East Brook Mall

East Brook Mall is a shopping center in Mansfield, Connecticut, developed to serve Willimantic and the surrounding communities of northeastern Connecticut. It opened to the public on April 24, 1975, becoming the first enclosed mall in that part of the state. The property was initially organized around three anchor tenants: Caldor, Sage-Allen, and A&P Supermarkets. Its role has traditionally been that of a small, convenience-oriented local and regional shopping destination rather than a large metropolitan mall. The mall underwent a modest physical expansion in 1986, when space was added to the rear of the original building and the layout became generally T-shaped. Its tenant mix changed substantially during the 1990s as the original anchors disappeared. Sage-Allen closed its stores in 1993, and A&P left the property in 1994. The former Sage-Allen space briefly housed Cherry & Webb before being taken by JCPenney in 1995. The former supermarket space became a TJ Maxx location in the same year. Caldor remained until 1999, when it closed and was replaced by Ames. Ames subsequently exited following its 2002 bankruptcy. During the early twenty-first century, the mall added freestanding or parking-lot-adjacent businesses, including an Applebee's restaurant and a banking location in 2001. A movie theater opened in 2004; although it closed temporarily in 2009, it later reopened under different ownership. A substantial renovation in 2005 introduced glass atrium entrances, an exterior wooden canopy, updated paint and lighting, and skylights. Kohl's opened in 2006 in the former Caldor space, giving the property a new major anchor. The former JCPenney store closed in August 2013. After a period of vacancy, that large unit was divided into smaller spaces occupied by Dressbarn, Questers Way, a children's recreation business, and Dollar Tree. Dressbarn closed in 2019 after its parent chain entered bankruptcy, while Questers Way also left in 2019 after stating that its performance did not meet expectations. Old Navy began construction in early 2020 and opened in November of that year, using the former Dressbarn and Questers Way areas. The project sealed an older interior entrance, making Old Navy accessible from the parking lot rather than through the mall's interior circulation system. Other tenant changes have included the replacement of a TD Bank location by Spectrum Mobile, the conversion of a former Children's Place unit into a liquor store, and the 2021 arrival of Sally Beauty in part of the former Payless Shoe Source space. The remaining portion of that Payless space was still reported as vacant in April 2022. The mall has also experienced vacancies in spaces formerly occupied by Olympia Sports, RadioShack, Hallmark, Waldenbooks, and Art of Home and Kitchen. A reported vacancy rate of 17 percent was above the cited industry average of 11 percent, reflecting the pressures faced by smaller enclosed shopping centers. Reference material describes the mall as having approximately 25 stores, including Kohl's, TJ Maxx, and Michaels as anchor or major anchor tenants. By available retail space, it has been described as Connecticut's smallest mall and the third-smallest mall in New England.

East Brook Mall was developed in Mansfield, Connecticut, to provide an enclosed shopping destination for Willimantic and nearby communities. It opened on April 24, 1975, as the first mall in northeastern Connecticut. The original tenant plan centered on three anchors: Caldor, Sage-Allen, and A&P Supermarkets. In 1986, the building received a small rear addition, changing the footprint into a broadly T-shaped plan. The property experienced its first major anchor turnover in the 1990s. Sage-Allen closed all of its stores in 1993, including its East Brook Mall location. Cherry & Webb used the former department-store space for a short period before JCPenney replaced it in mid-1995. A&P closed its supermarket in 1994, and TJ Maxx opened in that former space in 1995. Caldor remained until 1999, when the retailer closed and Ames took over its space. Ames later closed following its 2002 bankruptcy. The mall expanded its offer beyond traditional enclosed retail during the early 2000s. Applebee's and a bank branch opened in freestanding locations in the parking lot in 2001. A movie theater was added in 2004. Although the theater closed temporarily in 2009, it reopened under new ownership. The mall also undertook a physical renovation in 2005. The work added glass atrium entrances, a wooden exterior canopy, refreshed paint and lighting, and skylights. Kohl's opened in 2006 in the former Caldor space, restoring a major department-store presence. JCPenney closed in August 2013. The large vacant unit was subsequently divided into smaller spaces. Dressbarn, Questers Way, a children's recreation facility, and Dollar Tree occupied portions of the subdivided area. Dressbarn closed in 2019 after its retail chain entered bankruptcy, and Questers Way also closed that year after reporting that business had not met expectations. In early 2020, Old Navy began construction in the combined former Dressbarn and Questers Way areas. It opened in November 2020. The construction sealed an interior entrance that had dated from the former Sage-Allen occupancy, leaving Old Navy accessible from the parking lot rather than through the mall's interior. Further changes followed in the early 2020s. A former TD Bank location became a Spectrum Mobile store, and a former Children's Place unit became a liquor store. Sally Beauty took over half of the former Payless Shoe Source space in 2021 and similarly eliminated interior access to that portion. The other half was identified as a prospective tenant space in 2021 but was still vacant in April 2022. Other reported vacant or previously vacant units included spaces formerly used by Olympia Sports, RadioShack, Hallmark, Waldenbooks, and Art of Home and Kitchen. Reference material describes East Brook Mall as having about 25 stores, with Kohl's, TJ Maxx, and Michaels identified among its anchors or major anchor tenants. Its available retail area makes it the smallest mall in Connecticut and the third-smallest mall in New England. A reported 17 percent vacancy rate, compared with an 11 percent industry average cited in the same material, illustrates the leasing challenges facing the property. Despite those pressures, the mall continues to function as a local retail, dining, service, and entertainment center for eastern Connecticut.

