Shoppers World in the Era Before Big Box; Framingham and Natick, Massachusetts
The golden triangle area of Framingham and Natick Massachusetts is one of the most active retail districts in the northeastern portion of the United States, and while today it’s dominated by only one enclosed shopping mall, it used to be home to 5 “malls” of various size and design. One of those was Shoppers World, which was demolished and reconfigured as a big box center in 1994. We just found a great page including some photos of the old Shoppers World in the days before it was demolished, and we’re quite impressed. I do remember seeing the domed Jordan Marsh landmark once, right before it was torn down, but I never got to see the insides of this outdoor mall. Also make sure to note the presence of another retail relic: Herman’s Sporting Goods.
Today, Shoppers World is a large big box center with stores like Best Buy, Bob’s Stores, Barnes & Noble, and Toys ‘R Us. Its smaller neighbor, the one-story Natick Mall, was expanded and renovated in 1994–the same time that the original Shoppers World met its fate–to be the dominant mall for that area, and it’s about to be renovated again to include a whole new wing that will house Nordstrom’s, Neiman Marcus, two condominium towers and almost 100 new stores, making it New England’s largest enclosed mall.
There were also 3 other enclosed malls huddled around these two behemoths: the smaller Framingham Mall, which was demolished in 2000, was home to Filene’s Basement, Lechmere (a Labelscar favorite), and about 30 other stores. The Cloverleaf Mall is smaller, and we were less certain of its history before reading the article at that link, but today it hosts a Guitar Center and Burlington Coat Factory, and had a Service Merchandise until 2001. There’s a fifth mall near the corner of Route 30 and Caldor Road (tee-hee) that is really strange. So far as we can tell, it is referred to only by the unglamorous name “Route 30 Mall,” and none of the stores in the center even open into the mall corridor anymore, yet it remains open. It’s really just a glorified strip mall, anchored by Filene’s Basement, with a long hallway running behind the stores so visitors can walk to the back, home of “Lotus Flower,” an excellent local Chinese place.
Westgate Mall; Brockton, Massachusetts » Labelscar: The Retail History Blog
August 15th, 2006 at 3:31 am
[...] The Westgate Mall in Brockton, Massachusetts is the oldest enclosed shopping mall in Massachusetts, opening in 1963. There are several older malls–such as South Shore Plaza, Northshore Mall, and Shoppers World–but they were all built as primarily outdoor shopping malls that were later enclosed (or, in the case of the latter, demolished). Westgate was the state’s first fully enclosed shopping mall. [...]
dave
September 10th, 2006 at 3:12 pm
Thanks for publishing my photos and linking to my site. I’d love to see any photos people may have of J.M. Fields which had a store at the Rte 27 Shopping Center in Natick back in the 1960s.
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Den
September 16th, 2006 at 6:31 am
I have put together an article about the 1951-1994 SHOPPER’S WORLD, which I am going to submit to the webmaster at MALL HISTORY DOT COM. I was wanting to use a few photos of SHOPPER”S WORLD, such as the one of spaceship-shaped Jordan Marsh (linked above), a couple aerial views of the center (from 1951 and the 1960’s), and the panorama view of SHOPPER”S WORLD, with the Cinema on the left.
I do not know who owns these photos.
Could anyone here fill me in……….
Thank you.
Den,
North Georgia
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michelle
October 5th, 2006 at 1:18 pm
I mourn the old shopper’s world all the time. One of my favorite places growing up and woudl still be today if it were there.
One of the biggest retail disaters in history was demolishing this place.
How do the people who ok’d this sleep at night???
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Nostalgio
May 26th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
I too mourn the loss of the open air Shoppers’ World, as well as the first iteration of the Natick Mall, Framingham Mall, Rte 30 Mall, and Sherwood Plaza. But the biggest botch job of all was Shoppers’ World. What a mess! I avoid it like the plague now.
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Shane
September 23rd, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Hi, my great-grandfather owned a restaurant in Shopper’s World in the 1950’s and 1960’s on the bottom floor. I can’t remember the name and would like any information or pictures anyone has. I would appreciate anyone who has any knowledge. Thanks. My email is SG121990@aol.com
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joanie
December 28th, 2007 at 2:09 am
I miss Shoppers World so much. Even though I have moved out of state, I would still go there if it still existed. What is the matter with the town of Framingham that they thought those ugly big-box stores would be some kind of improvement?
I agree with michelle and Nostalgio and also avoid that rats maze now.
I’d much rather have back the cool-air walks between shops (yes, even in winter) the holiday decorations, music and reindeer. I’d love to see the beautiful trees, bushes, flowers and grass than all of that impervious concrete and tar. Bad move, Framingham, for demolishing Shoppers World!
