News story made available courtesy of Poughkeepsie Journal

New store brings life to old mall

Friday, July 7, 2006

By Craig Wolf
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com

FISHKILL — Commercial life, lived large, has returned to wake the Dutchess Mall from its Rip Van Winkle-like slumber.

The 132,000-square-foot store opened Wednesday by The Home Depot put an end to the semi-dormant phase of Dutchess County's oldest enclosed mall.

But that mall is gone, having been partly demolished to make way for the new store between two old anchor buildings.

Customers swarmed in Wednesday for opening ceremonies. The store's first full regular day was Thursday.

"It's nice to see this mall coming back," said John Massari of Hopewell Junction, who remembers when the mall was in its heyday before newer malls left it in their wake. "This was it."

His wife, Cathy, liked the new store, deeming it better organized and having better merchandising than other outlets of the chain.

Offering support
Gene Trifilo of Glenham came in Thursday.

"As a small businessman, I try to support the small businessman," he said, naming Nichols Hardware, Beacon and True Value Hardware, Hopewell Junction.

Other times, it's Home Depot. "It's a man's toy store," he said. "There's so much variety."

The layout here differs from other Home Depots in the region. Tools are front-and-center and the garden center has a greenhouse, said Scott Proscia Sr., manager. There's a spacious portico at the contractor door. The green accents instead of just the trademark orange, and the front colonnade, are unusual for the chain.

David Livshin, president of Dagar Group, managing and leasing agent for the mall, has worked 10 years to revive the mall. Home Depot was key because it would go in alone without a second anchor tenant, he said.

Proscia isn't worried about being only six miles from the Wappingers Falls store.

"There's a huge advantage being near Interstate 84," he said. Shoppers come from Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester counties.