From P.F. Changs to pickleball, these stores and restaurants expected to open at CT malls soon

Malls across Connecticut are still recovering from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, as highlighted by store and restaurant closings at several shopping centers during the past few months. 

At the same time, a number of malls in the state are holding their own by recruiting newcomers. Here’s a look at some of the openings that are expected during the next few months. 

Connecticut Post Mall, Milford

Mall officials have said that they expect a P.F. Chang’s Asian-fusion restaurant to open late this year, taking the space formerly occupied by Bar Louie. Within Connecticut, P.F. Chang’s other location is at Westfarms mall, on the Farmington-West Hartford line. 

Danbury Fair

Eyewear retailer Warby Parker plans to open its store at the mall in late July. The new establishment will be Warby Parker's sixth location in Connecticut, alongside stores in Darien, Norwalk, Farmington, Greenwich and New Haven. 

“We’re thrilled to expand our retail presence in Connecticut at Danbury Fair,” said Sandy Gilsenan, chief retail and customer experience officer at Warby Parker. “This new location will allow us to continue offering access to affordable, holistic eye care, including eye exams, and meet our online customers from the area in person.”

In the mall’s food court, billboards promote the upcoming openings of Chomp Chomp, Terra Nossa Brazilian Grill and T-swirl Crepe. 

T-swirl, which specializes in Japanese crepes, has locations across 17 states. Its two other establishments in Connecticut are in Fairfield and New Haven. 

Terra Nossa's establishment at the mall will be its first in Connecticut. It also has restaurants in the Massachusetts communities of Braintree, Burlington, Cape Cod and Natick, as well as one in Providence, Rhode Island.  

A website for Chomp Chomp could not be found, so it is unclear whether it has other locations. 

A message left this week for the mall’s management inquiring about the timeline for the openings in the food court was not returned. 

Meriden Mall

Signs are posted for the upcoming opening of Club Pickleball, which is setting up within a section of the mall previously occupied by Meriden Public Library and an Old Navy store.

A message left this week for the mall’s management inquiring when Club Pickleball would open was not returned. 

Stamford Town Center

A children’s-play center, Angel Land, is expected to open “mid-summer” at the mall, according to Dan Stolzenbach, Stamford Town Center’s general manager. It will be the first location in the U.S., for the Canada-based operators of Angel Land. The new establishment will join two other play centers at the mall, Fun Palace and Kiddo Land.

Stamford Town Center is also planning to host a “new haunted house experience” this year and welcome back a holiday-season installation, the Holiday Wish Express, Stolzenbach said.

“Shortly after the new year,” Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao is expected to open in the mall’s restaurant plaza, Stolzenbach added.  

The restaurant at Stamford Town Center will be the first in Connecticut for Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which specializes in cuisine from the area of Shanghai, China. Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao also has restaurants in New York City; Westbury, New York; Cherry Hill, New Jersey; East Rutherford, New Jersey; King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; and Pittsburgh. 

The Shops at Evergreen Walk, South Windsor

A pottery studio run by Little Bird Clay Co. is scheduled to open on July 8, while furniture retailer La-Z-Boy is aiming to open its store at Evergreen Walk over Labor Day weekend, according to the shopping center’s management. 

La-Z-Boy's store at Evergreen Walk will replace its nearby store at 233 Buckland Hills Drive in Manchester. Within Connecticut, La-Z-Boy also has stores in Brookfield, Milford and Newington.

“These new openings are a great addition to the many other newly opened retailers here in recent months, including My Salon Suite, Whole Foods Market, Bluemercury, Golf Lounge 18, Massage Envy, Nike Well Collective, Shake Shack, J.Jill, Sunglass Hut and LensCrafters,” said Elizabeth Zigmont, a spokesperson for The Shops at Evergreen Walk. “The Shops at Evergreen Walk has undergone a rebrand with a fresh new look to enhance the overall shopping experience and create a welcoming environment for visitors with a brand-new name, logo, website and exterior signage.”

The SoNo Collection, Norwalk

Video-game retailer GameStop store is expected to open its store at the mall this summer, according to SoNo Collection officials. GameStop has another store in Norwalk, at 360 Connecticut Ave.

Hot Topic, which specializes in pop culture-themed apparel and merchandise, plans to open a store at the mall by the end of the year. The other Hot Topic stores in Connecticut are located at the following malls: Brass Mill Center in Waterbury; Crystal Mall in Waterford; Danbury Fair; Connecticut Post Mall; Meriden Mall; The Shoppes at Buckland Hills in Manchester; Trumbull Mall; and Westfarms.

SoNo Collection is also expanding its dining options, with the expected openings by the end of this year of Sally’s Apizza and Chiwa Bistro. Sally's, one of the best-known homegrown dining businesses in Connecticut, also has establishments in New Haven; Stamford; Fairfield; and Woburn, Massachusetts. Chiwa, whose menu features ramen and sushi dishes, also has a restaurant at Christiana Mall in Newark, Delaware. 

“The addition of two new restaurants adds a great variety to our dining lineup,” said Bill King, senior director of leasing at Brookfield Properties, the operator of SoNo Collection. “Hot Topic complements the tenant mix on level three. And GameStop will be a fun addition not only because of its popularity but also because we are excited to bring a gaming option to our growing lineup.” 

Trumbull Mall

Sana’s Beauty Esthetics is planning to open on the mall’s second level in mid-July, relocating from its current location at 501 Boston Post Road in Orange, according to the business' owner, Saima Qureshi.

At the mall, Sana’s Beauty Esthetics will be, “offering centralized and expanded services in a more accessible location,” Qureshi said. 

Westfarms, Farmington-West Hartford line

Lifestyle brand Miniso is expected to open a store at the mall in August, according to Westfarms officials. Within Connecticut, Miniso’s other store is at SoNo Collection.