Bradlees Sinks at The Dock

Late last year, there were talks of BJ's Wholesale Club moving into the long-vacant Bradlees site at The Dock. The shopping center, well-established by seaside shares a view and locale with the Long Island Sound and Interstate 95 as a charming backdrop located at the border of Stratford adjacent US-1, along Ferry Boulevard. Months passed as the site continued to linger as it did for almost 7 years past the chain's final liquidations ensuing their declaration of closure late 2000.

A VACANT JO-ANN FABRICS BESIDE A NOW CLEARED LONG-VACANT BRADLEES SITE


ONE DOWN: TWO MORE BRADLEES SITES REMAIN UNCLAIMED IN CONNECTICUT

Back in March 2007, we scoped out the the site for what we knew might be one of the last times to document an ailing, historic Bradlees until our photo shoot was toned down to our choosing upon the sighting of a plaza realtor who was lingering around front of the property. We swung by today upon our driving through Stratford to reveal the remnants of the former site 'sunken'.

Just a few months later upon a trip which had us driving by the site via Interstate 95, we sighted a full wrecking crew clawing away at one of three vacant remaining Bradlees sites in Connecticut.

THE NOW DEMOLISHED BRADLEES AS IT WAS ON MARCH 12, 2007

Apart Stratford, two other remains of the departed Bradlees chain remain unclaimed: Hartford along Park Street and easily visible off Interstate 84 and one in Manchester at the dilapidated ghost town annex of the Manchester Parkade along Broad Street.

A DISTINCTIVE SIDE ENTRANCE TO BRADLEES AT THE DOCK

The Stratford location, which opened in 1973 originally featured the two once coupled anchors Stop & Shop and Bradlees on opposing ends, flanking the shopping center with Stop & Shop Companies brands. Today, Stop & Shop has since divorced its former location, moving to an extended annex of The Dock behind the former, leaving the remains to anchors Staples and PetCo while Bradlees has been vacant for awhile following the company's closure.

But not for long. When rumors of a mega-retailer, BJ's Wholesale Club was to swoop in and revive a site things changed. It appears a few other smaller shops next to Bradlees would also chose to close its store. One of those retailers was major plaza anchor Jo-Ann Fabrics, who's neighborly placement aside a silent Bradlees has since been given The Dock a flu that dispelled Bradlees for almost a decade. Jo Ann, one of the leading fabric chains, moved another store earlier this year in Torrington at the Torrington Parkade following a massive redevelopment for a Lowe's.

BJ's Wholesale Club, who recently opened a new store, ironically, in Manchester on the Tolland Turnpike site of a long vacant Heartland Drug plaza in a town where another dead Bradlees site lives.

BJ's aims to open its 11th Connecticut store in Stratford by Fall 2007.