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Jim
January 6th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
It makes me sad to see this. It reminds me of when I was a child walking around there. The petting zoos, Santa, bands, the playground.. I am 32 and I am very sad to see what is happening to this once quaint area. It is becoming Brookline.
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Marie
January 27th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I miss that old mall, too. I worked there in 1991-92, after just moving to Framingham. Unfortunately there were almost no shoppers there at that time! Sometimes entire days would go by and no one would come into our store at all. I could never figure out why since it was a great location and had a lot of decent stores.
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Marie
January 27th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I miss that old mall, too! I worked there in 1991-92 after just moving to Framingham. Unfortunately there were almost no shoppers there at the time. Sometimes entire days would go by with no one coming into the store at all. I couldn’t understand why since it was in a great location and had a lot of decent stores.
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Audrey
July 27th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I remember the ferris wheel inside Shopper’s World. I got stuck at the top once, which to a 4-year-old seemed ridiculously high. They were enclosed oval cages for ferris wheel cars, but it still scared me to death. However, the real centerpiece was the water display with the fountains. There were colored lights underneath, and I thought it was the most fascinating place on Earth. It’s a shame it’s all changed. I drove by several years ago, but the last time I was inside was 1966.
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Matt
October 3rd, 2008 at 6:06 pm
If Dave (2nd respondent, natickmass.info website) or anyone else would like a picture of JM Fields I’ve got one. But I can’t find any email address on your website to send to.
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Dan
October 27th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
I grew up going to the old Shoppers world and vividly remember Jordan Marsh, Hermans, Bretts, Radio Shack, going to the “Cinema” and having lunch at Joan and Ed’s Deli (now across Rt9 in Sherwood plaza, not the same experience though). Miss the tranquility of leaving the “Real” world and entering the mall, the grass was so green! Friday night concerts, Christmas time, etc. In the late 80’s I belonged to the “Baystate Corvette Club”, we had Corvette shows in both Shoppers World and Inside the Old Natick Mall. What a trip it was to drive down the ramp into Shoppers world, of course they made us “Push” the cars into the Natick Mall as no running engines and also they required the cars batteries to be disconnected. Have to dig out the old photos of both those events…….sigh…….
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Dan
October 27th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
And I never see mention of the “House of Zodiac”, remember that store, lower level, left side towards the back end of the mall. Tarot cards, incense, occult stuff, and other weird things!!
Michelle above asked “How do the people who ok’d this sleep at night???”
Well, they don’t live around here, were never at the old Shoppers world, just another investment…… or, the aliens finally got their ship repaired
and to cover up their leaving….. naw…
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Bruce B.
November 2nd, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Love this collection of photos. Lots of good memories here. Like many in my age group (early 50’s) I remember weekend trips to Shopper’s world. It was considered a “treat”. I didn’t even mind waiting for mom, while she tried on clothes, because that old Jordan Marsh store was a fun place to be. All those old stores, Laurence Stationary, Fitt’s Photo, all had good people. Of course, lunch at Friendly’s on the lower level was a fine treat indeed. A fine steak dinner could be had at the Roundup on the upper level. No comment on the Papa Gino’s that replaced it. In its heyday, Hermans was a great place for top quality sporting goods.
I recognize two of the gentlemen in the photos of the old cinema lobby. They were the managers. Any idea what happened to them? I’ve never seen them at the new cinema on Flutie pass. I remember how they kept unruly teenagers in line.
Dan is correct. The people who make these multi-million dollar decisions are usually suits, located in places like New York, or Los Angeles,or somewhere where huge sums of money and pieces of paper change hands daily. They don’t know, and don’t care what their actions really do.
I can accept the passage of time, and that all things have to come to their eventual end. But still, it “stings” just a little.
I agree, the new “shopper’s world” is simply a strip mall with a gigantic parking lot. Some things are “just wrong”, and the loss of the old shopper’s world is one of them.
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frank
March 2nd, 2009 at 12:53 am
Does anyone remember the Camolot Lounge at Shoppers Wrold? Any one have any photos?
Thanks,
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Stephen McD
June 21st, 2009 at 1:58 am
Wow, I thought I was the only one who missed all of this……Born and raised in Natick, and having been away from there for 7+ years I seriously miss the days of Carvel on the corner of Speen and Rte 9.When Speen and Rte 9 went TWO directions only.
This is the reason the world is messed up.Kids don’t have a fountain like in front of the Sears entrace to hang at. This is a great page.Thanks for the memories guys!!
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Bob
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Wow. Looking at these pics brings back so many memories. I remember the toy soilders and the decorations at Christmas. Wish the mall was still their.
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Jonathan Lhota
October 31st, 2009 at 10:17 pm
I sure miss Shopper’s World.
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