These small malls always seem to be a big hit on Labelscar, so here’s your notice: This is one dead mall that’s about to go away. The Bedford Mall, in the affluent Manchester, New Hampshire suburb of Bedford, is not long for this world.
Manchester, New Hampshire, with a population of around 110,000, is the largest city in the state of New Hampshire and also the largest single municipality in Northern New England. Although Manchester’s heyday was during the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s–when its brick mills along the Merrimack River made this city one of the most productive in America–the city has grown in recent years due to its proximity (50 miles or so) to the Boston area. The Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, located near the Bedford Mall, is one of New England’s busiest airports.
The Bedford Mall opened along Daniel Webster Highway (US3), just three miles southwest of downtown Manchester, sometime in the 1970s. The mall was originally anchored by Purity supermarket at the northern end and WT Grant’s at the southern end, these would be replaced by–respectively–Alexander’s Supermarket and Montgomery Ward in the coming years. The mall itself was, in those days, mostly a fairly straightforward dumbell between the two anchors with room for 20-30 stores.
Interestingly, there was also a large standalone Jordan Marsh store constructed just south of–but not attached to–the Bedford Mall sometime in the early to mid 1970s. This store sports the standard Jordan Marsh architecure of its time, with signature sweeping copper awnings. The Jordan Marsh was separated from the Bedford Mall by a hotel and convention center, so it’s obvious that the department store and the mall were never meant to connect although they clearly did have a symbiotic relationship. The Jordan Marsh store converted to Macy’s when the brand was retired in 1996, and until the Federated/May merger of 2006 remained the only Macy’s in the immediate Manchester area.
In 1991, the Alexander’s left the mall after being acquired by Hannaford, and it was soon replaced by MVP Sports, a New England-based big box sporting goods retailer. Sometime in the 1990s, property management added a large extension to the front of the mall that included room for two additional anchors–filled by Marshalls and Paperama (which was a strange hybrid of a party store, a large drugstore, and a general merchandiser). Although the entire Paperama chain would close in 1994, the store would be quickly filled with a new Staples. In 1997, Montgomery Ward shut their store here (including most/all of their New England stores). Their store was split in half between Linens N Things and Bob’s Stores, effectively repositioning the mall as a mid-priced, big-box anchored alternative to the larger, more mainstream Mall of New Hampshire a few miles away in Manchester.
MVP Sports was acquired by the French chain Decathlon Sports sometime around 2000 (I’ve read 1999, but I seem to recall it being somewhat later). Decathlon managed the rebranding of the MVP Sports stores very strangely, leaving the branding up entirely at some or forgetting to replace signage at others. Or–as you see above–neglecting to clear off the MVP Sports labelscar! If you look at the photos above and below this paragraph, you’ll notice that although they updated the signage on the outside of the building, they never updated the signage facing the interior of the mall. Their rather shaky mastery of concepts like “marketing” would foreshadow things to come: in 2003, Decathlon closed all but 4 of their US stores, including this one. The company soldiered on a few more years with just four locations. In 2006, Decathlon purchased–and cleared–the former site of the WR Grace facility in Woburn, Massachusetts–most famous for its part in the movie A Civil Action–to build a destinational superstore. Soon after, and before they would ever break ground, the entire American division of the chain folded.
Unfortunately, this roster of tenants never did much to drive traffic to the interior of the Bedford Mall. I visited many times from 1999 to 2008, and the center seemed to be very slowly and gradually emptying, ultimately reaching a low of only 9 tenants out of space for 26. Increasingly, the mall has felt like a relic from “simpler times” (ha ha) and many of the interior storefronts, such as the CVS and Papa Gino’s facades, were neglected for a considerable amount of time. One of the best signs of the mall’s neglect is this sticker vending machine, which clearly has not been re-stocked since the late 1990s:
One faint glimmer of home arose in late 2007 or early 2008. The large Macy’s store located just south of the mall became involved in a redevelopment proposal that would wipe out the Quality Inn that separates the mall from Macy’s, and it was rumored that a new lifestyle center anchored by Whole Foods would span much of the distance separating Macy’s and the present day Bedford Mall. Although I don’t think anyone truly expected this to save the enclosed mall, there was at least some new retail activity happening around the site. Of course, the loss of Linens N Things to bankruptcy, along with the shaky financial situation of Bob’s Stores, didn’t necessarily bode well for the long term prospects of the center.
