No Trader Joe’s, But Southbury is Getting a J.Crew Factory Outlet

The retail and dining scene in Southbury has been shaken up quite a few times in the past few months, but there is a bit of good news. A retailer that has long been coveted for town is reportedly finally setting up shop.

I was just as shocked as everyone else when the announcement came down recently that three restaurants located in the Southbury Green shopping center had suddenly shut down due to a reported rent dispute with the business owners. Lucas Local, which has received universal praise for serving incredible seafood dishes, Mission Salad, and Monty's Downtown are all 'Temporarily closed' as of today, June 13, 2024. I've reached out to the owner of all three restaurants, but I'm sure that he's concentrating on relocating the small Empire that he built over the past two years in order to move them to a more reasonable landlord? No matter what, it's an awful situation.

There's a sliver of good news out there for Southbury Green shoppers, according to the Connecticut Scoop, the retailer that has been whispered about since the late 1990's is finally gong to set up in the Southbury Green Plaza, and it's going to be an outlet store. J. Crew Factory will be built in the former Victoria's Secret space, right next to the Starbucks. You may have shopped at the J. Crew Factory stores in Danbury Fair, Westfarms, Clinton Crossings outlets, or the Westbrook Outlets.

What's next on the Southbury retailer/restaurant hit list? A Trader Joe's is at the top of the list, and maybe 2024 is the year that the charter is revised to allow drive-thru's? Let's not get crazy, right?