SoNo Collection unveils its initial slate of stores, restaurants

Connecticut shoppers are getting their first glimpse on Tuesday of the initial run of stores to open at The SoNo Collection mall on Friday, with a mix of familiar retail names in Fairfield County and newcomers to the region. The new mall will include more than a dozen eateries, including popular New York City and New Haven venues branching out into Fairfield County. The SoNo Collection’s public concourses open Friday at 10 a.m. on West Avenue in South Norwalk just off Interstate 95, staying open until 9 p.m. Those will be The SoNo Collection’s regular hours Monday-Saturday, with Sunday hours to run 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nordstrom will be among a handful of stores to open on day one, with others to follow throughout the holiday season and into next year including Bloomingdale’s in mid-November. Developer Brookfield Properties has maintained that construction is on schedule, despite the limited number of stores opening at the outset with the early vanguard not specified on the initial retail roster posted online at www.sonocollection.com. About 55 tenants are on the initial list, many of them established brands locally from Abercrombie & Fitch to Zara. But Brookfield and original developer GGP promised that The SoNo Collection will add a significant number of new names to Fairfield County — and Brookfield delivered, with Amazon 4-Star the marquee name with its first Connecticut store selling highly rated items from its websites. Also setting up in Connecticut for the first time is Camp, a New York City toy and bookstore concept which describes itself as an immersive “family experience” scheduling music, arts and crafts, “travel camp” and other learning activities for children throughout the day. The SoNo Collection will not have a food court, instead siting fast-casual eateries throughout the mall and inside Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s. The Pinstripes bowling, bocce and bistro concept will occupy the trophy suite opening onto a massive elevated terrace with views of South Norwalk and Long Island Sound. Fronting West Avenue are the Yard House sports pub, which had already made known its intent to open at The SoNo Collection, as well as the popular New Haven pizzeria Sally’s Apizza; Jacob’s Pickles, the New York City restaurant selling southern comfort food; and Yong Kang Street Dumplings. Other dining options will include Bazille and Ebar inside Nordstrom; Mission Ceviche; Pokelicious serving Hawaiian poke seafood creations; Sono Ramen; Yalla Organic Hummus & Grill; a quick-service eatery called Road Runner; and Pretzelmaker. The retail lineup Brookfield officials told Hearst Connecticut Media and other outlets last month that 90 percent of the mall’s available space is claimed. As expected, apparel represents the largest retail category at The SoNo Collection, which lists more than 20 clothing stores in all. New to the area are Altar’d State, which focuses on an ever-rotating “fast fashion” inventory of women’s clothing and accessories, with A’Beautiful Soul outlet co-located inside selling plus-size clothing. Evereve has an existing Connecticut store in South Windsor, as the case with Untuckit in West Hartford. Aria Couture sells formal gowns. The mattress startup Casper is establishing its first Connecticut locale at the SoNo Collection, as is EQ3 selling modernist furnishings. Other newcomers include Racefaster selling running shoes and clothing, with Mercedes Benz to establish its first mall showcase in Connecticut after testing the concept in Atlanta, Miami and Chicago. Other SoNo Collection apparel outlets include Abercrombie Kids, Chico’s, H&M, Hollister, J.Jill, Soma, Talbots, White House Black Market, and Victoria’s Secret and its Pink affiliate; as well as Clarks and Journeys for footwear. Beauty boutique options at The SoNo Collection include Brow Art 23, L’Occitane en Provence, Lush, Sephora, Seventh Sense Botanical Therapy, and Tutti Spa & Nails. Others to open include Kay Jewelers and Pandora; Arhaus, H&M Home and Tempur-Pedic for home furnishings and decor; Champs Sports for team apparel and memorabilia; Cohen’s Fashion Optical for eye wear; and Verizon Wireless and iFixandRepair for mobile services. The mall’s amenities include a metered parking garage, with rates starting at $3 for three hours and Nordstrom offering complimentary validated parking tickets with Bloomingdale’s to follow suit when it opens Nov. 14. The mall incudes a drop-off point for shuttle buses and ride services; wheelchairs; dedicated stations for mothers to nurse their babies; and table areas suitable for work purposes with free WiFi Internet access. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman

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