Two National Retailers, including One in Place for Two Decades, Close Shop Recently at Meadowbrook Mall
By Jeff Toquinto on February 02, 2026
Amidst the openings and recent success of a near full roster of tenants, some businesses are leaving. In fact, two established national brands closed their businesses for good last month.
GameStop ceased operations mid-January. The closure comes almost 20 years to the day it opened. Bridgeport Finance Department records 
list its opening date as Feb. 1, 2006.
list its opening date as Feb. 1, 2006.
The closures were not isolated to Bridgeport. GameStop announced it was closing dozens of locations nationwide, and the Meadowbrook Mall site was one of them.
Also, as reported in December, after more than seven years, Torrid, which opened in the summer of 2018 at the mall, shut down on Jan. 4, 2026. An employee stated that the Torrid location at the Morgantown Mall was also closing shop.
While not happy to see it happen, such as the nature of the retail world, said Joe Bell, the corporate communications manager with Cafaro Company that owns the mall.
“We’ve seen this, and this is the time of year when you see retailers who may be teetering. or on the bubble with sales, make that decision to fold it up,” said Bell. “GameStop was not entirely unexpected because they had been talking nationally about wanting to stop some operations and reduce its footprint. It’s unfortunate because it had a lot of fans.
“There’s always another option out there,” Bell continued. “There are a lot of retail concepts and plenty that cater to gamers that could come here. About any business that leaves there is something similar that could fill that niche.”
Bell said there is a little more sting to a departure when it involves a long-term tenant. GameStop, there for two decades, qualifies.
“There’s no doubt that whenever you have particular merchant that has been at the mall for a long time, you get the feeling that they’ll be there forever,” said Bell. “When that business leaves, there is a surprise and shock factor because you always think they’ll be there a few more years, maybe 10 years, or longer. Due to retail trends, it generally doesn’t work that way.”
Bell said that the recent arrival of The Weekend Bar & Bistro as Meadowbrook Mall’s only inside sit down restaurant has been a hit. It opened the week of Thanksgiving.
“I was talking to our marketing director about the restaurant and was told it’s always busy and things are going well,” said Bell. “They know 
the business and they brought in a built-in clientele along with plenty of new folks who are enjoying the space there and the menu.
the business and they brought in a built-in clientele along with plenty of new folks who are enjoying the space there and the menu.
“It’s a natural for people shopping, or out and about, to stop there for lunch,” Bell continued about the eatery in the space formerly occupied by Garfield’s. “You have people making dinner plans after work or stopping by to get a drink. We’re happy to have them operating that restaurant.”
As for the new open spaces created by GameStop and Torrid closing, Bell said with the mall doing well, he believes they will be filled sooner rather than later.
“(Our marketing department) is actively marketing those spots. They begin marketing them as soon as there are indications that a location may be closing,” said Bell. “Don’t be surprised if you see a new retail concept of some sort at one or both spots in the not so distant future.”
Editor's Note: Top photo shows the GameStop after it had closed last month, while the vacant Torrid spot is shown in the second image. Joe Bell is shown in the bottom photo.
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