Meriden Mall

File:Lord & Taylor Dicks Best Buy - Meriden Mall Meriden, CT June 2016 (29065314480).jpg

The shopping complex, originally built and owned by The May Department Stores Company, opened in 1971. The original architecture was a two-level, dumbbell shaped shopping center with two anchor stores, Connecticut-based G. Fox, which was also owned by The May Company chain, and JCPenney. Original tenants also included Radio Shack, Spencer Gifts, Hickory Farms, Barricini Candy, Record World, Waldenbooks, CVS, a Singer sewing machine store, Bakers Shoes, Chess King, Child World Keyboard, a piano and organ store, a travel agency, Mall Liquor's,and C. B. Perkins tobacco store. The only restaurant in the main part of the mall was a Friendly's Ice Cream parlor and restaurant, though both JCPenney and G. Fox had in-house restaurants. The mall also featured an incline ramp-escalator in the center court.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

A 1993 renovation added a two-level wing anchored by a new Sears department store and included a new food court, creating a T-shaped floor plan. Also in 1993, G. Fox parent, May Company, acquired Boston-based Filene's and merged the two department stores together under Filene's, thusly Meriden Mall's G. Fox was rebranded as Filene's.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

The Westfield Group acquired the mall in 1997.{{Cite web|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/banking-finance/financial-markets-investing/7056095-1.html|title=Westfield America, Inc. Announces Third QuarterEarnings (September 1997)}} {{Dead link|date=March 2022|fix-attempted=yes}}

The mall was expanded again in an ambitious renovation announced in 1997. The renovation saw an extra floor area of {{convert|147425|sqft|abbr=on}} added to the center, with an additional 30 stores, creating a cross-shaped floor plan.{{cite press release|url=http://westfield.com/corporate/news-announcements/media-releases/1997/wat_19971219.html|title=Westfield America, Inc. announces Lord and Taylor to add stores to the shopping centres|date=19 December 1997|publisher=Westfield Group|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115155406/http://westfield.com/corporate/news-announcements/media-releases/1997/wat_19971219.html|archive-date=January 15, 2010}} The new anchor, built opposite Sears, was upscale department store Lord & Taylor, the centerpiece of the $38 million revitalization and expansion plan. In addition to its new anchor, a multistory parking garage was built adjacent to Sears facing Lewis Avenue. The renovation was completed in 1999.{{Cite web|url=https://members.midstatechamber.com/News/member-news.asp?MemberID=398&NewsID=81&fromPage=0|title=Westfield Property Group - Shoppingtown - Westfield Meriden | Midstate Chamber of Commerce|website=members.midstatechamber.com}}

In 2005, Lord & Taylor shuttered their location due to repositioning. Westfield quickly moved to replace the vacancy with Dick's Sporting Goods.{{Cite web|url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2003-07-31-0307310447-story.html|title=Lord & Taylor closing Meriden store|date=2003-07-31|access-date=2023-01-13}}

During 2006, Filene's announced that all locations would rebrand as Macy's, including at Meriden Mall.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/filenes-future-still-unclear-to-get-macys-name/article_4d41cca0-12ac-5b78-9e09-41a43834fcea.html|title=Filene's future still unclear, to get Macy's name|access-date=2023-01-13|date=2005-07-29}}

In 2014, Boscov's was announced as a replacement for JCPenney with an expanded and completely remodeled structure. The location was Boscov's first in Connecticut as well as the New England region. Boscov's opened in November 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/01/15/jc-penney/4495963/|title=J.C. Penney closing 33 stores, laying off 2,000|first=Paul|last=Davidson|website=USA TODAY}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.courant.com/business/hc-boscov-store-westfield-meriden-20150728-story.html|title=Boscov's Department Store To Open At Meriden Mall, Adding 300 Jobs|first=ZACH|last=MELVIN|website=courant.com}}

The dawn of the 2020s saw several storied traditional department store retailers change their brick-and-mortar approach after encroachment by digital retailers and in addition to the COVID pandemic.

On November 8, 2018, it was announced Sears would shutter as part of an ongoing plan to eliminate its brick-and-mortar stores.{{Cite web|url=http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/Meriden-Sears-to-close.html|title=Sears to close location at Westfield Meriden mall}}

On January 6, 2020, Macy's, which has much larger outposts in the region, announced a strategy to solely focus on their highest achieving locations, meaning they would be leaving the shopping center.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/macys-store-in-meriden-to-close/2206196/|title = Macy's Store in Meriden to Close}}

In May 2020, Namdar Realty Group purchased the mall from Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (formerly Westfield before Westfield was purchased and merged with Unibail-Rodamco out of Europe) and began operations as owners on June 1, 2020.

On September 21, 2021, Best Buy announced they would shutter their store along with several additional locations as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhregister.com/business/article/Best-Buy-closing-Meriden-Mall-store-next-month-16474310.php|title=Best Buy closing Meriden Mall store next month, cites expired lease|date=2021-09-21|access-date=2023-01-13}}

Numerous replacement tenants for each space are reportedly in the midst of early discussions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/yale-new-haven-health-buys-former-macys-store-at-meriden-mall-plans-retail-health-center|title=Yale New Haven Health buys former Macy's store at Meriden Mall|date=2021-10-04|access-date=2023-01-13}}

On October 4, 2021, Yale New Haven Health bought the previous Macy's outpost and is set to raze the building and develop it into a prominent retail health center.

On February 16, 2024, it was announced that Forever 21 Red would be permanently closing by March 31, 2024.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theconnecticutscoop.com/connecticutscoop/meriden-scoop-forever-21-to-close-at-meriden-mall|title= MERIDEN SCOOP: Forever 21 to close at Meriden Mall!|date=February 16, 2024|access-date=March 20, 2024|website=The Connecticut Scoop|language=en}}

On March 20, 2024, it was announced that Dick's Sporting Goods would be closing by April 20, 2024. This left Boscov's and TJ Maxx as remaining anchors.{{Cite web|url= http://www.theconnecticutscoop.com/connecticutscoop/meriden-scoop-dicks-sporting-goods-to-close-at-meriden-mall|title=Dick's Sporting Goods to close at Meriden Mall|date=March 20, 2024|access-date=March 20, 2024|website=The Connecticut Scoop|language=en}}

• Westfield Group

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{{Namdar Realty Group|state=autocollapse}}

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{{New York City Malls}}

{{Shopping malls in Connecticut}}

Category:Shopping malls in Connecticut

Category:Buildings and structures in Meriden, Connecticut

Category:Shopping malls established in 1971

Category:Shopping malls in the New York metropolitan area

Category:1971 establishments in Connecticut

Category:Namdar Realty Group