There are a pair of dates that stand out when it comes to retail in Bridgeport. The dates are March 27, 2017, and August 31, 2018.

 

In 2017, Sears ceased operations as an anchor store. More than a year later, Elder-Beerman followed suit.

 

The news, by just about any standard, was not good. The only thing was that anchor stores had closed before at Meadowbrook Mall only to be replaced. As the timelines show, that has not been the case with the two mentioned above.

 

As of today, years later on both, they remain vacant.

 

Before going further, for those who think the Meadowbrook Mall in particular and retail sales in general are dead or dying, there is really no need to go further. There is no need to make the standard stale comments about the mall from its death to why whatever business is not there although I am certain that will take place.

 

The mall and retail may not be as healthy as they were several years ago, but on more than one occasion since then numbers provided by City Finance Director Monica Musgrave for past stories have shown retail to have only taken a minor hit since the two big box stores bid the city farewell.

 

That said, any new business at the Meadowbrook Mall always draws attention. What has not drawn attention for some time is anything coming to the former anchor spots. In fact, I have not heard talk regarding the anchor spots at the mall, or much talk about the mall in general, during any public meeting for a long time.

 

That changed during this month’s Bridgeport Development Authority. And it came late in the meeting from Mayor Andy Lang to update fellow members.

 

“I recently did the brotherly thing and visited my sister in Youngstown (Ohio). I also coordinated a visit with Cafaro (Company, the mall’s owners),” Lang told members. “I had a chance to have a two-hour conversation with them in their conference room in Youngstown.”

 

The meeting included a pair of company heavyweights – Leasing Director Brian McGahahan and Co-President Anthony Cafaro, who happens to be the grandson of the company’s founder. Lang said the meeting did not provide a list of clients being recruited or who are close to coming or even close to leaving. It did provide a sense of comfort things were not as bad as many want to believe with malls, shopping plazas and retail.

 

“They didn’t really give me any great details, but they’re low on debt therefore they’re stable. The feel retail is slowly starting to come back,” said Lang. “They don’t expect it to boom, but they expect it to stabilize nationwide.”

 

As for the Meadowbrook Mall?

 

“They still feel very comfortable about this facility down here. They were very supportive of it and right on top of things,” said Lang.

 

It was at this point when he got into the anchor spots. And he said the pair mentioned a store, noted a year ago in this very blog by a person understanding the retail industry, that was pointed out in that blog as being a perfect fit for the Meadowbrook Mall.

 

“There are a couple of chains that are similar to the old Stone & Thomas (the precursor to Elder-Beerman) type of department stores. Boscov’s is one of those,” said Lang. “They say they are very conservative, but they’re slowly working their way into facilities they have.”

 

I asked Lang if he mentioned anchor stores and Boscov’s or whether it was brought up by the Cafaro officials.

 

“They bought up Boscov’s and their office is in the back of a mall (Eastwood Mall Complex) in Youngstown and there is a Boscov’s there,” said Lang. “They told me they’re a selective company that when making a decision then move fast.

 

“Does that mean anything in relation to our mall? I have no idea,” Lang continued. “It was good to hear a specific anchor type store mentioned.”

 

Another thing Lang brought up was Target, one of two anchors still left. He said the company understands the dynamics of Target – including looking and refurbishing existing stores as opposed to adding new locations at the moment – and that led to a question from BDA President John Stogran that may be of interest.

 

“Some Target locations have a full-blown grocery store. If they’re refurbishing and would do that here, expanding into a full grocery store would be nice,” said Stogran.

 

Stogran, Lang, and everyone else involved in the meeting understands the development process. You just do not say we need a grocery store, pick up the phone, call a store’s corporate headquarters and one comes tomorrow.

 

The folks at White Oaks, Charles Pointe, and yes, the mall have been trying for years with no success. For those who think it is easy, there is land available at both developments those developers would be glad to sell you to make that happen.

 

Most cities do not actively recruit businesses either. A city’s responsibility is to make their municipality attractive for development. With Bridgeport approaching $50 million in building permits this year, it is hard to say they have come up short on that front – and that is actually down a bit.

 

As for the mall, Lang would love to see a Boscov’s. He would love to see a grocery store. In fact, he would love to see a few of the empty smaller spots filled too. Lang said after the meeting he thinks things are going to happen in a positive manner in the future.

 

“They talked about a lot of things and were very on top of what’s coming down the line, what’s existing and keeping their properties up. They were positive about us, a lot, and I see stability there in my opinion,” said Lang. “There was no ‘oh my God’ comments about storefront issues. They are positive about us and have shown that by investing millions in updating the facility.

 

“The mall is on fairly solid ground in a period of time when a lot of retail is struggling,” Lang continued. “Good things are coming. What’s better, is the mall is not going away tomorrow. It still has a future, and again my opinion, a bright one in Bridgeport.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Elder-Beerman prior to its closing, while Harrison County resident Russ Colley looks over items at Sears prior to its 2017 closing. In the third photo is Mayor Andy Lang, while BDA President John Stogran is shown below.