CT movie theater to be torn down to make way for prototype of popular store

A Connecticut movie theater that has sat vacant for over a year is slated to be torn down, according to officials .

The former Apple Cinemas in Barkhamsted, located at 380 New Hartford Road, has been shuttered since early 2023. But according to demolition permits filed with the town by a contractor for Tractor Supply Co., the company is planning on building a new location on the site. Permits are still pending approval, according to the town’s building inspector.

Tractor Supply Co. has gained approval from the town to build a new prototype store at the former movie theater space at Mallory Brook Plaza, according to the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission . The town approved the plan after public comment on April 11, according to meeting minutes filed on the town’s website.

“At Tractor Supply, we are passionate about serving the needs of those who enjoy the Out Here lifestyle. Homeowners, livestock and pet owners, gardeners, hobby farmers, ranchers, tradesmen and others rely on Tractor Supply for a wide assortment of products. We’re excited to call Barkhamsted home and serve the community with the essentials you need to live life on your own terms,” the company said in a statement to the Courant.

The store’s existing location in the plaza will close once the new store is ready to open, according to Annalee Rivers, a spokesperson with Tractor Supply Co. A planned opening is scheduled for November. The company’s spokesperson said the new space will have unique features including a garden center and pet washing station. The new store’s physical footprint will be larger than the current location in the plaza.

The company had originally wanted to relocate from its current location in Barkhamsted to Ledgebrook Plaza in Winsted last year, but was met with legal challenges from a landowner whose property abuts the plaza, according to the Republican-American.

The 116,000 square-foot Mallory Brook Plaza has long been anchored by Tractor Supply Co. and more recently Ollie’s Bargain Outlet which opened in 2021. The plaza also has a Subway and a Dollar Tree. Located on Route 44, the plaza serves the shopping needs of customers in the Northwest Corner of the state.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com