Large Retailer Closes At Waterford Mall: Report

WATERFORD, CT — A large retailer at the Crystal Mall in Waterford has closed. Meanwhile, a new temporary business has set up shop in the mall's parking lot, Hearst Connecticut Media reported.

Shoe Department Encore has closed its 14,000-square-foot location at the mall. In Connecticut, the store lists remaining locations in Manchester, Meriden, Waterbury, Groton, and Milford, according to its website.

Pete's RV Center has opened a dealership in the mall's parking lot. A sales manager told Hearst Connecticut Media that sales have been strong and that the dealership may extend its time at the mall, which was originally scheduled to end this month.

Read the full story in Hearst Connecticut Media.

The Crystal Mall has experienced a mass exodus in recent years. The last remaining anchor store at the mall, JC Penney, closed last month.

Other recent departures include Bath & Body Works, Dairy Queen/Orange Julius, and Cohen's Fashion Optical.

Namdar Realty Group, which purchased the mall at auction last year, has said it is exploring selling or redeveloping the property.

Located at 850 Hartford Turnpike in Waterford, the mall was built in 1984 with additional construction in 1987. The two-story, 535,494-square-foot building sits on 82 acres.

Managers of mall properties across the state are exploring their options due to a decline in business, with several considering redevelopment for residential usage. At the site of Westbrook Outlets, a developer is pitching a massive, $425 million development with 595 apartments, 100 townhomes, a new hotel, restaurants, and entertainment space.

A developer has plans to convert an abandoned Lord & Taylor space at the Danbury Fair Mall into 144 residential units.

In Milford, the Connecticut Post Mall's owners have gained zoning approval to allow housing on the site. This could come in three phases, with each phase adding 250 residential units.

See related: Waterford's Crystal Mall Could Be Sold, Redeveloped: Reports