Robert G.
Yelp
Those of us who have lived in the area a long time know the score - we knew what was on this site before. Mostly nothing. From I-5, it appeared to be vacant land, and scruffy looking vacant land at that. Then, trucks, barricades, cranes, and construction trailers showed up. And, within a matter of time, Bridgeport Village was born.
It's not a place I visit very often, being on the other side of town. However, it is really nicely put together. It's a "village" in that the streets meander through the stores, with parking here and there, not to mention a parking structure. Note that, being a village, it is not enclosed and shielded from the elements. It's also not a conventional shopping mall with anchor stores. There are no anchors like Macy's and Nordstrom. Most of the stores are boutique type stores for clothing, housewares, gifts, and jewelry, along with restaurants, including some of the more upmarket chains, and a multi-screen cinema complex.
I don't believe Bridgeport Village took any (foot) traffic away from big Washington Square. Mostly, it seems to have augmented it and provided other choices. Not only that, the southerly and southwesterly growth of the metro area has proven that it can support it quite well.
It's nice to visit Bridgeport Village. The center shows good taste, the stores feature good names, even though I primarily visit Barnes and Noble, and people are mannered, be it the employees or those who shop here.
You've seen this concept before and these villages have been well received, be they in Pleasant Hill, CA (East Bay), The Woodlands, TX, Atlanta, GA or Bal Harbour/Sunny Isles, FL (Miami). I'm not going for the full 5 stars because of the limited slate of merchants, parking that can be constrained, and because it's not that big.
If Bridgeport Village's stores aren't your cup of tea, there's a center across Bridgeport Road, to the south, with less expensive stores and less expensive food. Also, the Village Inn and the Trimet Park and Ride that have been on the opposite corner for decades remain.