The start of the new year has not gone well for Meriden Mall, as one of its long-time stores has permanently closed. As seen below, Zumiez has now fully closed and the shutters have been lowered one last time. At one time, the once-busy mall attracted a lot of footfall, however, this seems to be rapidly declining. At this point, the number of empty retail spaces is close to the number of occupied spots which is a worrying trend for the space.

Sadly, this isn’t exclusive to Meriden Mall as other Connecticut malls have also suffered in recent years such as Crystal Mall. Arguably, this is due to the rise of online shopping meaning consumers have been less inclined to visit physical stores. As well, the economic downturn has affected many businesses at the mall, leading to store closures and decreased revenue.

After first opening in the early 1970s, Meriden Mall peaked in popularity in the 1990s but has since struggled due to the aforementioned reasons.

Founded in 1978 by Thomas Campion and Gary Haakenson, Zumiez is a popular chain of retail stores that specialize in selling action sports-related clothing, footwear, and accessories. They have multiple locations in Connecticut, including Milford, Manchester, and Waterbury. Each store offers a wide selection of brands and styles, catering to the needs of skateboarders, snowboarders, and other action sports enthusiasts.