was PriceRite) at one end and the former Sears Hardware next to the Caldmes building at the opposite end - not sure which they are planning to use.

[Marc82]

Job Lot and the city of Bristol are heading to court on April 13. Job Lot appealed the courts previous ruling that stated the city could evict them from the dead mall.

[Marc82]

Job Lot of Meriden, Connecticut will be closing at the end of next week. According to the ad in the paper it's the final week 40% off.  They will reopen in a new location in November.  http://southingtonobserver.com/05_17_07/20.pdf

Just for the record Job Lot is located in the AMES Plaza (Meriden Parkade) and 2/3 of the Parkade is being torn down for a new plaza that will include a Lowe's among other things.

[Lastdaysofrain]

First OSJL opened on the North Shore in MA last month in the old Danvers Plaza, in what used to be Market Basket.

[AmesNewington]

Ocean State isn't that bad. As I said before, OSJL took over the old Waldbaum's Foodmart in Berlin CT which moved down the plaza. If you are looking for some deals, OSJL is great to find them at. They too scribble the Ames logo off the carts, but just knowing I'm pushing an Ames cart is a good thing.

I even saw a Bradlees cart in this location. I wouldn't be surprised if most of these carts came from Newington. I may be wrong.

The plaza is run down though. The building was famous for fires in the mid 90s. Once Foodmart moved to its new store in 1996, the chaos began. First a pet store, and then Woolworth's which damaged a movie theater and a couple of other businesses.

[C. Fontaine]

Yes, I honestly enjoy seeing former stores convert to OSJL's, since they seem to be #1 in fixture recycling.  I know when I go to an OSJL I expect raw bargains, I expect the carts not to match, and the shelves to be out of order.  They are definitely reminiscent of how bargain stores like Big Lots used to be.

[Marc82]

Job Lot at The Mall at Bristol Centre will be closing for good on October 7, 2007. They lost their final court appeal in their lawsuit against Bristol.



Ad from Bristolpress.com

[AmesNewington]

I can't believe they are finally closing the location, but I think it's for the best. The center of Bristol needs to be revitalized, it would look great! I pass by the mall every time I go to the dentist on N. Main Street, and wonder why OSJL would want to be the only tenant in a dead mall.

After reading a few articles, what I don't understand is why they do not want to keep the Farmington Avenue location, or so it seems. They still can remain in Bristol. That was a former Stop and Shop, why is it such a less desirable location for them. If they held on to the Mall location for this long, they can surely renew the lease on a location with a premier spot on Route 6. Marc, have you been to the Farmington Ave one? Why do you think they deem this location only 'temperary'?

[Marc82]

Originally posted by AmesNewington
 Why do you think they deem this location only 'temperary'?

From what I've been told and read, Federal Realty, which owns the Bristol Plaza does not want to renew Job Lot's lease on Farmington Ave. They call Job Lot a Problematic Tenant. Not sure why. Meanwhile as I was saying to Nick a few months ago, there was an article in the paper that Job Lot wanted to take over TJ MAXX's location in the plaza, which was news to TJ MAXX. Yes TJ MAXX's lease is up in a couple years (I believe they signed on 15 year lease in 93 or 94), but as far as I know they're renewing their lease.

[XISMZERO]

I'll be there around Oct. 7 for the closure photos and soon *wait for it* the mall's demolition. Job Lot is currently leading the way to keeping Bristol back which is why this news that they lost in courts fills me with joy. They are the hurdle that kept the ugly mall from being destroyed and allowing the city to further its plans to improve the otherwise greatly improved North Main Street. They are also the tenant of one of the ugliest, old and oversized for their use husks on Farmington Avenue.

I can't wait to hear the developments on the other Job Lot on Farmington Ave. I'm not surprised they are called a problem tenant; they have a penchant for operating right out of the box of crummy old, underfixed-up locations and often refuse to keep their grounds cosmetically in order. I'll bet they've got infestations and the like, but that's speculative and probably not fair to Job Lot...

