New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Soft Surroundings closing last store in Connecticut
Another retailer is closing its stores and shuttering its only Connecticut outlet in the wake of a bankruptcy — this time mid-priced women’s-wear retailer Soft Surroundings.
The Soft Surroundings store at South Windsor’s Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk upscale shopping plaza is slated to close by the end of the year, according to an employee. The store remains fully stocked with wrap dresses and slouchy sweaters and no clearance or store-closing sales were yet underway.
The chain joins Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy Baby in decamping from malls and shopping centers in favor of online retailing. With the decline of retail, malls across the state are exploring alternatives like pickleball and luxury apartments.
The St. Louis, Missouribased Soft Surroundings chain announced on Sept. 11 that as part of Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing it would shift operations to “direct-to-consumer and ecommerce operations.” As a result, all of its 44 brick-and-mortar locations nationwide will close, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Soft Surroundings has yet to announce a timeline for the store closings.
Coldwater Creek, under the ownership of Newtimes Group, will take over Soft Surroundings’ catalog and website operations, according to a company statement.
“We meticulously evaluated the best path forward and are welcoming this next step to financially secure a bright future for Soft Surroundings,” Executive Chair Bridgit Lombard said. “This will allow us to adapt, restructure and emerge more resilient.”
The South Windsor Soft Surroundings store was the only one remaining in Connecticut; a second location in Danbury opened in 2019 but is now listed as permanently closed.
Marking its 20th year in business next year, the Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk has added new tenants in recent months including furniture retailer Lovesac, Shake Shack and private early-childhood educator the Goddard School. A large Whole Foods grocery is under construction at one end of the plaza.
Kung Fu Tea, a New Yorkbased bubble-tea cafe with 350 locations, is also coming soon to Evergreen Walk, according to a sign in the window.