Comments on: The Mall at Chestnut Hill; Newton, Massachusetts

By: arnol

arnol — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:40:17 +0000

Does this mall have a steady flow of shoppers that support the mall well and if so are the shoppers there arrogant and snobbish? Do a lot of kids shop there?

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:06:09 +0000

The mall at Chestnut Hill has had its day it needs to be uplifted with happiness and youth it does have the Best retailer Bloomingdales but it need CUSTOMERS

By: Max

Max — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 23:23:29 +0000

How different does this mall now look after the completed renovation?

Also, does anybody consider The Mall at Chestnut Hill to be the most upscale mall in all of New England? I do. (Although Copley Place and The Shops at Prudential Center are close behind.)

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 17:37:44 +0000

How soon before this property becomes a true mixed-use development? Newton’s recently passed Planned Multi-Use Business Development ordinance would allow probably double to triple the density that is on the site now.

By: ben

ben — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 17:01:10 +0000

What they should’ve done is somehow found a way to get it torn it down and rebult it like they did with the old Natick Mall (now Natick Collection) in the early 90s. The renovations were late and parts still look dated.

By: mallguy

mallguy — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 05:51:10 +0000

I haven’t been to this mall in years, but remember it vividly…amazed that the ‘retro look’ of the mall lasted as long as it did, but the renovation was long overdue, especially with the grand re-opening of the “Natick Collection” a few miles west. This mall does benefit from having a full Bloomingdale’s (My Boston sources tell me that the former Bloomingdale’s on Boylston has moved into the former Filene’s and the former stand alone Bloomingdales is now a Macy’s, but is more upscale in nature…whatever that means), as well as jazz performances and other stores not common in the region. The close proximity of BC’s campus to the mall is also a good thing. Some of the renovation pics look pretty interesting and on my next trip up to Boston, I’ll probably stop in the mall to check it out.

By: bagman64

bagman64 — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 19:12:43 +0000

The original Bloomie’s opened in the mall, and was sanctioned to be strictly home furnishings and the Men’s store was added later on. In 1978, the newer fashion store was located across the street. Filene’s at time was a Federated store, so I’m assuming, since Filene’s was a fashion store with very little in home merchandise and equal to Bloomie’s in its designer brands, the need for a Bloomie’s fashion store was unneccesary when the home store was built. Bloomie’s opened other Home-only stores in Manhasset & Eastchester NY as well as Jenkintown, PA long before the Chestnut Hill location was thought of, so it may have been a trend at the time.

It wasn’t until the May Company absorbed the Filene’s operation after Federated’s reorganization that they began to carry Home merchandise. Prior to that, they only offered gifts and domestics departments. After the G.Fox rebranding to Filene’s, the Chestnut Hill location was expanded to offer the new selections. The original Filene’s store at CH was about 1/2 the size it is now.

Bloomie’s branches from its main store in NYC were strategically placed and well thought out. It’s first full-lined branches opened in Fresh Meadows, Queens in 1949 and then in Stamford, CT in 1954. Unfortunately, both those branches are no longer in existence.

By: Alisa D.

Alisa D. — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 06:30:20 +0000

The Filene’s was renovated and the Bloomingdales women’s store has moved in. The Mens and Women’s stores are now inside the mall. Macy’s has taken over the Bloomingdales outparcel.

By: The Kids Are Alright » Labelscar: The Retail History Blog

The Kids Are Alright » Labelscar: The Retail History Blog — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 03:21:35 +0000

[...] Oh, and for what it’s worth, they’re talking about Newton’s Mall at Chestnut Hill, which we’ve covered ’round here before. | Labelscar Home | Directory By State [...]

By: The Fashion Center; Paramus, New Jersey » Labelscar: The Retail History Blog

Sat, 07 Oct 2006 14:00:32 +0000

[...] I only visited this mall once, in 2000, and I remember being struck by how odd it was. There are vestiges of the center’s vintage, such as the strange curvaceous staircase and balcony in the center court, and bits and pieces of classic decor throughout the mall. It also seems that at one point it was given a very lackluster make-over that I would imagine is responsible for the building’s weird rec-room decor, and perhaps that’s when the distinctively strange putting-green carpeting was added. While I’ve seen small, upscale malls before (Boston’s own Mall at Chestnut Hill and Atrium Mall are excellent examples) but the relative shabbiness of Fashion Center, combined with its strange tenant roster, gave it a strangely forgotten feel. [...]