The final nail in the Bedford Mall’s coffin came in February 2009. Management announced that the entire enclosed portion of the mall would be demolished to be replaced with a Kohl’s department store, and much of the rest of the center would be reconfigured to appropriately hold all of the other existing big box tenants.
I’ve never seen that particular Marshalls logo before. I also don’t recall ever spotting the Papa Gino’s logo located in the bottom row of photos.
Caldor, please forgive me for my rudeness, but I thought that Jordan Marsh was coverted to Macy’s in 1996 (as opposed to 1997). Also, I really like that particular prototype Jordan Marsh used for its stores back when the Bedford store was built. Does anybody here know the exact years when Jordan Marsh utilitized that prototype?
It’s so nice to see a mall from New England get profiled, because it seems to have been at least a year since another mall from that region was featured on Labelscar. (On a slightly different matter, I do know that it has been almost two years since a New Jersey mall was profiled.)
A bit of a correction. The Wards was a Grant City, not a W.T. Grant. No W.T. Grant would have ever been big enough for a Wards, but a Grant City definitely.
I would think that having popular chains like Staples and Marshalls would help revive the mall. Too bad it’s just going to all be demolished for a Kohls.
I should add a detail about one other oddity of the Bedford Mall: this is the only occurrence of this particular Bob’s logo that I’m aware of. Their stores pretty much all use the black and blue box; for some reason they tested with this logo for this one site and never changed it to be the same as the others.
When the heck did Marshalls use an all caps logo? It looks especially weird stretched out in a curve on that one sign.
Max – I believe Jordan Marsh developed the prototype used for their Bedford, NH store sometime in the late 1960s through the early 1970s.
This same prototype was used for their stores in the Northshore (Peabody, MA) and Southshore (Braintree, MA) Plazas. Those stores both opened circa 1968. The same facade was used on the Jordan Marsh stores located in the Warwick (RI) and Burlington (MA) Malls, as well as in the Galeria at Worcester (MA) Center. Although the Worcester store store was actually surrounded by the mall and a parking garage, it looked like all the rest – minus the copper awnings, of course!
So what killed this one?
You all need to get a life. The town of Bedford will not allow Bob’s Stores to change their exterior sign on the building. Plus, all of the signs next to the road has been there since the get go. Pay attention a little bit, before ratting and raving!
I’m guessing small size was a factor in its eventual demise. Looking at the floorplan, the enclosed mall itself is hardly any larger than the former Montgomery Ward building. Lately it seems like it’s nigh impossible to keep a tiny mall like this viable.
Also, I’d say a lack of solid anchors was a factor. Marshalls and Staples just don’t have the same kind of draw as JCPenney or Macy’s, and having not one, but two defunct anchors (MVP/Decathlon and Linens ‘n Things) along with the weak Bob’s Store sure isn’t helping much either.
I could use some Papa Gino’s right about now…
What?! No mention of the Bedford Cinema? It has always been the only reason I ever go to that mall for at least the last 30 years.
I was born in 71, so I can’t be sure of much before that. I know I saw Pete’s Dragon there.
Get ready people because when the mall is demolished and rebuilt you will have a new store that you have been asking for, It’s called MARKET BASKET. Permit have been approved.
@Troy, You’ll be shopping alot more when the new MARKET BASKET opens up
Hey I remember when Staples was a party store. My sister and I would harass my girlfriend when she was working there. Papa Ginos is the bomb and I remember seeing Ace Ventura at the Theatre there.
The Jordan Marsh in Bedford was a BEAUTIFUL store in its day (inside). It was so much nicer than the Jordan Marsh “mall”stores generally. Great selection of clothing and an awesome furniture department.
