After a tumultuous start to the year where several stores, including a few national brands and some that had been in place for decades, left the Meadowbrook Mall, the end of the year has come with a flurry of good news. In recent weeks, the Bridgeport retail anchor has announced the arrival of stores such as Maurices, Cricket Wireless, Four Horsemen Gaming and others.

 

Now, the good news continues. This time, however, it doesn’t involve the arrival of a new store.

 

Instead, one of the mall’s national brands is doing a major renovation to its space. Earlier this month, plans for a makeover of Journeys at the mall was submitted – and a building permit filed – to handle a substantial upgrade.

 

“They’re looking at the main sales floor and other areas,” said Bridgeport Community Development Director Randy Spellman. “This update will basically be a complete renovation.”

 

And it will be a renovations in the tens of thousands of dollars. Spellman said the building permit that came with it was for $58,800.

 

Joe Bell, director of corporate communications for the Ohio-based Cafaro Company that owns the mall and retail space nationwide, said this is another good sign that well into its third decade that Meadowbrook Mall is still seeing plenty of new businesses arrive and existing businesses invest.

 

“We always encourage our retailers to their spaces fresh and up to date. It’s encouraging to see it happening here and that the company is enthusiastic about doing it,” said Bell. “We care about maintaining a look that’s fresh and contemporary and this does that. We know that this will help them in their efforts to continue to be successful and helps with our efforts of keeping this as modern as possible.”

 

Kevin L. Cooper, AIA, is the architect of record on the project. Spellman said there was no timeline given, but that it will definitely begin after the start of 2017.

 

“Typically, when you see renovations they will came at this time period because it’s after the holiday rush,” said Spellman. “This is certainly good news for the mall and its ongoing vitality.”

 

Editor's Note: Community Development Director Randy Spellman goes over the plans for the renovation of Journeys at Meadowbrook Mall.