Southington, Connecticut

[ynkeesfn82]

This is for one friend of mine who asked me a few things about Southington, Connecticut and I didn't want to clutter his Facebook Page with this.

Queen Street:

1273 - After a 2012 fire the owner of Pass-it-on Sports and Jitters Cafe decided to sell her property as a redevelopment opportunity. The asking price is over $1,000,000. - Shirley is involved with other business ventures elsewhere.

1217 - A popular restaurant called El Pulpo Tapas Bar took the center spot in this 3 store-front building. It's been open a couple years and appears to be doing well. In the summer of 2014 a vegetarian restaurant called Greens and Beans took over the empty spot next to El Pulpo. This particular store front has been a variety of eating establishments over the years. In August 2014 the owner of the building put it for sale for $1,500,000. The other business in this building is an auto repair shop called Auto Master. It was the original location of Midas.

1173 - The Perry Plaza is a small little plaza that has had a hard time keeping tenants. Currently there is a place there called Rock & Smoke and there's also a nail salon there that has had different names over the years. There was a tanning salon here until 2013. They personally blamed the re-election of President Obama for their closure as evidenced by a sign that was in their window.

1079/1049 - The two buildings that make up Riverbend Plaza is another small plaza that have trouble keeping tenants. Longtime tenant Perron's Flooring America merged with an out of town Flooring America franchise and closed.  Salon Envee announced they are moving into their own building at 934 Queen Street.

966 - In August 2014 it was announced that Simply Wireless (a Verizon franchise) which has occupied space here in the Patton Brook Plaza for several years is relocating to the Shoprite Plaza.

934 - Mr. Joseph Salon closed in 2014 and reopened as Peter Dominic's Salon across the street. Salon Envee currently operating in The Riverbed Plaza is planning on relocation to this location.

895 - After being home to Century 21 Lil One Realty since 2003, she merged with another Century 21 franchise downtown in 2013.  The owners of Mr. Joseph Salon at 934 Queen Street took over the building and reopened as Peter Dominic's Salon in 2014.

817-855 -  Queen Plaza. In 2013 Guitar Center opened in 2 side-by-side store fronts. Occupancy is 100%.

785 - After being closed since the October 2011 blizzard they finally ripped down the old Beijing Chinese Restaurant in the summer of 2014.

777 - Randy's Wooster Street Pizza relocated to Center Street and this spot has been a free-standing 7-Eleven since 2012. It doesn't do very well.

716-800 Shoprite Plaza - When Shoprite in November 2010 is brought much interest in the plaza. Moe's Southwest Grill opened in February 2011. And while no other business opened for another 2 years, lot of businesses looked at the empty space. Buffalo Wild Wings opened on July 1, 2013 and Fro-Yo World Frozen Yogurt Lounge opened near the end of August 2013. A super-sized Joann's Fabric & Crafts opened in an old Electronic Store on February 2, 2014. Casual Curtain closed their last 5 stores including the on in this plaza on February 1st, 2014. In August 2014 it was announced Simply Wireless would be moving into the old Causal Curtain. Occupancy is now at 100% While fully occupied the plaza needs an extreme make-over. It will be interesting to see what happens to CVS now that they no longer sell cigarettes. They were the only business in the plaza that sold them. Employees of the Shoprite and Town Fair Tire were often seen buying the smokes there.

405 - In late 2013 Nardelli's a local CT based Italian Market and Deli moved into a spot at The 405 Queen Street Plaza. (Yes that's the real name of the plaza.) Once known as The Terry-Pat Commons. In the summer of 2014 long time bagel shop Fancy Bagels announced they were opening a Burger & Dog Place next door in the former Gio Foods location, which closed due to health problems with someone in the family.

365 - In 2013 they demolished this small run-down strip mall. In it's place a new plaza called Cosmo Corner was built featuring Panera (with a drive-thru), Velocity Urgent Care, and a Sprint Store. Quest Diagnostics is reportedly moving into the last empty space.

324-360 The Queen Bee Plaza is undergoing massive exterior renovations. Better Bedding which was owned by The Whooley Brothers went bankrupt and sold to Sleepy's. Sleepy's operated a small 2nd location here. They closed in 2013. Connecticut Mattress which is owned by Tom Whooley took over in late 2013/early 2014. Tom's brother (and former partner in Better Bedding) passed away several years ago.

264 - Ponderosa closed in 2009. It was 2 failed restaurants since then (both operated by the same guy). After spending several years vacant they spent most of the spring and summer of 2014 renovating the building into 2 spaces a kids dental office, which opened on September 9th 2014 and empty space.

235 - The Walmart Plaza - Longtime tenant Accu-Vision moved elsewhere on Queen Street. Great Clips Salon opened in July 2014 in a spot that was a nail salon until 2008 (it moved a coupe doors down), a dry cleaners, and a Liberty Income Tax office. The former Accu-Vision remains vacant. The plaza needs an extreme exterior make over.

151 - The Oak Hill Mall - The owner of the El Sombrero Mexican Restaurant passed away at the much too young age of 49 in 2014. Now under the ownership of a relative they closed for a couple months and remodeled. They renamed it Eddie's Sombrero in honor of the former owner. As of September 2014 renovations are going on in the former Southington Athletic Club, which has been closed for several years, but so far no signs to indicated what's taking over this spot.