I think Whole Foods would do very well in NH (Bedford or Portsmouth)
New Hampshire has always been 20 years behind in terms of stores/fashion.
NH is no place for a fashionista thats for sure. Ick.
In the bottom right picture (the one with the Marshalls entrance on the right), the store on the left (with the red facade) looks like the old Gap style – can anyone confirm this? I can even picture the lowercase “gap” logo in white.
@Al, hopefully the market basket will be blocked.
Around here, we call them Ghetto Basket. They’re always filthy and they smell like rotting meat, and the clientele makes People of Wal-Mart look like snazzy dressers!
@Tarsha Foster McGillicuddy Abbott,
Whole Foods would do well in Bedford. The median income is about $80K.
What, no love for the scary looking Chinese restaurant next to MVP? Or the Weight Watchers at the other end? Don’t forget the high class hair design academy where all they wear is black and cluster around the main entrance smoking!
The mall is currently being torn down and rebuilt,
Marshalls has moved into the former Linens & Things, Staples is building a new store, Kohl’s open a new store in former Marshalls & Staples location in October 2011.
I saw this tooo. and they havent demolished much of the mall, I Went by it yesterday
They have completely torn down the old MVP Sports Store and Asian Buffet.
The Mall’s sign has been renovated with a new design.
Key Nails has moved from the inside of the mall to the outside on the opposite of Bob’s where Weight Watchers used to be.
Marshall’s has moved to where Linens and Things was.
CVS moved up the Street when the movie theater left.
Pap Gino’s closed.
@Kevin C,
They’re currently tearing most of this mall down. As I drove by the other day some of the interior parts of the stores were exposed to the outside and there was an area where there was a “Gap” sign on an interior wall. Oddly enough, it wasn’t in the area of that store entrance in the picture. Maybe “gap” was there and moved within the mall at one time.
I remember the cinema- I fell asleep watching Hamlet in on a double date in HS, 1991. And I was just getting to the age where shopping at Anderson-Little made sense when they went belly up. There was also a dark little book store I’d spend an hour in, buying a remaindered book or two.
Does anyone rmember when did Matthews Hallmark Store close? Also there was a nice store when you came into the entrance where Staples was before Marshalls, there was alittle hall with a couple of stores, one had something to do with animals but they had no live animals, I really miss the stores we had there back then… I worked at the Hallmark store from when it was Sacketts and still when it became Matthews
I spent most of my childhood and teenage years at this mall. It has lots of memories for me.
Alexanders, Fields Hosiery, Weeks, CVS, Dr Pet, Dalton Bookstore, Henri’s Hairstylist, Bedford Cinema, GAP, Papa Ginos, Thom McAnn Shoes, Montgomery Wards, Players, a small frozen yogurt franchise called Whirl a Whip where I worked my first job, and many more. Its too bad it went down hill.
I remember my mom taking me grocery shopping at Alexanders when I was 11-12 yrs old and we would walk the mall while she shopped.
Pretty comprehensive summary of the Bedford Mall here. The north end of the plaza had a state liquor store; when Alexander’s moved to the new Bedford Grove plaza, the liquor store moved as well. The Alexander’s slot was filled by a large drugstore called Drug Emporium before MVP moved in. Can’t forget others like Anderson-Little (a career-apparel store whose slot was consumed by an expansion to the theater), Paperback Booksmith (probably run out of business by the shiny B&N in Manchester), and novelty shops like the plush-toy store and Belly Up (a t-shirt shop that indeed did go belly-up). Outback Steakhouse built an outbuilding by the main road sometime in 1994-1996; I wonder if that generated some walk-ins while people were waiting 90 minutes for a seat.
The only thing you missed was the cinema. Originally four screens, they expanded sometime in the late ’90s, consuming some unused retail space to have six or seven screens total. I believe it went through General, Canad, and then Hoyts Cinema before Regal took over at the end. They closed the theater sometime around 2007; it was hopelessly outdated compared to the new stadium/digital theaters not too far away. That theater probably kept Papa Gino’s and CVS (right next door, so the ideal pre-movie candy stop) alive through most of the 2000s, plus drew some walk-in traffic. Once the theater closed, that parking lot was empty.
