Chain Reaction: One Big Box Quickly Becoming Another In Manchester

MANCHESTER, CT — Work is underway at the Plaza at Buckland Hills in Manchester to transform the former Big Lots store into a new location for the Burlington Stores chain.

For those of us not paying attention, that's the new name for Burlington Coat Factory.

In July, the Big Lots location at the plaza appeared on a closure list amid financial difficulties thaty eventually led to a bankruptcy filing. About two weeks earlier, in a filing with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission, Big Lots officials divulged plans to close as many as 40 of its 1,392 stores nationwide and the discount retailer warned in a regulatory report that it has "substantial doubts" it can continue as a functioning business.

Manchester Director of Planning and Economic Development Gary Anderson said when Big Lots eventually vacated the space, Burlington swooped in to grab it.

"And the build-out has begun. It was quick," he said.

The new Burlington store will be located about 13 minutes and 5.5 miles away from the chain's longtime location at 940 Silver lane in East Hartford. A staffer there, when asked if the location is being phased out, simply said "no" and insisted the location was remaining.

The staffer termed it an expansion.

One frequent shopper said the East Hartford location now offers about half of what it once did in a trimmed-down layout.

In addition to East Hartord, the Manchester Burlington store will be joining a Connecticut lineup that includes Enfield, Bloomfield, Newington, Farmington, Cromwell, Bristol, Meriden, Hamden, Waterbury, Stratford, Orange, Milford and New London.