For those individuals looking for a good deal for the holidays, a long-time business at the Meadowbrook Mall may have what you’re looking for. Kitchen Collection, in place for nearly two decades, is having an ultimate sale for all the wrong reasons.

 

The store will be closing before the start of 2020, a store employee confirmed.  The closing is not necessarily a reflection on the local business or that of the Meadowbrook Mall. Earlier this year the company announced it was closing all 160 of its stores nationwide.

 

With the closing, another long-time tenant of the mall is departing. According to the City of Bridgeport’s Finance Department, Kitchen Collection opened its doors on Nov. 7, 2003.

 

While the halls on both sides of the area where the business is located are full, officials hate to see any business leave. And this one is no different.

 

“We are sad to see them go as we are with any establishment,” said Bridgeport Community Development Director Andrea Kerr. “They have so many unique gadgets, not just on the kitchen front, that it was an interesting place to shop. It’s always tough to see a business that’s been around for a while leave.”

 

The mall has seen several smaller businesses leave in the past year along with the arrival of others. The one area where the mall has not had success is filling in the slots of the two anchor stores – Sears and Elder Beerman – that department. Those spaces, barring holiday stores, remain vacant.

 

“Minus the anchor stores, the mall has done a pretty good job of filling most of the space,” said Kerr. “It’s hard with the anchors in most malls today, not just locally, because most retail establishments aren’t utilizing that much space. The good news is that Cafaro (Company, the mall’s owners) are still investing in this mall, which is a good sign.”

 

An employee of Kitchen Collection said the plan is to close on Dec. 31. However, the employee said the store may close earlier if all the inventory is gone.