I’d heard that in its later years, the mall’s management company was charging a premium for available real estate in what was quickly becoming a dead mall. I remember when the parking lot was packed around Christmastime, when there were long lines to see Santa, when the movie theater was busy as could be. Then, the anchors started to go away. The MVP/Decathlon parcel sat empty for almost 10 years. The movie theater closed, and CVS built a much larger location across the street. Linens ‘n’ Things went out of business.
As of this June, the Bedford Mall has been converted into more of a power center layout. At the north end of the property are a new pet-food store, and a second new building anchored by Staples with three more suites. The northern half of the mall is now a Kohl’s store. The southern half of the plaza remains anchored by Bob’s Stores and Marshall’s, who moved into the old LNT slot; Bob’s now has a proper sign to match the chain. Between there is Michael’s School of Hair Design, which took up lots of inside space; I haven’t explored inside yet, but I’m told there was a plan to include some sort of inside food court incorporating the former insides of the mall. There are still some smaller empty suites between Kohl’s and Marshall’s, and one larger spot was taken recently by a Fresh Market natural-food store. They’re building another outbuilding to the south end of the lot, where the cinema marquee used to stand; I’d heard rumors that it could be a drive-through coffee shop, but it seems awfully large for a Starbucks. I suppose time will tell!
The Starbucks will be on the North end of that new building in the parking lot, and there is space for up to 3 other tenants from the looks of it. Starbucks was going into one of the strip portions but all new Starbucks they try and put drive-thrus in. I remember the hotel in between Macy’s and Bob’s. It has a For Sale sign. Any thoughts on that space?
@Jeff P Nichols, the hotel property was the subject of rumors for some time. The last I can confirm it was in business was in the fall of 2007, when some of the political candidates stayed there during the primary. (To be fair, it had been a good rallying point for campaigns for years; I remember my dad bringing us to WRKO talk-radio broadcasts during the ’96 elections, broadcast right from the conference rooms.)
The initial talk was that Whole Foods could be the focal point of a new development replacing the run-down hotel. At the time, the Bedford Mall plans were still in flux, I think Kohl’s was looking at a parcel across the street behind the former Caldor plaza, and there had even been discussion of a Market Basket or Trader Joe’s occupying the north unit where Alexander’s had been. Those talks are alluded to above, in the original post, though nothing seemed to come of them.
The other big rumor involved the relocation of C.R. Sparks, the restaurant and banquet hall across from the mall on Kilton Road. Sometime in ’08 or ’09, the owner entered into an agreement to sell the land to Group 1 Automotive, for the construction of an Ira dealership (most likely Lexus, as it fits the Bedford profile). As operations wound down, the owner was interviewed by one of the local papers, and mentioned that he wouldn’t be averse to finding a new home for C.R. Sparks and The Event Center (the name of the banquet hall operations). It was suggested that he might look into buying out the convention center buildings from the hotel, refurbishing them to reopen The Event Center.
Since then, C.R. Sparks was leveled, the new Ira Lexus dealership has opened in its place, and while the owner is still in the restaurant business in Manchester, nothing has been said of C.R. Sparks or The Event Center since then.
Redeveloping could be a trick, too. The property is sort of landlocked; the only right-of-way to the hotel is either from the north at the back of the Bedford Mall, or from the south through the rather-unused Macy’s parking lot. There’s no curb-cut right out to Route 3, at least the way the property is laid out now. And at the rear of the lot, by the convention center, there’s some kind of waterfall/duck pond that would probably be an obstacle to leveling the site and putting a grocery store in its place. Never mind what Bedford would say about the aesthetics of such a development.
Check out the New England Real Estate Journal’s blog on the Bedford Mall:
http://nerej.com/45343
This site has lots of talk about people’s recollections and story outlines as the reconstruction took place.
That mall went though a lot in the past and, having been involved with the property for 10 Years Strait, I can verify that all that is said is accurate.
