My first choice would be Trader Joe's or Whole foods, but since Big Y owns this building, that is very unlikely. A book store would be nice with a Starbucks. Small movie theater?

Please NO Chinese food, Dunkin Donuts, Churches or auto parts stores!!!

How about a visitors center

a bowling allye would be nice could start teams would give famlies something to do keep kids off the streets

I wish A&P ould ome back, but sine that is not possible, almost any Grocery store except BigY or Stop n Shop. How about Aldi's?

A soup kitchen so we can feed the hungry. Giving them free rent, free heat, free cable, free cell phones and WIC cards doesn't really cover EVERYTHING. After they buy their booze and cigarettes with their cards there's not much left for food so this would be the right thing to do.

Does it matter what goes in there?? Everything that goes into Naugatuck, with the exceptions of McDonald's, package stores, Dunkin Donuts and some pizza places go out of business within a few years!!!

I like the Trader Joes or Whole foods idea, but since BIG Y owns it, maybe they could create a specialty food small market over there with specialty health foods.

I'd like to see a Christmas Tree Shop!

Trader Joe's, please!!!

Trader Joe's would be awesome!!! I think it would be super busy and not hurt the other grocery stores in town because it's different. I am not sure we need another grocery store over there since Walmart is expanding but if they were to put another grocery store in there a Shoprite would be nice.

I love the Trader Joe's idea. I also think a TJ Maxx would do well there too.

Target or Trader Joe's, Would love a TJ Mazz or Marshal's, even a Shoprite

I think it should be something fun like a small movie theater or a bowling alley. Since Wal-Mart is going to be a super Wal-Mart soon(that means groceries and ect.) Do we really need a another grocerie store?? Naugatuck has nothing fun. I have 5 kids and another on the way and just hate going to Waterbury so my kids can do things.

The idea of a small movie theater is OUTSTANDING, even a bowling alley. It might also be nice to consider an indoor go cart racing facility or an indoor rollerskating rink (the area that Roller Magic is in is rather undesirable, not to mention the facility is rather OLD and unkept). Bringing in facilities such as these would attract revenue for the Borough from people outside the Valley area. It's time for a change Naugatuck, and we need something for the children. Serious consideration should be given to the comment made earlier, businesses come and go from the Borough rather quickly, and it's always the SAME types of businesses.

A La Bonne's Oliver's Trader Joe's Whole Foods etc all are good ideas. The East Side of Town is lacking in many things. Except for Wal Mart expanding (which is a good idea) it would also be nice to have a Super Market with items that are not always found at the Wal Marts etc. The Plaza was set up for a Super Market and I think thats what should be there. Its an easy in and out especially for some of the Seniors in the Community. When Wal Mart expands to a full line of groceries the parking there will be much to be desired. Will more handy cap spaces be added? How far will you have to roll your carraige to your car in the middle of winter and during a down pour? Something to occupy the vacant space is better than what is there now! Nothing!

Christmas Tree Store, TJ Maxx or a movie theatre would be great!!!!!!!!!!!!

Naugatuck needs a good sea food restaurant like a red lobster.

Definitely a health food store! Trader Joe's has lots of affordable healthy food, and there's nothing like it in the area. It would bring in commerce from the whole Valley.

Mayor Robert A. Mezzo has written a response to this You Said It posting on his blog: http://www.bobmezzo.com/index.php/2011/04/11/patch-ap-article-4112011/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

The mayor notes the economic factors necessary for specific businesses to bring one of their stores to Naugatuck. We encourage you read it.

Ron

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Ronald DeRosa
Editor, Naugatuck Patch
naugatuck.patch.com
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I would like to see a Panera if not at the A&P what about the old CVS location

CVS location should have a five guys.

I would like to see a Ponderosa or some other cafeteria style buffet restaurant move in, but it is most likely cheaper for Big Y to sit on it than make any effort to attract and develop a business. As long as another grocery store does not move right in they win.

Thank you Patch for soliciting public opinion on this issue and generating a little excitement! While the Mayor is correct about the fact that the decision will ultimately be made by the owner of the property, I think our residents should be commended not only for offering their opinion, but also for supporting our current businesses and continuing to have faith in our community! FYI to John Q. Public - the best steak around is the Steak on the Rock at Santos Restaurant! Try something other than the franchises, like our long time favorites The Milestone, Jesse Camille's, Anna Dontes' or new restaurants downtown like Thai Flare and Tequila Grille. We can all make a difference in attracting new business by supporting the ones we already have here!!!

I agree completely with Dorothy. Residents really need to try and solicit the local restaurants that are already established. Every one she mentioned all have something to offer - to singles and families alike. And... they all have thier own unique character. I can never understand why Friendly's is jammed packed all the time when we have so many other healthier and tastier local restaurants - with much better customer service. And..Friendly's is not necessarily cheaper than other options in town. For those of you who would like to see a bowling alley in town -- we went to a really cool one out in utah that is a combo bowling alley, arcade, restaurant/bar. Great fun for kids and adults --- check it out www.jupiterbowl.com it would be awesome to have something like that in naugatuck (if we could figure out how to keep out the population that turn it into something other than a nice, clean, hip place to bring your kids). something like that would also attract customers from other communities as well -- which is what naugatuck really needs.

