Changes are on the way in Enfield.
A new L.L. Bean store is now part of the many shops at Brookside Plaza. The grand opening is this Friday, and town leaders say it’s just the start of a plan to revitalize the community.
The outdoor retailer not only has customers excited, but town leaders as well.
"It's needed here," said Cheryl Arseneault of Somers.
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"There's a lot of people starting to pay attention to Enfield, get reengaged with it. It's a gateway to Connecticut," said Aaron Marcavitch, the town's director of economic and community development.
The L.L. Bean replaces a Bed, Bath and Beyond, which had been there for 16 years. After that, the building was empty for well over a year.
It's now one of four L.L. Bean stores to open across the country this year, and Marcavitch says he is happy to see the doors open again.
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"It's an awesome opportunity to have this right here. A lot of outdoor opportunities," said Marcavitch.
"So many people in this area have been talking about it. Too many stores here are closing, and this is a quality store," said Arseneault.
'Quality' is what Enfield town officials say they're after. They're looking to revitalize the town with a new train station, revamp the area along the river, and make significant changes to the Enfield Square Mall.
"The Enfield Square Mall Redevelopment Project is a massive $250 million project that will look to remove the existing 1970's era mall and replace it with a mixture of housing, hospitality, and shops," said Marcavitch.
He says one of those shops could be a high-end grocery store with organic options.
"The mall project may begin sometime in 2025 with some groundbreaking, the train station is looking at 2025, some of the other projects may be further out than that," said Marcavitch. "We're the largest town between Springfield and Hartford so we have a really great opportunity here as the gateway."
Doors open at 9 a.m. on Friday, October 4. The first 100 customers at the store on October 4 and 5 will receive a $50 L.L. Bean gift card.
