Norwichtown Mall in Norwich, Connecticut Redevelopment Plans Far Off

Barren hallways, empty benches, and bare shells of chain stores are the norm at the Norwichtown Mall which apparently won't be changed anytime in the near future. Plant holders which used to hold plants sit vacant with dirt while a Hallmark logo still can be seen on the window of the former 10,100-square-foot Suburban Stationeries store while bolted stools sit idly in the former 1,200-square-foot Cutting Crew salon and shelving fixtures which used to display shoes still sit in the former 3,023-square-foot Westies Shoes outlet.

The former 2,957-square-foot Waldenbooks store has a small ladder in the middle of its former shell while the former 2,200-square-foot Radio Shack still shows the labelscar above its metal gate and some remaining fixtures still remain in the store.

The later two stores have existed in the 241,451-square-foot community shopping mall since it opened in 1968 and during most of its history has always featured at least one anchor department store.

Several people could be seen taking a walk around the perimeter of the ghost-town of a mall lamenting times when the mall was bustling with customers and when it was hard to find an empty bench. Even the community bulletin board, located in a hallway toward the restrooms, is void of any announcements, while all the pay telephones across the hallway have been ripped out by mall management probably from the high cost of having phones that were barely used.

The mall, managed by Edens and Avant, has steadily went downhill since Caldor Department Store went bankrupt and its replacement, Bob's Discount Furniture, closed in 2007 allowing the enclosed mall to lose the ability to have an anchor store.

The remaining stores of the mall include the 5,000-square-foot Dollar Tree, the 1,497-square-foot General Nutrition Center, GNC, and 1,235-square-foot Fancy Nails salon are scattered amongst the mall while the 9,500-square-foot Dress Barn/Dress Barn Woman, currently the second largest store in the mall, has permanently shut its gate to the mall and takes advantage of walk traffic from those forced to park on the left side of the popular supermarket and walk down a sidewalk going past the women's clothing store.

Since doing so, it seems the store has more foot traffic with more shoppers parking in front of the store and their voices echo through the metal gates into the barren mall hallway.

The 73,239-square-foot Super Stop and Shop supermarket with People's Bank, pharmacy, Dunkin' Donuts, and Redbox, built next to but not directly connected to the mall, is the busiest store on the mall's property followed by Dollar Tree, at the other end of the mall.

Dollar Tree actually has several merchandise displays and an ad rack directly outside their store, a practice that would have blocked access to nearby retailers but today, no longer does.

On a recent visit to the Norwichtown Mall, customers going to the Dollar Tree went in, made their purchases, and went directly to their vehicle rather than walking through the mall to visit the mall's remaining retailers.

Parents of little kids were disappointed to see that kiddy rides and claw machine that used to exist in the mall have been removed and even kids asked "what happened to all the stores?"

Even the curious that walk down the mall corridor have depressed looks on their face about a mall that has a lot of potential but has steadily declined to the ghosttown it is today.

Next to Dollar Tree is the large 87,136-square-foot former Caldor Department Store that later became home to Bob's Discount Furniture before it too closed.
The large parking lot in front of that store is barren on weekends when only more than a decade ago, the lot would be full of shoppers visiting Caldor.

In numerous articles both present and past in the local newspapers of the Norwich Bulletin and The Day, Norwich Mayor Ben Lathrop has reportedly been in discussions with Edens and Avant regarding a redevelopment plan for the mall to attract new stores and hopefully more customers.

While mall management has been in discussions with numerous retailers, they have been hush on specific names. Rumors floated around about retailers such as Target or Christmas Tree Shoppes, ones that do not have locations in Norwich.

Current and former employees of the mall says that such a department store would breathe new life in a dying mall and help encourage more small retail stores, especially independently-owned shops and restaurants.

The Norwich Bulletin reported that Edens and Avant announced a redevelopment plan in 2007 that would tear down part of the existing structure and build stores with direct outside entrances, like seen in modern lifestyle centers.

Such a plan supposedly would implement architecture that would include a historical theme to match buildings seen in downtown Norwich.

According to the Norwich Bulletin, Edens and Avant spokesperson Julie Culbreath said that the redevelopment plan is contingent on retailer interest, getting retailers to provide a merchandise mix, and retailers that would positively serve the community.

Retailer interest in taking a chance on a dying mall seems to decrease as more and more stores close up shop in the mall.

It's the same story as was reported in 2007 and without proof of drywall or signs announcing tenants coming soon, many residents are skeptical of such grandiose plans in a weakening economy where stores, such as Old Navy and soon Linens 'N Things, have closed at the nearby Lisbon Landing shopping center.

In order to attract more interest for the mall, the old photograph of the mall entrance next to the former Bob's Discount Furniture and a barren exterior of the Chelsea Groton Savings Bank have been removed from the mall's website.

It has been replaced by a photograph of the mall entrance closest to Dress Barn and Super Stop and Shop.

Until then with only four survivors left, curiosity asks who will be the next tenant forced to leave the mall due to lack of foot traffic.

Music still plays on the loudspeaker in the mall, perhaps in an attempt to show that while the mall is on life support, it is not completely dead, and may be able to live a new life if properly transformed.

According to the mall's website, it is located at 36 Town Street in Norwichtown and is located off Route 2.

Perhaps the mall should look to the slightly bigger 340,430-square-foot Hawley Lane Mall in Trumbull as a way to transform.

The mall was becoming a ghost-town when Caldor and Walbums Supermarket closed but the mall is now anchored by Home Goods, Best Buy, Kohl's, and
Target.

The three anchor stores have led the mall to be almost 100% leased, according to the National Reality and Development Corp. website.

Smaller retailers in the mall include Dunkin' Donuts, Payless ShoeSource, Quizno's Subs, and small independent stores.