Friendly's is the place to go for families with young children - if your kids make a lot of noise - nobody cares. That is why it is so packed all the time. But I do agree - we should all frequent as much as able the local eateries privately owned - not a chain restaurant.

As one of a group of women who frequent the Atlantis Diner on Cherry Street for breakfast, I have to confess that we probably make more noise than young children and yet ALWAYS feel comfortable! It is nice to have such friendly, gracious and welcoming places to go in our hometown!

I would love 2 see a Christmas Tree Shop, a Shop rite, Price Chopper, something for kids like a mall or movie theater,Target, Aldes store, a Price rite, Save-A-Lot store, Kmart, Big Lots & ect. These are all great ideas for the empty part at the Crosspoint Plaza!!! But for the empty part where the old CVS is in the Big Y plaza i really think a buffet restaurant should go in there like a Home-Town Buffet or even a Chinese Buffet cause Naugatuck doesn't have any buffets in this town we really need a Chinese Buffet because the closetists one is in Watertown near Kmart and that is kinda far for people to drive with the gas prices going sky high!!!! This is what i think should go in these empty places!!!! Please take this in your consideration!!! THANKSS!!!

Also some of these ideas are good for those empty parts down at the Mount-view Plaza is because there's 4 empty places in a row from where the old Karate place was down to where the old JOB LOT WAS THAT ARE EMPTY THAT A BIG STORE COULD GO IN DOWN THERE. There's all these empty places that just great stores could go in there's 3 plazas that have empty spots that something good for the community could go in & will bring more business in to Naugatuck!!!

I also feel we deserve a store like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. The Valley doesn't have to be all fast food and drive throughs - there are lots of us who would like the opportunity to have these types of stores close by instead of having to drive to Orange & Milford. It would keep money in our own town and hopefully make it more attractive. When we moved here 5 years ago we really thought this was an up & coming town getting back on its feet - but the recession has me wondering if that will ever happen. There isn't a lot keeping me motivated to stay here in town frankly as I spend a lot of time driving to the stores I like in the Milford area which is costing me even more money with gas prices so high. Having more HEALTHY resources would be a plus. Just sayin'.

I've been a Naugatuck Resident for over 10 years and also have lived in the City and Middletown, CT. Naugatuck at the very least is very dissapointing. We have nothing other than Wal-Mart, fast food's and Friendly's. We all agree we all love to eat, but do we need another supermarket or fattening resturaunt or Buffet, NOPE!! Whole Foods would not do well in Naugatuck due to the food choices of the residents, and they likley don't include "Organic Healhty options". I agree with Jen Ross, Naugatuck NEEDS to become more attractive and have better options. A few places I'd LOVE to see go into the space; Trader Joes, Christmas Tree Shop, TJ Maxx/Marshalls, any clothing store that isn't crap discounted clothes. Naugatucks per capita income is pretty high, but the town's stores, restaraunts sure don't reflect that at all. I hate having to drive to Milford, West Hartford and Fairfield to shop at decent places. I want to spend my money in the town I live in... If Naugatuck doesn't start looking on the up and up, I plan on buying a house elsewhere, where it is more hip and more things to do....

It's very exciting to read all the comments and day-dream about what "might be", however reality is that we need to attract more business to Naugatuck. The idea of some sort of recreational/entertainment facility is excellent, and one that will benefit small businesses already in the area. While there is a lot of recreational activities for the younger children, we could certainly use a bowling alley or movie theater for the tweens and older. Perhaps the appropriate people could approach Big Y since they are the landlords and encourage them to rent the space for a bowling alley/roller rink/laser tag, etc.

I would love a Whole Foods store in town !!!

If you are newer to town, you might not know that TJ Maxx was in the Mountview Plaza and moved out years ago. I doubt they would come back.

I agree that anyone who has been in town for a while should try the Milestone Inn. We have a nice classy restaurant right in town that serves great food.

Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Talbots , Chicos, Ann Taylor - we have the people here that would support these businesses.
Paula

they already tried a arcade in the little plaza across from Mountview and it didnt work out. Nothing fun ever stays in Naugatuck because it is a commuter town! I think we need to call more attention to the things already there like Phoenix company and Scoopies ice cream

Patti Toole

There have been a lot of great ideas thrown out here I just hope that someone is listening and makes something happen. There's way too many open lots in Naugy where great businesses were and because of the economy and Wal-Mart being the Giant that it is they couldn't survive. It's happening to small towns all across the country and the outlook is pretty bleak unless the powers that be make the deals and get some variety in this town. I've lived here all my life and there used to be a movie theater downtown and a drive in on New Haven Road that is what would flourish because everyone of every age loves the movies. Another great one is a Christmas Tree Shop it's different enough from Wal-Mart that people would shop there a lot. I think a Trader Joe's or a Whole Foods Market is a fabulous idea and for whoever said that people from here just like fast food and not healthy and organic foods well that just isn't true, it's the only options they had in town. A Pier One would be pretty cool too. Just my two cents.