For much of the past year, most of the news at the Meadowbrook Mall has been positive as it relates to businesses. Even when one business went out, there was usually the announcement of another in its place.

 

The mall has recently seen the addition of Rock N Roll Rolled Ice Cream, the announcement of virtual gaming business Planet X, Boost Mobile, and Adams Hallmark to replace the previous Hallmark Store. Even the loss of Payless Shoes and food court restaurant Miskycha was tempered by the arrival of those mentioned above.

 

Recently, however, another business left the city’s retail hub. And this time the business didn’t make it a year. UBurn Sauce Company, which opened operations in the mall on Nov. 9 of 2018, fell several months short of a one-year anniversary.

 

According to officials with the City of Bridgeport Finance Department, UBurn closed shop on May 1 of this year. UBurn was located by Books-A-Million and sold products, as their name suggested, such as sauces along with jams, jellies, cured hams, honey products, pickles, beef jerky, old fashion soda pop, cheese, Amish food products and other specialty items.

 

Joe Bell, the corporate communications manager for the Ohio-Based Cafaro Company that owns the mall, said situations such as this aren’t the norm for the mall or most retail establishments.

 

“Something such as this is an anomaly,” said Bell, “but each case with each business is different. We’ve seen stores offering a niche product before having difficulty getting their footing in developing a clientele.”

 

The loss of UBurn leaves a roughly 1,007-foot empty space that Cafaro would like to fill sooner rather than later. As of now, there’s nothing set for the spot and Bell said there’s not a preference for what goes into the location.

 

“It could easily by a national franchise needing a small kiosk type space or maybe something more local, which has been typical for that location,” said Bell. “I don’t want to pigeon hole the space as being only for a mom and pop type of business. I can say this, generally speaking our real estate people are open to working with anyone interested in any space, large or small, with all types of business. I’m certain the same process will hold true here.”