ShopRite: Will New East Haven Store's Opening Finally Be Announced This Week?

It appears that after almost a year of uncertainty, town officials may finally be ready to officially announce that a new ShopRite supermarket will be opening in the Foxhaven Plaza along Route 80 in East Haven.

The East Haven Mayor's office late Tuesday afternoon released the following media advisory to the press:

There will be a Major East Haven Economic Development Announcement on Thursday February 7th at 11:00am at the Foxhaven Plaza, 713-745 Foxon Rd (Route 80).

No other information about the purpose of the media gathering was provided in the release.

'No Confirmed Plans'

During his State of the Town Address last April, Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr., first reported that a new ShopRite supermarket would be opening up in the former A&P Supermarket location in the plaza. The large store front has been vacant since A&P moved out in October 2010.

Shortly after Maturo's speech, however, a ShopRite spokesperson told East Haven Patch that nothing had yet been set in stone. "We have no confirmed plans at this time," Stankevich said last spring.

Still In Negotiations

Since then, the only official word was ShopRite was still in "negotiations" with Pyramid Construction Group, which manages the plaza.

Over the past few weeks, however, rumors have begun to swirl that the plan to open the new East Haven store was given the green light. But East Haven Patch was unable to officially confirm these reports with on the record sources.

So what's your take? Do you think the mayor will announce the opening of a new ShopRite on Thursday? Or is the press conference being held for another reason? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!