Friday, May 02, 2008

Our State of Affairs

Just wanted to give all of my readers a window our state of affairs here at The Caldor Rainbow.

If ever we fade into the black like our friend Keith Milford over at Malls of America (who mysteriously hasn't updated the site in almost a year), we'll be sure to go out with a generous farewell.

That won't be happening anytime soon.

Even if the updates aren't as frequent, I have no plans to abandon the site despite the last few months of radio silence.

Allow me to address a few things as of late. Being busy with life myself, it's unifyingly obvious our retail circle is undoubtedly in a slowdown with us included. My reasons might not stray beyond our affiliates: fuel and living costs have risen dramatically over the past month causing a drought in travel and with it new content. We've also run dry of content to focus on locally. We assure you we've got some plans for site updates, which will hopefully resume in the next months with windows of time visible to take such ventures.

We're still oriented in our goal and the site's past content and success is a testament to that. We will bring stories of interest to you, the readers, if you'll just stick with us through sticky times.

Furthering, the site is still alive if not regularly updated and has been quite a ride thus far -- for me and hopefully for you all as well. In these past years, I like to think we've covered a lot, lived up to the goals, and brought forth quality content for you. We'd like to continue that, so please stay tuned.

We'll also please direct you to look towards our Flickr, where updates have become easier for myself.

This is a good time to hear you. The site is ever-evolving as it's been from day one -- willing to be flexible and experimental in our content. Is there something you would like to see on The Caldor Rainbow? If so, with any other comments, please let us know.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good to here from you, I was wondering what happened.

A little update on the Torrington Parkade, the Ames store now is completely gone, the outside of the new Big Y is completed now with it's signage up, they also have a new plaza sign as well, they've been repaving the place, it looks surprisingly pretty nice. The old Parkade sign is still around but it doesn't light up anymore. The Burger King is still vacant, thats all I know so far. I've been driving by the place ever since I got my car fixed.

Oh and finally, finally Paragon updated the site plan on their website.

Pseudo3D said...

Well, it is pretty bleak: malls are dying, gas prices spiral up, chains are going bankrupt, sounds like the 1990s. I don't know what this site should do...

Anonymous said...

I have come by here many times and was saddened not to see new content, however, very soon I'm sure there will be new things to come.

If you are in the Hartford area, come by the Berlin Turnpike. Aldi is currently being built, and so is the new Sam's Club next to Stew Leonard's in Newington. Also, once Sam's opens, Home Depot in Berlin will expand to the former Sam's space, so I'm sure a major update will happen on the facade. In the Newington town center, A&P/FoodMart is still vacant, and I'm sure soon another store will move in. Finally, in Berlin, across from the A&P/Ocean State plaza on Webster Square, there are plans for another shopping center, so things haven't slowed down here.

Just like this so called "recession", this site will soon get back to normal and stabilize. I have hope. I hate the word "slowdown" for some reason. People talk these days as if the country will shut down and never recover. It saddens me to see that many people love to give up.

Anonymous said...

What would I like to see? More histories of retail stores. I can think of a few you either haven't covered or haven't covered in depth, like you did with Caldor or Bradlees: Jordan Marsh, Filenes, Ann and Hope, Lechmere, JM Fields, Kings, Zayre, the various music stores that are going the way of the dinosaur (thanks to mp3s and iTunes): places like Tower, HMV, Sam Goody, Strawberries, Musicland, Good Vibrations, etc. There's still a lot of ground to cover, as far as I can see!

Anonymous said...

Nice to see you haven't fallen off the face of the earth.

Anonymous said...

I'd love to see a history of how certain chains came to be localized, how area malls are making due, plans for the future of the retail chains and malls and maybe even some more throwback advertising items (commercials especially!).

Anonymous said...

This is a great site and glad to hear you're still alive and well!

I'd like to see histories of specific shopping plazas, especially those that are still surviving (even if they are struggling). An evolution story with pictures of these plazas would be cool to see, too.

Megan McGory Gleason said...

Oh, like someone above said...a history of Zayre! It's hard to believe the only remnants I can find of that store exist on price tags of strange things I find at Salvation Army.

I hear you on the gas prices. People say it will be $4/gallon by the summer...but CT is higher than everywhere else so it's already $4 in the western part of the state! (I guess...I don't know, I don't leave Windham or New London counties anymore...)

Jude said...

Glad you are just taking a break.

The former Caldor on New Britain Ave in West Hartford is well on its way to becoming a grocery store (Price Rite or Price Chopper, word on the street says) - they've repaved and replanted the lot, bulldozed the Piper Brook Restaurant. New Britain Ave itself is having quite a makeover up to the Hartford town line, with new trees planted, brick sidewalk inserts, and stub-ups for what looks like decorative street lamps.

And yeah to McCrory and Zayre. My dad worked at the McCrory corporate HQ in York PA from 67 - 74, and then at Zayre's corporate HQ in Natick MA from 75 - 79.

pika23 said...

glad to see you all are well...and updating at least to give us a heads up unlike lousy old keith milford, who just dropped off the face of the earth

Disneyana World said...

I just found your blog and it's incredible.

I came across the blog by searching for pictures of Toys R Us 1980s.

I would love to share some pictures of a local Toys R Us that still has traces of the 1980s.

I'd also like to share pictures of a Children's Palace building.

Where should these pictures be sent?

pika23 said...

pleasant family shopping is another great blogspot site...they have sears history as well as Kresge and Kmart among others from time to time.

Nicholas M. DiMaio said...

Pika, I wouldn't called Keith "lousy" but I like many others really miss him and wasn't happy when he quietly abandoned his site with any real declaration of what's going on.

Disneyana, head over to my Flickr account where you can find all of my Toys "R" Us photos downloadable.

Also, I am aware of Pleasant Family Shopping -- excellent site with many fantastic old photos.

Lastly, I've got a new story in the pipeline that details the partial renovation at Westfarms Mall. I hope to get that up next week, so you all stay tuned.

Anonymous said...

I would just put some of your great Flickr photos in your blog. Have you brought up all your Dunkin Donuts photos?

Not to go too far off topic, but I was never a fan of that Malls of America blog. A bunch of retail postcards he bought of of eBay. Big whoop.

Anonymous said...

I happened to notice a "discount store" (ie nothing you've ever heard of) in Houston with red, yellow, blue, and green tiles around the facade.

What I think should be done to the site is focus more on histories of older malls. The expose on Holyoke Mall was very enjoyable, and I'd like to see more.

Anonymous said...

Hey! Guess what I saw in Waco, Texas! A Toys R Us with a brown mansard roof! A classic-looking Geoffeory! (did I spill that right?) RAINBOW STRIPING!!!

Sadly, I didn't get a picture...BUT IT'S THERE.

Advertising agencies in karachi said...

I enjoyed reading it. I'm supposed to be somewhere else in a minute but I stuck to reading the story. I like the quality of your blog: D