Crystal Mall (Connecticut)

Crystal Mall

Location	Waterford, Connecticut, USA
Address	850 Hartford Turnpike
Opening date	1984
Developer	Simon Property Group
Management	Simon Property Group
Owner	Simon Property Group
No. of stores and services	130+[1]
No. of anchor tenants	5
Total retail floor area	793,000 sq ft (73,700 m2)[1]
No. of floors	2
Website	Crystal Mall

Crystal Mall is an enclosed, two-level regional mall that lies on the East Coast in Waterford, Connecticut. It is situated in a central retail area off the Hartford Turnpike (Route 85), across from another large shopping center, Waterford Commons. The mall covers a gross leaseable area of almost 800,000 square feet, making it Connecticut's ninth biggest mall, boasting over 130 shops.^[2] Its primary trade area includes a trade population of about 300,000 people, mostly serving the nearby towns of Waterford, Norwich, Groton and New London.^[3]

History

The mall was developed in 1984 by Simon Property Group. When it opened, it was the only regional mall in the area, and many smaller shopping centers faced strong competition. Some, like nearby New London Mall, were eventually forced to change strategies, such as becoming a "lifestyle center".

After about 10 years in operation, Crystal Mall's look was becoming outdated, and management realized it needed to be renewed. In 1997, the mall underwent a renovation to upgrade its interior design. The previous dark color scheme was replaced by a brighter white, the food court was remodeled, and lighting as well as other fixtures were improved. The elegant center chandelier was slated to be removed during the renovations, but the fixture was popular with shoppers, so it was shined and has remained. Unfortunately, the mall has still been criticized for its aging exterior look, and for not updating its tenants to keep up with the times.^[4][5]

In 2006, one of the mall's longstanding anchors Filene's closed its store, and the anchor space remained empty for over a year. In late 2007, it was announced that two non-traditional anchors would fill the vacant space: Christmas Tree Shops and Bed Bath & Beyond.^[6] Both retailers opened a few months later in early 2008, with Christmas Tree Shops on the first level, and Bed Bath & Beyond on the second level.^[7]

Events

Gift Cards
In 2004, the State of Connecticut began a lawsuit against Simon Property Group, the owners of Crystal Mall. The issue stemmed from the fact that Simon charged dormancy fees, and also set an expiration date on its gift cards, which is against state law. The allegations were settled in 2008, with Simon Property Group paying a total of $308,736 to affected customers and the state.^[8] However, a debate has been ongoing since the issue began, that allows Simon to effectively curb state laws by using national banks, which are under federal jurisdiction.^[9]

Mall Evacuation
On January 25, 2010, Crystal Mall was shut down and evacuated after shoppers reported smelling a strange odor. Several people felt ill, and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Hazardous Materials team, as well as firefighters were called in to investigate the source.^[10][11]

Anchors

Current anchors:

• Macy's
• Sears
• JCPenney
• Bed Bath & Beyond (2nd level)
• Christmas Tree Shops (1st level)

Former anchors:

• Filene's (closed in 2006)
• Jordan Marsh (became Macy's in 1996)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Crystal Mall". Simon Property Group. http://www.simon.com/about_simon/leasing/LocalMall.aspx?id=334. Retrieved 2011-02-23. 
2. ^ Emil Pocock (February 23, 2009). "Largest Connecticut Shopping Centers". Shopping Center Studies. Eastern Connecticut State University. http://www.easternct.edu/~pocock/MallsConn.htm. 
3. ^ "Crystal Mall" (PDF). Simon Property Group. 2010-05-03. http://www.simon.com/Mall/LeasingSheet/4823_CrystalMall_PropFactSheet.pdf. Retrieved 2011-02-23. 
4. ^ "Crystal Mall; Waterford, Connecticut". The Caldor Rainbow. January 26, 2007. http://thecaldorrainbow.blogspot.com/2007/01/crystal-mall-waterford-connecticut.html. 
5. ^ "SHOPPING MALLS - RETAIL" (PDF). TMP Consulting Engineering, Inc.. http://www.tmpeng.com/wp-content/uploads/Malls.pdf. 
6. ^ Corey Sipe (November 11, 2007). "Crystal Mall in Waterford, Connecticut, to Have Non-Traditional Anchors". Associated Press. 
7. ^ Corey Sipe (February 29, 2008). "Crystal Mall in Waterford, Connecticut". Associated Press. 
8. ^ "Attorney General, DCP, Treasurer Announce $308,000 Settlement With Crystal Mall Owners..." (Press release). Connecticut Attorney General's Office. December 29, 2008. http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?A=2795&Q=430626. 
9. ^ Anthony Cronin (September 2, 2006). "State Aims to Enforce Rules On Gift Cards" (PDF). The Day. http://www.state.ct.us/ott/morenews/2006/morenews090206newlondon.pdf. 
10. ^ Michael Naughton (January 26, 2010). "Crystal Mall evacuated after odor reported". The Day. http://www.theday.com/article/20100126/NWS01/301269945/1044. 
11. ^ "Crystal Mall Evacuated Amid Strange Odor". WFSB. January 25, 2010. http://www.wfsb.com/news/22336094/detail.html. 

Coordinates: 41°22′28″N 72°08′38″W / 41.3745°N 72.1440°W / 41.3745; -72.1440