Major Clothing Store Closing In Southington

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Approximately seven months after opening last fall, a major clothing retailer is now closing in Southington..

According to company officials, the Bob's Store located at 835 Queen St. is closing, one of five company stores (including Eastern Mountain Sports locations) slated to be shuttered.

The other four stores are not in Connecticut, with Southington's Bob's being the lone casualty in the state.

"As a result of challenging economic conditions, Bob’s Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports have made the difficult decision to close five underperforming stores," said a Bob's spokesperson in a statement Wednesday.

Also being shuttered is a Bob's in Freehold, N.J.; a Bob's in Springfield/Watchung, N.J.; Eastern Mountain Sports in Manchester, N.H.; and an Eastern Mountain Sports in East Albany, N.Y., the company said.

Company officials said those losing their jobs at the Southington store could be relocated to other sites.

"We are actively working to relocate as many employees as possible from these impacted locations to nearby Bob’s and Eastern Mountain Sports stores," wrote Bob's officials

Bob's cited economic difficulties for the closings, which it said were necessary.

"These closings have been a challenging yet necessary step to ensure the longevity of the company," wrote Bob's.

"We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of all our employees and will continue to serve our loyal customers who have known and loved our brands for decades."

Last fall, Bob's announced it was opening a store at the Southington location in the former site previously occupied by a Bed, Bath & Beyond, which shuttered.

News of Bob's Southington closure comes after the Meriden-based company announced last week it was laying off about 150 employees at its Meriden headquarters.

At the time, the company announced "unforeseen business circumstances" as the reason for the layoffs.

From May 23: ' Bob’s Stores Laying Off Nearly 150 Employees In Meriden'

From Oct. 26, 2023: 'Major Clothing/Footwear Retailer Coming To Southington'