BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The grand opening of the new Boscov’s store in Meadowbrook Mall drew at least 200 people and was truly the main event in Harrison County on Saturday.
One official ribbon that included a $1,000 bill was cut on the stage by Chairman and CEO Jim Boscov and Brad Riffee, Executive Director, United Way of Harrison and Doddridge Counties. Below and in front of the stage, another ribbon, including several $100 bills, was cut simultaneously by members of the participating agencies.
“It’s something we’re going to be doing all year,” Jim Boscov said. “Being involved with different non-profits, trying to recognize the needs of the community, being involved in the needs of the community, and employing 250 people is also a very good thing.”
The total raised for area non-profits during Charity Day, the exclusive first day of shopping for people who support agencies, Family Day on Friday, and the official grand opening was more than $100,000, according to Boscov.
“We’re so blessed to have Boscov’s because they exemplify what it means to “live united,” Brad Riffee, Executive Director of the United Way of Harrison and Doddridge Counties, said. “They have set an example for other businesses in the community, and I hope other businesses see that and want to get involved as well.”
And all that was after a procession of rare Corvettes, Ladder Truck 521 from the Bridgeport Fire Department, and the 85-piece Bridgeport High School Band, followed by an early 1960’s Pontiac Lemans delivering Elvis Aaron Presley Jr. for a series of performances.
Anthony Cafaro, co-president of the Cafaro Company, Meadowbrook Mall owners said the mall was originally built in the early 1980s, and despite changes in the retail market and economy, improvements and renovations have kept the property viable.
“In 2023, heading into 2024, I think it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the Meadowbrook Mall is better than ever,” Cafaro said. “There aren’t many malls in the country, and certainly West Virginia can say that.”
Boscov said 250 people currently staff the store that were recruited from surrounding counties. The workforce has spent the last several weeks not just learning the “Boscov Way,” but rehearsing it to be ready for the holiday season.
“That’s a major business here in North Central West Virginia, and with that happening, we know that’s going to continue to grow, continue to be successful, and that ties right into everything from housing to schooling,” Harrison County Commissioner Patsy Trecost said.
Senator Ben Queen (R, Harrison, 12) is fortunate to see Boscov’s bring jobs into the community and is hopeful the retailer will continue to grow. Queen also noted 95 percent capacity for the Meadowbrook Mall is an outlier in today’s economy.
“Each time that I’m in here, I see somebody new, I meet somebody new, and it pulls from a multitude of counties in North Central West Virginia,” Queen said.