Jo-Ann’s Plaza (Berlin Turnpike)

[TRU7536]

Jo-Ann's plaza is located on the Berlin Turnpike and its a 150,000 SF Shopping Center. Orginally, this location use to be a factory until the plaza opened in 1986 when it was converted into a shopping plaza. I can't remember all the store that use to be there. The plaza was re-done in the mid 2000's when Fridays was built.

Jo-Ann’s and Big Lots, was the former house of Lechmere, until it closed down in 1997. If you look and walk inside Bog Lots, it still looks like Lechmere, they havent done anything to it.

Modell’s, use to be Toy Works
T.G.I. Friday’s, built in the mid 2000's
Chuck E. Cheese, i think they been there since the plaza was constructed.
FedEx Office, T-Mobile, and Oreck were added onto the Lechmere builing in the late 2000's
Radio Shack, GNC, Ming Palace Chinese, and Hair Salon are still there from its time being built.
Dollar Tree, use to be Big Party and a pool house back in the day
Planet Fitness, and US Taekwondo are other business's.

I dont know what else use to be here, but a "Card Gallery" use to be in this plaza back in the day.

[AmesNewington]

JoAnn and Big Lots was supposed to re-done on the outside, but it never happened. The space at the end where Taekwondo is was a few different things. For a time in the early 2000s, it was a 99 cents store. Dollar Tree was Lefty Magoo's after Big Party, Crismari Salon was Shear Success, but shared its title as a hair salon. The nail salon next store was also a Jersey Mike's Sub Shop for a short time, but originally, it was Children's Orchard, a kid's consignment chain, like Once Upon A Child. Finally, the newer portion of Planet Fitness next to GNC was Futons Plus.

[ynkeesfn82]

If you look and walk inside Bog Lots, it still looks like Lechmere, they havent done anything to it.

That's typical of both Big Lots and Ocean State Job Lot. They did some minor work in Bristol, CT which used to be Waldbaum's. They took down at least two walls, but the drinking fountain and the bathrooms are exactly how they were when it was Waldbaum's. At just over 45,000 Square Feet the Bristol one is one of their larger stores. How big would you guess the Newington Big Lots is? How do they do business-wise? The one in Bristol was much busier when they first opened around 10 years ago. These days when you go in there, it's usually deserted and you can see the tumbleweeds blowing though the store.

[TRU7536]

^^^^^
I like to know how big the former lechmere building is. I couldn't find anything online, bc I think the building was split in half. I was there a few weeks ago around 5 pm on a Monday and there was a few people shopping.

[ynkeesfn82]

^^^^^
I like to know how big the former lechmere building is. I couldn't find anything online, bc I think the building was split in half. I was there a few weeks ago around 5 pm on a Monday and there was a few people shopping.

I really hate when the website of the property management company and/or owner does not list the square footage of the stores in the plaza. Hayes-Kaufman is the same way so I can't find out the square footage of the Plainville Big Y.

[TRU7536]

Just found out that the Big Lotd/Jo Ann's building is a total of 79,000 SF

[TRU7536]

Loos like Planet Fitness will be leaving the plaza and moving into the former Office Depot in the Newington Commons plaza.

[ynkeesfn82]

Loos like Planet Fitness will be leaving the plaza and moving into the former Office Depot in the Newington Commons plaza.

Maybe that's where DSW Shoes is going to open. I heard they're going to open a store in Newington, but haven't heard where.

[TRU7536]

Loos like Planet Fitness will be leaving the plaza and moving into the former Office Depot in the Newington Commons plaza.

Maybe that's where DSW Shoes is going to open. I heard they're going to open a store in Newington, but haven't heard where.

Where did you hear that from? The building in Jo Ann plaza is 11,500 SF, compare to the former Office Depot is over 23,000 SF.

[ynkeesfn82]

There is a job posting on INDEED.COM for a Store Manager for DSW Shoes in Newington, CT and they don't have a store in Newington yet. Usually when stores open new locations they hire management first. I don't know where else they could go unless they take over Modell's. Modell's is looking to either divide their store in two or sublease the entire store to someone else.

[TRU7536]

There is a job posting on INDEED.COM for a Store Manager for DSW Shoes in Newington, CT and they don't have a store in Newington yet. Usually when stores open new locations they hire management first. I don't know where else they could go unless they take over Modell's. Modell's is looking to either divide their store in two or sublease the entire store to someone else.

I was reading a article last night after posting. Looks like DSW is going the same route as many retailers, trying out smaller stores.

A typical store size is 22,000 SF, but they are testing out stores that are 10,000 SF.

However, Planet Fitness expects to vacant by June/July 2014 according to the landlords website.