Queen Plaza Southington, CT

[ynkeesfn82]

Queen Plaza is at 825-875 Queen Street in Southington, Connecitcut. It's currently owned by RK Shopping Centers Inc. It was built in the early 70s and featured anchor stores Zayre and Shoprite Supermarket. There was also a 2 screen movie theater, Genovese Pharmacy, Radio Shack (still there) and a Carvel there at one point. Today the plaza is 100% Occupied.

Current Tenants:

TJ MAXX (formerly Shoprite)

Barry's Hallmark (formerly a clothing store called Hit or Miss)

Radio Shack

Supercuts Salon (formerly BoRics Salon, another brand of Regis Salons)

Hot Tans

Gobi Mongollian Grill (Formerly Buffet 2000)

Bakery & Cafe (Formerly Dollar Tree)

Golden Nails - Nail Salon (Formerly Carvel)

Dollar Tree (formerly the movie theater and later Joanne's)

Guitar Center *Grand Opening Thursday May 16th 7PM* (Formerly Fashion Bug/H&M Pet-A-Rama. That space was once two separate store fronts)

Payless Shoes

Bed Bath Beyond (formerly Zayre/Ames)

Bob's Discount Furniture (formerly Zayre/Ames)

Separate Building near TJ MAXX:

Ruby Tuesday

Separate Building Across Parking Lot from Ruby Tuesday:

Outback Steak House (replaced a demolished dine-in Pizza Hut).

http://rkcenters.com/rk-queen-plaza.php

[TRU7536]

That must have been one small Shop Rite back in the day. But it's seems supermarkets up until the late 80s were small.

[BillyGr]

That must have been one small Shop Rite back in the day. But it's seems supermarkets up until the late 80s were small.

And there are (likely) still some smaller ShopRites - probably due to the fact of the different ownerships.

I can think of a couple down in NJ (one still existing, one replaced in the 2000's):

One was replaced a few years back with a newer store built in the parking lot, then the older store was demolished for parking.  The old store still had the individual lettering and round (domed) logo on it.
The only (local) competition had been a Grand Union across the street, which had just recently been replaced (after the GU bankruptcy) by Stop & Shop, and they built a newer, larger store, which is probably why ShopRite decided to do so.

The other one (and I think it's still there) is the store on Route 9 in Old Bridge - that is one that faces the street, with only a couple rows of parking in front.  It is also a single store (aka the owners have no other locations).

And - just for a comparison, we had a store into the 1990's (was a Finast, then independently owned) that is now a Rite Aid and it is still smaller than a currently built drugstore.

[ynkeesfn82]

That must have been one small Shop Rite back in the day. But it's seems supermarkets up until the late 80s were small.

It was owned by Mott's. It closed in February 1992 because there was no room to expand the building. It would be more than 18 1/2 years before The Drust's opened their Shoprite in the former Shaw's across the street in November 2010.

P.S. You can see a Shoprite labelscar on the side of TJ MAXX. You can see the imprint where the round Shoprite sign used to be.

[ynkeesfn82]

The Bakery and Cafe next to the Mongolian Grill closed down. Nothing seems to last very long in that space since it was vacated by Dollar Tree in 2005.

[giantsfan2016]

2016 Update:

The old Bakery next to the Gobi Mongolian is still empty.

Ruby Tuesday closed in January 2015 and became a I-HOP in June 2015.

According to the site-plan on the landlord's website there is room to expand the space where the nail salon is currently located.

https://www.rkcenters.com/rk-queen-plaza/

A little bit more on the history of this plaza. Before the building where I-HOP is currently located was built (built as Ruby Tuesday) there was a building there that housed a restaurant called Mr. Steak. (They also had a location on Corbin Avenue in New Britain where the New Britain Diner is). After Mr. Steak closed in Southington it became a restaurant called Senor Panceho's which later moved to the Oak Hill Plaza and changed it's name to El Sombrero.

There was proposal at one time to build a Pep Boys in plaza, but the then owners of the plaza changed their mind about that.

I believe Aubuchon had a location in this plaza as well.

[giantsfan2016]

A T-Mobile Cellphone Store is opening in the old Bakery next to the Gobi Mongolian Grill. I don't know if they're dividing the space or not, but 4,500 Square Feet seems big for them. If they don't divide the space the plaza will be 100% occupied for the first time in years. Well at least until Radio Shack closed down and if Payless Shoes decides to close.

[giantsfan2016]

Radio Shack (which was the last remaining original tenant) shut down this past spring.

[giantsfan2016]

T-Mobile move from the space next to Gobi Mongolian Grill into the old Radio Shack.

Interestingly enough however, the landlord's website show's T-Mobile still where they were and Anytime Fitness in the old Radio Shack.

[giantsfan2016]

T-Mobile move from the space next to Gobi Mongolian Grill into the old Radio Shack.

Interestingly enough however, the landlord's website show's T-Mobile still where they were and Anytime Fitness in the old Radio Shack.

Anytime Fitness announced on Facebook that they are opening in the plaza. Next to Gobi Mongolian Grill.

[giantsfan2016]

Just when this plaza got to be 100% occupied again, Payless is closing all their US locations, so this will leave a 3,000 square foot vacancy.

[Brammy]

Hot Tans has closed. They were clearing out the last of their stuff today. (11/23/19). Another 2,905 foot vacancy in this plaza.