Bob's Clothing Store In Norwalk To Shut Down, Open New Combo Store

NORWALK, CT — Clothing and footwear retail chain Bob's Stores will soon shut down its Main Avenue store to make way for a new type of Bob's store opening in a different area of Norwalk.

Kevin Campbell, the store's executive vice president of operations, confirmed to Patch the Main Avenue store will soon shut down, and plans to open a new combination Bob's and Eastern Mountain Sports store on Westport Avenue are underway.

Campbell said an opening date for the new location has not been finalized yet, and the Main Avenue store will remain open for several months.

The new Norwalk location will be only the second Bob's and Eastern Mountain Sports combination store in Connecticut. A Waterford location opened in 2019, Campbell said.

"We are investing heavily in our new store growth strategy, and we plan to open 10 new locations over the next 12 months," Campbell said in an email to Patch. "We are in discussions with dozens of landlords throughout the northeast U.S. regarding similar projects involving Bob's and Eastern Mountain Sports combination stores."

The Norwalk store is planned to open at 542 Westport Avenue, the space formerly occupied by Bed Bath and Beyond before the store shut down in the spring.

"This location's unique shape, featuring two entrances and a shared back-of-house space, make it perfectly suited for a Bob's Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports combination store," Campbell said.

Signs indicating the Main Avenue location is moving were recently posted both outside and inside the store. A store closing sale is currently underway.

According to Campbell, the shutdown of the Main Avenue store will not result in any job losses.

"We plan to relocate all our existing staff to the new location," Campbell said. "In addition, we will be hiring additional management and staff for the Eastern Mountain Sports component."

When the Westport Avenue store opens, customers can expect to find a wide selection of great brands at affordable prices from Bob's Stores, along with the high-quality and affordable outdoor gear Eastern Mountain Sports is known for, Campbell said.

The Main Avenue store is currently open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Bob's frequently offers a variety of affordable clothing brands at discounted or on-sale prices, as well as a wide selection of footwear products. The Norwalk store also has a small section devoted to sports jerseys and memorabilia from a wide variety of teams and leagues.