Opened in 1971 in Trumbull, Connecticut, Hawley Lane Mall arrived at a time when suburban shopping centers were redefining consumer habits. Strategically positioned near Route 8 and the Merritt Parkway, the mall was designed for convenience and visibility. Its initial success was built on two anchor stores—Caldor, a two-story discount department store with belt-style escalators, and Waldbaum’s, a popular supermarket. Together, they set the foundation for what would become a familiar and steady retail destination in Fairfield County.

The 1980s Expansion and Growing Competition

In 1982, Hawley Lane introduced a third anchor, Sage-Allen, located on a newly constructed upper level. This addition brought a fresh appeal to the mall and aimed to provide a full-service department store alternative without requiring shoppers to head into larger city centers. However, the mall soon faced mounting competition. Nearby retail developments in Milford and Trumbull expanded rapidly during the late 1980s and early 1990s, luring customers away with newer stores and larger selections. Despite the continued presence of smaller tenants like B. Dalton Booksellers and Hawley Lane Shoes, the mall began to feel the effects of this shifting retail landscape.

Anchor Departures and Retail Decline

The early 1990s ushered in a period of instability. Sage-Allen shuttered in 1993, and though Filene’s briefly absorbed the space, it too closed soon after to avoid competition with its other regional locations. Subsequent efforts to stabilize the mall, such as bringing in Steinbach between 1997 and 1999, proved short-lived. Caldor and Waldbaum’s, two of the mall’s founding anchors, both exited in 1999 after bankruptcy and regional withdrawals, respectively. By the turn of the millennium, Hawley Lane Mall had lost all its anchor stores and much of the foot traffic that had once sustained it.

Reinvention Through Renovation

A turning point came in 2005, when National Realty and Development Corp. acquired the property and invested $8 million into a comprehensive redevelopment. The overhaul included modernized interiors, improved signage, and a refreshed exterior. More importantly, it brought a new roster of national retailers. Kohl’s and HomeGoods were the first major additions, followed by Best Buy and Target—the latter occupying a significant portion of the mall’s footprint. This shift toward prominent, high-traffic tenants helped reinvigorate interest in the once-declining shopping center.

Renewed Momentum in the 2020s

Although the mall experienced further changes in the 2020s, its momentum continued. HomeGoods relocated in 2023 to a nearby Shelton location, but the vacant space was quickly filled. In 2024, Ross Dress for Less announced it would open its first Connecticut store in the former HomeGoods space—an encouraging sign of the mall’s ongoing relevance. By 2025, the new Ross location had opened, joining Kohl’s, Target, and Best Buy as key anchors.

A Mall That Adapts

Hawley Lane Mall has weathered decades of retail transformation. From its early days of dependable routine to a challenging stretch of anchor loss and reinvention, Hawley Lane Mall has managed to adapt to survive. But the future of Hawley Lane Mall is uncertain: the nearby Trumbull Mall has continued to be a strong competitor and, at least as an indoor mall, offers much more to potential shoppers. On the other hand, Hawley Lane seems content with its transition to a strip mall with Target and Kohl’s as dependable anchors. The inside of the mall offers little that can’t be accessed from the outside, and it is likely this shift will continue until the small and relatively desolate interior space remains only as a hidden relic of the mall’s past.