I've seen Bristol become a better city in just the past year and as a result, it might be good to expel Job Lot and hopefully get something more beneficial in its place like an electronics retailer (as much as I don't want to promote the big boxers) or, gasp, a *much* needed book store chain. Bristol Plaza, one of the city's most prominent plazas has really improved in past years and Job Lot sticks the plaza back by 35 years - that can't make the owners proud. Certainly, Job Lot fills the gap of lack of department retailers in the area and their prices are feasible for those on a budget but they, being the chain itself, won't spend a dime in making the place spiffier.

Either way, anything but another Dunkin' Donuts - (or better yet, the owner Giho should renovation some of his crummy old stores)!

Before I turn this into a Connecticut discussion forum...

[Marc82]

As much as I agree with you that something better than Job Lot should set up shop in the Bristol Plaza, remember that spot sat empty 18-24 months before Job Lot took over the spot.

[Marc82]

Here's an idea. Get rid of Dress Barn and Party Time. Move Dollar Tree over there. Move Century Buffet next to it. Get rid of Webster Bank, State Farm Insurance, and rip down the plaza to the right of The New Century Buffet and build a Target. Dress Barn goes into The Bristol Commons in the former KB TOYS next to Fashion Bug. State Farm Insurance moves to The Bristol Commons next to Price Chopper as does Party Time.

[examesmgr]

I just started working for this company. Seems like a good company.  They are very much likes Ames was about 10 years before we closed. Very casual, hand written signs. Crazy prices. Some of the things they do seems 'cheap', like the cart name changes, but they probably got a great deal on the carts...and it is thier carts.

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by examesmgr
I just started working for this company. Seems like a good company.  They are very much likes Ames was about 10 years before we closed. Very casual, hand written signs. Crazy prices. Some of the things they do seems 'cheap', like the cart name changes, but they probably got a great deal on the carts...and it is thier carts.

They lobotomize the carts they inherent (mostly green, mostly formerly Ames)! That silliness aside (on my part), I got scolded by my manager the other day for making an "unauthorized" sign on a sale that was otherwise permitted by the company. The sale was alright I suppose. The sign? No. Well so much for establishing character in the smallest degree... it's one thing these giant corporate entities have managed to delute and often why they're hated; uniformity and decimation of what gives individual business a soul.

[beachgal26]

I have to say that this is the first time that I have ever heard of a mall being stopped for demolition by one lone tenant.  It is definately one for the books and it will be interesting to see what becomes of the space.

:holysh:

[Marc82]

That's All Folks. Bristol Centre Mall Job Lot closed as of 3PM Sunday.

http://www.courant.com/news/local/nb/hc-briocean1009.artoct09%2C0%2C4362358.story

[beachgal26]

Do your mayors only serve for 2 years??  I wish that ours did since he just won his 5th term election and is nothing but a pompous dictator who only believes in raising taxes and knocking down vintage buildings to put up new ones that stand empty for years on end.

Ya gotta love southern politics!

:no::no:

[C. Fontaine]

Haha, yeah.  How about the mayor of Atlantic City!  Corrupt politician disappears and city officials are left to take control!

[Zayre88]

Ocean State Job Lot store, in a building with the shape and colors of a former Wal-Mart ...

Image from: http://www.oceanstatejoblot.com/

[Crawford]

Breaking news, the Ocean State Job Lot in Rumford RI is closing. It is in the Gansett plaza on Newport Avenue in the former Save-Rite anchor which also was a Grants. I asked someone in there what happened and they told me their lease was up. I had heard rumors that WalMart was trying to get a store in the area but can't imagine if they are taking the OSJL slot, they'd have to bulldoze a hell of a lot of the plaza. I've checked with local newspapers and no one knows for sure. Newport avenue, though a busy street can not handle WalMart traffic since Gansett plaza is in a pretty built up residential area. Time will tell I guess

[Marc82]

I officially received confirmation that the "new" Farmington Avenue Store in Bristol, CT will be closing at the end of January 2008. My mom went there yesterday and says there are "Store Closing" signs up all over the place. She asked an employee and was told they hope to open a store elsewhere in Bristol by Christmas 08.

I hope to be in the area within the next couple weeks and I hope to get some pictures.

All I have to say is wow. From 2 stores in Bristol at the beginning of 2007 to none by February 2008.

[Marc82]

Was only able to get one picture tonight.