Civic Center occupants

[8893]

Not exactly. It's been in a downward trend for a while. Nordstrom was the big get and they pulled out a while ago. Most indoor malls around the country aren't doing that well.

“Like malls nationally, Providence Place has been impacted by several recent shifts in shopping-- most notably the growth of online retailing and COVID-19. As a result, our mall is not what it used to be. It still has time to be the economic asset to the city that was intended and I hope that city and state leaders work together to get things back on track," said Smiley.

GoLocalProv | News | Another Mini Crime Wave Hits Providence Place - What Is Mall’s Future?

Providence Place Mall opened in the late 1990s with a black-tie event packed with dignitaries and featuring top-level retailers. In the past ten days, episodes of violence and a robbery are just the latest incidents raising concerns about the safety of the mall.

www.golocalprov.com

Yeah I'm sure Covid did a number on all of them, but we've been there a few times in the past year or so because our daughter likes it and it seemed to be busier than I would have expected, and the area around it seemed pretty lively, too.

 

[Kolumbo]

 

[alexd]

FYI.... Lord Jim's pub overlooked Pratt St., yiu had to go over the Trumbull St walkway, past stackpole Moore Tryon. It wasn't in the mall.

 

[8893]

FYI.... Lord Jim's pub overlooked Pratt St., yiu had to go over the Trumbull St walkway, past stackpole Moore Tryon. It wasn't in the mall.

I was thinking that, but I figured it was connected.

 

[TerryBoyz]

I remember my mother complaining that there was so much cigar smoke in the mall before the Journey concert in like 1987. It reminded her of her mean uncle.

Well maybe the smoke during the journey concert reminded her of her cool uncle.

 

[husky8273]

The CT Sports Museum

 

[Dutch Boyd]

This thread is already bumming me out.

It's really no wonder how small cities like Hartford became ghost towns when you think about how many shops were killed by amazon, walmart, costco, etc.

This gave me a chuckle. Hartford is Hartford not because of the places you listed. Wow

 

[wheelerdog]

TJ Maxx

Weathervane

 

[The Viking]

What did Aetna do?

I totally forgot their used to be a Wendy’s in the HCC. Great stop.

 

[The Viking]

A Boston Globe reporter - Christopher Price - is coming out with a book on the Whale and has weekly podcasts with former Whalers.
One was with Lawless and Lawless ran off a list of Hartford places he liked to frequent and mentioned Chucks and Gaetanos among others

 

[Richmondhsky]

Pre and post game…Ludlowes. Great little bar street level. It was also the same for the Whalers. Players would (Whalers) would come in before going to Gaetanos.

 

[Ts5034]

Just going down memory lane of going to UConn games at the Civic Center as a kid in the 90’s. I remember going upstairs to the Husky Shop many times before games. I remember the B Dalton bookstore. I think I remember maybe a Radio Shack?? I forgot about the Wendy’s until somebody just pointed it out. I went to a game vs Miami in 1996, and I vividly remember a few of the Miami players were walking around the mall in their warmup’s carrying their “U” duffel bags.

Ive tried to look up pictures of the old mall online, but there are very few. It would be cool if anybody has any, or could find any and upload them in this thread.

 

[jdb50]

Went to Chucks and loved Rein's for after game eats. Still go to Rein's in Vernon in occasion.

 

[Deepster]

I was thinking that, but I figured it was connected.

Close enough. Tethered to the mall and couldn’t have existed otherwise.

 

[Deepster]

Can we talk about the Whalers gift store? There was no online sports gear. No Dicks or box stores to carry merch. Going into the city, pregame excitement and your Dad letting you get something from that store was an event.

The souvenir store across from Fenway was the same, even if you weren’t a Sox fan.

 

[87Xfer]

Went to Chucks and loved Rein's for after game eats. Still go to Rein's in Vernon in occasion.

Best pickles ever.

 

[TRest]

Can we talk about the Whalers gift store? There was no online sports gear. No Dicks or box stores to carry merch. Going into the city, pregame excitement and your Dad letting you get something from that store was an event.

The souvenir store across from Fenway was the same, even if you weren’t a Sox fan.

I still have a Cards hat in the alternative navy blue I got at that Fenway store in 92 for $20. Fitted wool, couldnt find stuff like that anywhere else.

 

[tykurez]

B. Dalton Bookseller

I have really good memories of hanging out in this bookstore an hour before games as a kid. Also the really really dark vibes that Chucks had.

 

[UconnU]

Wasn’t there a Roy Rogers at one point? May be misremembering.

 

[HCCForever]

Best pickles ever.

Reins did have great pickles. I worked there for a few weeks in addition to another job. I got sick of the drunks asking for greener pickles. Reins became Shelly's Deli which was still decent but not as good as Reins. I also still go to the one in Vernon when I'm in town.

We used to drink Tora Toras at Rising Sun after the games. Chucks used to make good Bloody Mary's and occasionally served a nice sandwich which they make with the prime rib ends. I also remember the peanut store with their fresh hot peanuts.

 

[August_West]

What did Aetna do?

I totally forgot their used to be a Wendy’s in the HCC. Great stop.

Aetna strong armed (actually to be more accurate forced bankruptcy) on a bunch of the small businesses in Civic center and then to the ones that could still be afloat, denied lease renewal, in the late 90's. They wanted an empty building to sell.

 

[Ha Who]

 

[gtcam]

Went to college in New Haven in the mid 70s and Hartford was so much better. Now the tide has definitely turned. Went to the Umphrey McGee concert last night in New Haven and I visit the city often - what a difference, Many fine memories of Hartford in the 80s and early 90s working in Hartford. It is a shell of what it once was. I still believe that the demise of GFox had a lot to do with the downfall as well as losing the Whalers. The Hellions games were great.

 

[uconnfan68]

I still have a Cards hat in the alternative navy blue I got at that Fenway store in 92 for $20. Fitted wool, couldnt find stuff like that anywhere else.

Ptown! Years ago I got my father a Brooklyn Dodger hat from circa 1938. He grew up in Brooklyn and went to Ebbets during that time then.

 

[Kathy]

Went to college in New Haven in the mid 70s and Hartford was so much better. Now the tide has definitely turned. Went to the Umphrey McGee concert last night in New Haven and I visit the city often - what a difference, Many fine memories of Hartford in the 80s and early 90s working in Hartford. It is a shell of what it once was. I still believe that the demise of GFox had a lot to do with the downfall as well as losing the Whalers. The Hellions games were great.

Hellions or HellCats - still have a Hellcat t shirt