Mayor Bill Finch on Saturday attended the ribbon cutting for the grand opening of the new Sports Authority store at 4543 Main Street in the Brookside Center near the Trumbull town line. In an appeal to suburbanites, the national sporting goods retailer describes the store as Sports Authority Trumbull according to its website. Hall of Famer Rich Gossage who pitched for the Yankees also attended.
“Bridgeport’s getting better every day,” says Finch in a statement. “Sports Authority opening their doors in our city is further proof that statement is true. It’s a great company that is creating jobs in the state’s largest city while helping to grow our economy. It’s also an endorsement of our city becoming a place where companies want to invest and hire people, and where families want to live, work and raise their families.”
The national retailer operates more than 450 stores in 45 states selling a full line of sports, fitness equipment and athletic gear. See here for potential job opportunities.
The Sports Authority store grand opening comes in the same week Finch announced Starbucks and Chipotle as the latest tenants to the Steelpointe Harbor redevelopment of the East Side.
It is sad the website refers to the location as Trumbull. It probably does them more harm than good. It shows the execs put thought into a stupid mistake. Modells is in Bridgeport. People will drive through Trumbull looking for this store. Isn’t it easier just to tell people where you are located? GOOD thing Mayor Finch wad there to let people know it was located in the City of Bridgeport. The good thing, nobody is going to look at the website to find this store. Shoppers already know they are in Bridgeport and I trust they will do very well.
The sad thing is First Selectman Herbst doesn’t even bother to attend a store opening in Trumbull. That is the difference in this tale of two cities. It is the best of times; it is the worst of times.
The Port Authority has moved from Bridgeport to Trumbull. Even-Steven–Trade Deal!
Until such time as it’s called Sports Authority Bridgeport, I won’t shop there. Bullshit the baker and you get a bun, bullshit Donald, you get none.
Once again, this is simply offsetting all the minimum wage jobs lost when Staples closed. There are no new jobs or tax revenue being generated that benefits city taxpayers.
Maria, what you say is true. In every town in every state, companies will come and go. Restaurants expand or close. Retailers succeed or fail. Factories become obsolete, outsource or go out of business. It is the nature of a capitalistic society. I do not blame Mayor Finch for Staples leaving Bridgeport. It was simply a business decision. I do not credit the Finch administration for attracting Sports Authority. Retail is the fastest growing industry in the United States. A retail establishment is the only business that would be appropriate for the Brookside Plaza. Minimum wage jobs suck. If we were in Russia a Doctor of Medicine would make the same as a factory worker. We are in the United States. We should celebrate any and all businesses that make a home in Bridgeport and should also be happy the Mayor takes time to enjoy the photo ops that put a positive face on our city. Bridgeport has so much potential. It could move quicker if the taxpaying residents supported and applauded every new success instead of finding fault and ridicule and assuming Mayor Finch is just a fuck-up no matter what he does. So far, so good. I imagine for Mayor Finch it is just going to get better and better this year unless the Steelepointe developers are sitting on their hands instead of banging down doors.
Sports Authority of Trumbull? Really? I suggest SA management check their respective GPS devices. Reminds me of when the BMW and Subaru dealership on North Avenue (under previous ownership) used to advertise they were located “on the Trumbull line.” Just like Sports Authority, they seemed to be in denial about their real address. Shameful.
I am sure the Sports Authority marketing people made a conscious decision to label it as ‘Trumbull.’ North Main Street may be about as far into Bridgeport as most suburbanites will venture into Bridgeport. Why is Bridgeport Hospital assembling their outpatient ‘campus’ in Trumbull? It’s about who their customer base is. Finch’s remarks were the usual drivel.
You’re right, Tom. It’s a conscious decision, but it’s possible to market to suburbanites without sticking it in the face of Bridgeporters. When I worked in the mayor’s office (a long time ago), a record store opened in the same location and answered the phone “Strawberries Trumbull.” So I called on behalf of the mayor to management reminding them that Bridgeport people spend money too. They acquiesced.
Leonard,
Will you be returning to the mayor’s office when your former boss does?
No Troll, I’m done with public service. The electorate and taxpayers are safe. Funny though you mention “returning to the mayor’s office.” Have not been inside the mayor’s office in 15 years. Had my falling out with Ganim in 1999 and neither Fabs nor Finch invited me. Such is the power of OIB!
Lennie, you are correct and a call from the mayor’s office should be all the prodding they need.
However, as an authority on sports, the New York Giants and the New York Jets might argue differently. There were several basketball and other sports franchises that do /did the opposite. The Cleveland Cavaliers for a very long period of time were located in a suburb (I believe it was Richmond Hills) a good half hour outside the city. And I believe the Atlanta Braves called a suburb home for awhile.
The bottom line is you don’t want to give them a reason to leave town the moment the sales go south.
I was in there today to buy a basketball for my son. It was packed, and the staff was zealous to say the least. Nice store! We needed a sports store in the North End, it’s closer to my house. Just sorry I missed Goose Gossage by 24hrs!
Not only packed but after 20 years I rediscovered Friendly’s for a hot fudge sundae. The are also benefiting from the new store and they also did a tremendous remodel.
Channel 12 was there yesterday and interviewed Tom McCarthy who was also there. He again mentioned “the big news” that Starbucks and the Mexican place are coming to Bpt. Honestly, I was embarrassed for him, people from the suburbs must see that and say “who cares?” Finch and McCarthy are treating these stores and their minimum wage jobs like Google just announced they are locating their world headquarters here.
Harvey, I saw the same interview of McCarthy on Channel 12 News and I thought the exact same thing. He looked so ridiculous.
When Wendy’s opened next to News Corner in Downtown Bridgeport it broke the national record for a non-free standing Wendy’s opening week. How long ago did Wendy’s close?
Retailers frequently have large crowds at a publicized grand opening. If you can’t draw crowds during the Grand Opening it is a sign you are in trouble out of the gate. The true test of any retailer is their first three year comps. We will have to wait and see how long these mostly minimum wage jobs last.
Boy, there is a lot of dancing around with comments on why businesses play the “suburb game” with what they call themselves and their locations, why not say what the real reason is?
The real shame is the opening of one retail store makes all this commotion. If the Park City was like any other city this would come and go without notice except for the store promoting itself.
The website has since changed the name of the store to “Sports Authority Bridgeport/Trumbull.”