Author Archive: clangan

Where history meets opportunity — this distinctive property blends the character of a converted barn with the flexibility to serve as either a professional office or a potential two bed residential conversion (contingent upon zoning approval).

A Connecticut garden center chain is purchasing the former Smithland Pet & Garden Center store in Southington, the first property to be sold after Smithland announced closures this summer across Connecticut.

Van Wilgen’s Garden Center paid $3.2 million for Smithland’s location at 1198 Queen St. in Southington, according to commercial real estate brokerage firm New England Retail Properties. A Van Wilgen’s representative could not be reached immediately Tuesday for details on the purchase.

“A lot of people were interested in it,” said Conor Langan, a broker with New England Retail Properties. “The majority were for that kind of use, as a garden center, and these guys were the first ones to jump on it.”

On its website, Van Wilgen’s says it is targeting a spring 2026 opening in Southington. The location is a mile north of Queen Street’s main [...]

Matt Halprin, president of New England Retail Properties, Inc., closed the sale of the former Smithland Supply Pet & Garden Center at 1198 Queen St., Southington, CT. The buyer, Van Wilgen Garden Mart, paid $3.2 million.

Van Wilgen Garden Mart is a family-owned, multi-unit garden center founded in 1920. It operates at locations in Branford, North Branford, Clinton, Old Saybrook and Guilford, CT.

The former Smithland Agway fit the buyer’s profile of strong locations servicing their communities. It was owned by an investment group out of New York.

Smithland had operated 15 locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts and closed at the end of June 2025. New England Retail Properties was the exclusive broker for the owners.

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Now available for sale or lease, the former Smithland Supply/Agway Pet & Garden Center at 147 Meriden Road offers a prime opportunity on the Middlefield/Middletown town-line. Situated on 2.69 acres, the property features a 16,508 SF main building complemented by a 1,712 SF greenhouse, and a 3,508 SF detached warehouse/shed, suitable for various commercial uses, including retail, medical, or service-oriented businesses.