Covington Plaza — Local services in Fort Wayne

Covington Plaza is good enough to challenge my strip mall bigotry. Mixed among a few strip mall standards (Planet Fitness, Fresh Market, Office Depot, Honey-Baked Ham and Goodwill) are some local gems.

I'm a recent transplant to Fort Wayne. From experience so far I can say that Fusion Yoga is outstanding. They teach a range of yoga styles with uniform excellence by brilliant, engaging, welcoming teachers. They also sell first class yoga and casual clothing for ladies. Yin Cheng (Chinese food) is more than creditable. (I lived in Asia for a decade and a half and am a tough customer for Chinese restaurants.) Christopher James Men's Clothing, while eye-wateringly costly, isn't over-priced. Their clothes are beyond outstanding in terms of style and quality. And their service is impeccable and delivered with genuine warmth.

There are a number of shops I haven't yet had a chance to try, but which I look forward to: Wick Works (candle making); Wine & Canvas (make your painting while enjoying wine); Taj Mahal (South Asian food); a Cigar shop; and some other clothing shops.

Even the 'strip mall standards are better than average here. The Fresh Market's staff couldn't be more helpful or friendlier and - unlike a lot of Fresh Market locations - this one has plenty of staff. The Goodwill store, while not outstanding, is worth a browse for the...

By far ONE OF THE WORST parking lots in the city, for an upscale shopping plaza. The drainage is HORRIBLE, so you cannot see the potholes under puddles when it rains, even mildly. It's so bad that I had damage to my vehicle, where a mud flap broke off of my car.

All winter long they had to put traffic cones into 5" deep potholes on the main thoroughfare through the plaza, so people driving a Lexus didn't damage their vehicles. Still it's almost May, and the only repair work that is being done is mild, and near a traffic signal at the entrance.

Additionally, I belong to the Planet Fitness here and they have had 2 large water main breaks in the ceiling. This is all due to an aging building which is not being maintained adequately. It's a shame. Before long, their only tenant will be a Big Lots and Goodwill thrift store. What an...

This is a strip mall with a number of nice stores. My favorite place to frequent there is Pet a Supplies Plus. There are restaurants, a bank, a pet store, Fresh Market Office Depot, clothing store, Hungry Howies, health foods, gift stores, an optical store, and more. There's plenty of parking. It's easy in and out. I've shopped there for years and have never...