• 2021

  Sally Beauty occupies part of former Payless unit

  [1]East Brook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Sally Beauty takes half of the former Payless Shoe Source space, with interior mall access removed.

• 2020

  Old Navy opens

  [1]East Brook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Old Navy opens in November after redevelopment of portions of the former JCPenney-area space.

• 2013

  JCPenney departs

  [1]East Brook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney closes its store, leaving a large anchor space that is later subdivided.

• 2006

  Kohl's opens

  [1]East Brook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Kohl's occupies the former Caldor space and becomes a principal anchor.

• 2005

  Major renovation completed

  [1]East Brook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The property receives new atrium entrances, canopy work, paint, lighting, and skylights.

• 1995

  JCPenney and TJ Maxx arrive

  [1]East Brook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney replaces Cherry & Webb, while TJ Maxx takes the former A&P space.

• 1993

  Sage-Allen closes

  [1]East Brook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Sage-Allen closes its East Brook Mall location as the chain exits all of its stores.

• 1986

  Rear addition completed

  [1]East Brook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A small rear expansion changes the building's layout to a generally T-shaped configuration.

• 1975

  East Brook Mall opens

  [1]East Brook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall opens to the public on April 24 with Caldor, Sage-Allen, and A&P Supermarkets as anchors.

A small, community-serving enclosed shopping mall focused on accessible national-chain retail, discount merchandise, crafts and home-related goods, dining, and convenience services for eastern Connecticut.

• Department-store retail · 2006

  Kohl's

  Kohl's is one of the mall's principal anchor tenants. It opened in 2006 in the former Caldor location, bringing broad apparel, household, accessories, and general merchandise categories to the largest former department-store space on the property.

• Off-price retail · 1995

  TJ Maxx

  TJ Maxx occupies the former A&P supermarket area and serves as a major value-oriented tenant. Its assortment is centered on discounted apparel, accessories, home merchandise, and seasonal goods, complementing the mall's smaller-scale community retail role.

• Arts-and-crafts retail · 2013

  Michaels

  Michaels provides arts, crafts, framing, seasonal décor, and related hobby merchandise. The store opened next to TJ Maxx in 2013 and is identified in reference material as one of the mall's anchor or major anchor tenants.

• Apparel retail · 2020

  Old Navy

  Old Navy opened in November 2020 after construction combined the former Dressbarn and Questers Way areas. Its entrance is accessed from the parking lot because the redevelopment sealed the older interior connection to the mall.

• Entertainment · 2004

  Movie theater

  A movie theater opened at East Brook Mall in 2004, adding an entertainment component to the shopping center. It closed temporarily in 2009 and later reopened under new ownership.

• Casual dining · 2001

  Applebee's

  Applebee's opened in a freestanding location in the mall parking area in 2001, extending the property's offer beyond enclosed retail into casual dining.

• 2021

  Partial conversion of former Payless spaceStrategy

  Background

  The former Payless Shoe Source unit was no longer occupied and needed to be re-tenanted.

  Action taken

  Sally Beauty took approximately half of the unit, and interior access to the space was sealed.

  Aftermath

  The remaining half was reported as vacant in April 2022 despite earlier indications that a prospective tenant existed.

  Source

• 2020

  Old Navy redevelopment and openingProduct launch

  Background

  Dressbarn and Questers Way had left the subdivided former JCPenney area in 2019.

  Action taken

  Construction began in early 2020, and Old Navy opened in November using both former tenant areas. The project sealed the interior mall entrance.

  Aftermath

  Old Navy gained a dedicated parking-lot entrance, while the change altered internal pedestrian circulation and prompted concern that interior mall traffic could decline.

  Source

• 2013

  Subdivision of the former JCPenney spaceStrategy

  Background

  JCPenney's departure left a large anchor unit vacant.

  Action taken

  The space was divided into smaller units for Dressbarn, Questers Way, Dollar Tree, and a children's recreation facility.

  Aftermath

  The approach reduced dependence on a single department-store tenant, but several occupants later closed and the area was redeveloped again for Old Navy.

  Source

• 2005

  Modernization of the mall propertyStrategy

  Background

  The property needed updated public areas and a more contemporary physical presentation.

  Action taken

  The mall added glass atrium entrances, an exterior wooden canopy, new paint and lighting, and skylights.

  Aftermath

  The renovation refreshed the property's appearance before Kohl's opened in the former Caldor space in 2006.

  Source

1. 1East Brook Mallen.wikipedia.org