WATERFORD, Conn. (WFSB) - With 23 days until Christmas, Crystal Mall is experiencing its final holiday shopping season before Electric Boat transforms the property into administrative offices.

The shipbuilder now owns the entire mall and plans to start construction in mid-2026, with the facility operational by mid-2027. About 3,000 to 4,000 administrative workers will report to the location, freeing up space for more shipbuilding in Groton.

For the few remaining store owners, the transition means preparing to close within five to six months.

“One of our regular things to do is move things around,” said Shawn Pierce, owner of the thrift store This n That. “There’s going to be a lot of product to move out of here.”

Shoppers have mixed feelings about the mall’s impending closure.

“I was

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