The Danbury Fair Mall unveiled several new stores on Sunday, which include Target, J. Crew Factory, Inspiration Co. and Round1 Bowling and Arcade.
Mall workers say they hope these new shops will continue to bring in business and help the Danbury community thrive. Since it opened in 1986, the mall has seen plenty of stores come and go.
"I just love shopping, so the mall’s the place to be,” said Christine Stangel, of Poughkeepsie. "We drive here from New York to shop here because we love the mall.”
"Every time we come, there's something new,” Janine Parker Williams, of Danbury.
Despite the number of brick-and-mortar shops shrinking, the mall continues to grow.
"Our mall up in Poughkeepsie is shutting down most stores,” said Stangel.
"It's really about knowing your market and making sure you're bringing the brands your market wants,” said Maura Ruby, the general manager of the Danbury Fair Mall.
Ruby said they wanted to add more entertainment options, like Round1 and Target, to bring in more customers.
"We're really excited about all these concepts, and I think that's what the consumer wants,” said Ruby.
"There's a lot of buzz around the mall, there's never a dull moment,” said Laura Langolis, the store director of the Danbury Fair Target. “There's a lot of guests shopping in the mall…this being our first grand-open day, as soon as we opened, we were busy."
Shoppers told News 12 Connecticut's Justin DeVellis they're proud to see the 38-year-old mall flourishing.
"It makes me feel really good about my hometown and where I live that we're not sinking, we're actually rising,” said Williams.
For more information on the mall or its new additions, check out their
website.