Saks Opening Kicking Off Flurry of Corbin's Corner Activity

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Saks Off 5th is slated to open in Corbin's Corner on Thursday and it will jump-start a series of retail movements in that area of town.

The development was spurred by Seritage Grown Properties, which has been snatching up old Sears buildings and "repurposing" them, West Hartford Economic Development Specialist Kristen Gorski said.

Seritage Growth Properties is a New York City-based, publicly traded real estate investment trust primarily engaged in "releasing and redeveloping its 253 property portfolio into first class multi-tenanted shopping centers." The REIT's portfolio contains more than 40 million square feet of building space across 49 states and Puerto Rico.

The general address for the Corbin's Corner activity is 1445 New Britain Ave., she said.

Shake Shack is to move in nearby and REI is relocating from Blue back Square, Gorski said. Both could open next week, she said.

Also in the mix are Buy Buy Baby and Cost Plus World Market. They should be open by early summer, if not sooner, she said.

"I think what is really great about the Corbin's Corner development is the repurposing, Gorski said. "It's really smart in a time when retail is difficult — and we've all seen the national trends of downsizing or even closing — so it probably doesn't make sense for new construction."

Photo Credit: Seritage Growth Properties