Best Buy Coming to Milford Crossing, Taking Over Former Joanne Fabrics Space

MILFORD — Best Buy is coming to Milford.

The Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a signage variance Monday night for the electronics retailer to open a new location at Milford Crossing, the shopping center anchored by Walmart and Barnes & Noble at 1349 Boston Post Road.

Best Buy will take over the former Joanne Fabrics space, bringing the retailer back to the area after closing its Orange store in 2023.

"Best Buy is very excited about coming back to this market," said James Gaspar, a development manager for Best Buy's architectural planning group, who traveled to Milford to present the proposal. "We have actively searched for a new location since 2023. The city of Milford was determined very quickly to be our primary target."

Gaspar said the Orange store operated from 2001 to 2023, and the company began searching for a replacement location almost immediately after closing.

"The Milford Crossing location is a very strong retail center," Gaspar said. "It's got a strong tenant mix very appropriate for the products that we sell, and the Joanne space is perfect for the type of medium format store that we want to bring in for the local community."

The variance was needed because of the retailer's signature blue facade panels, which city zoning officials determined qualified as signage under local regulations. The blue panels, combined with the Best Buy lettering, would occupy 16.5 percent of the storefront where 10 percent is allowed.

Attorney John Nuff, representing the property owner, argued the blue panels should not be considered signage and noted the store's location presents unique challenges — it sits approximately 1,300 feet from Boston Post Road, making the facade nearly impossible to see from the public right-of-way.

"This is kind of like a hidden shopping center," said board member Bill Soda. "If you told me Best Buy or whatever those other stores are in there other than Walmart, I couldn't even tell you what was in there. I didn't even know Joanne Fabrics was in there, and you know how many times I go down the Post Road."

Board member Sarah Hirsch said she supported the variance given the circumstances.

"Branding is important for businesses, and certainly a business like this in that empty location would be helpful for the local community as well as bringing new persons to the community who will also frequent other areas," Hirsch said.

The board approved the variance with conditions that the Best Buy sign and logo remain the same size as presented and that no additional signage be added to the facade.

An opening date was not announced.