by | Aug 11, 2022 4:45 pm
(13) Comments | Post a Comment | E-mail the Author
Posted to: Business/ Economic Development
Markeshia Ricks File Photo
The Patagonia outdoor clothing franchise at the prime corner of Broadway and York is closing up shop on Aug. 21.
It’s holding a clearance sale until then.
The California-based, outdoor apparel company, known for its staunch commitment to the environment and fair labor practices, opened its Elm City outpost in 2017. (Read an article about that here.)
Markeshia Ricks File Photo
Shoppers inside Patagonia.
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Great news in my opinion. Time to get rid of these overpriced chains (cough cough Lululemon) in that strip and bring in some cooler mom and pop stores that don't cater just to the wealthiest Yale undergrads. Oh for the good old days of Cutler's, Rhymes, the Earth Shoe store, the Educated Burgher etc.
Yes, please!
Oh no! How will Yalies buy things to look like they are living the rough life!!!?? Yes, Lifer, local biz would be great but the chains and monster stores have driven most out of business in places like NH and discouraged new businesses from even trying here. I always remember the doc about Walmart--- "WALMART: THE HIGH COST OF LOW PRICE"
Lifer, I have little love for the chains, and was a big fan of Cutler's. But brick and mortar retail of all types is struggling nationally. Given Yale's persnickityness, I fear the location will be vacant for a long time.
Robn, EMS would be a good fit. But I suspect it could not afford the rent
CityYankee, agree that the big chains are hurting small businesses, more so that they enforce an entitled behavior onto their customers, who in turn expect the same low low prices for made in China cheap goods from small businesses who can’t, or shouldn’t have to compete with that.
The real problem with retail in new haven is that yale is an absolutely tone deaf and authoritarian landlord. They have no desire to foster small local businesses and have insane 100 page leases dictating what businesses can and can not do with the spaces. Local retail is thriving in other parts of town, including Ninth Square and Westville Village, where yale is not the landlord.
Yup, Yale drive out lots of local small food and beverage and retail businesses due to month to month leases and the hours that they required those businesses to be open. Yale had turned many of their commercial properties into educational uses to avoid paying taxes (Naples/Wall St Pizzeria) and brought in high end national chains and boutiques to make downtown feel like an upscale mall geared towards their Ivy League college students rather than the interesting quirky small mom and pop run places that easily mixed town and gown and were affordable and lured in shoppers and diners from the suburbs. Bring back variety and locals and interesting and get rid of generic and high end and only student bodies oriented merchandise .
In the spirit of the nostalgia over Upper State Street ... I remember when that corner was a Liggett's Rexall Drugstore.
It still strikes me as a good location for a pharmacy / drugstore, though it would have to be a chain one no doubt. The CVS at Whalley and Orchard just closed. The independent drugstore on Temple Street closed a few years ago. Where's the nearest drugstore now? Where do Yalies go for their everyday sundries?
I remember the drugstore on the corner, then Demery’s bar and club, and then Au Bon Pan.
Unfortunately I think that the presence of LL Bean in York Sq precludes another outdoors store. Too bad because LL Bean was more outdoor as a fashion statement than neccesity; whereas a Patagonia or EMS (or Trailblazer) actually caters to climbers and hikers.
When they opened LL Bean in New Haven it is mostly fashion type clothing, but they closed the outlet store in Orange which had home goods and outdoor gear and equipment, as well as their classic clothing and footwear that appealed to a wider audience. If they won’t put in an EMS store to compete with LL Bean, then they should open an LL Bean outlet store with outdoor gear and home goods and their more classic clothing and footwear for a wider range of shoppers. I know lots of CT customers who shopped the outlet store, the West Hartford store and the catalog, who are dissatisfied with the merchandise at the Elm St store.
Eastern Mountain Sports...hint hint.