When they rejuvenated this mall it sure had a change in its layout. It is now more of a strip mall with more Businesses yet to come to the site. When tearing it down you could read label scars from its interior like Talbots and Bradlee’s. Staples is now in its own complex now along with JoS. A Bank which is a store of men’s apperal. Outback Steakhouse’s and Citizens Bank’s complexes are still as the were in the parking lot. Nonetheless, security seems to be tight at all those stores having heard so much about arrested fellons. Once that movie theater closed, the Bedford Mall went dead.
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Remember that Regal Cinemas? Boy was it dirty on its concrete flooring and old school was its film formats. Now with a dead mall, people no longer go in there for an exercise walk. As for the Wayfarer Inn, it has been closed for more than a year since mid-2011. Go by it and you will see graffiti aon nd holes in it’s sidings. Reading the town’s local paper, I found that 4 youngsters were caught stealing copper piping from it. As for Macy’s it may be great if its property were to be connected to that of the Bedford Mall.
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Redoing the intersection accross the street has indeed brought business and easier traffic flow to both Bedford Mall’s and Macy’s parking lots. This is the intersection of routes NH101 and US3. Currently, they are rebuilding the overpass of US Route 3 and the Everette Turnpike. Also, they are constructing a Market Basket on NH114 and New Boston Road where Bedfors Golfland formerly was. Also, I read in this week’s paper that redevelopment of Second Street’ (just up the street by the Mobil station at the Bedford/Manchester line) may be redone for faster traffic flow.
So all this roadwork seems to take place because elsewise traffic may intensify and get too backed with such a Live and Active (and No Longer Dead) Bedford Mall.
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The Bedford Mall’s street sign and highway signage have been redesigned and newly constructed. By the former Wayfarer Inn where it crosses the Baboosic Brook, locals do not want construction projects to affect it, so if it were to be demolished, that part may be kept there.
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My World War 1 neighbor tells me that as a child, the land below the Bedford Mall and Macy’s was once swamp land. It was turned into an airport runway used by the U.S Air Force during World War I. And then build into what is there today
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Great Job Bedford on redoing your mall. Keep with it and it will come along for sure.
@Jeff P Nichols,
Late last year I remember read in the Bedford Journal and Heard the same on AM610 that there were two troubling youths who were taken in to custody after breaking into the hotel. They were stealing copper pipes from the heating system and plumbing so they could sell it on the Web. Copper goes for big bucks these days.
O:-)
Also, when driving by at night, I can see lights on and sometimes even flickering. Look at the roof near the road and you”ll notice that the latch to its attic is up. I”ll bet those kids and some homeless individuals get in there that way.
Also, there is spray paint grafiti noticable on the north-side of the convention center. It’s siding there is torn off and there is fencing around the whole complex!
I have been involved with this lot for more than 10 years now. Everytime I discuss the Rejuvinization history of the Bedford Mall with those who I meet, I am always told how much the newly made, FORMERLY DEAD, Bedford Mall has impacted their lives as Middle-Age citizens of Bedford during their years of youth. I recall discussing their recollections of the parking lot’s unappealingness before it was torn up to make way for a new drainage system and how the new fence on the northern end of the property has kept loud noises out of and brought more property value to their homes.
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-Bedford Mall/Macy’s Connection-
If the Wayfarer Inn’s property is torn up for a connected complex, then the John Goffe Mill site would still need to be restored so remember construction team to build a ceiling over it.
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-Personal Recommendations on What Should Go There-
Chick-Fil-A
Arby’s
Vintage Video Game Shop
Sport Cards And Comics Shop
More Trees
Laundromat
Coin Dealer
Pawn Shop
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-Job Readings from Local Media –
Bedford Journal and Bedford Bulletin:
-When Kohl’s Opened, 1,500 people applied for Jobs there and all they had was just 150 Openings. People were walking into and out of that complex ever 3 minutes of the day to get a job.
-Parking Issues are now fixed. At one time Kohl’s employees parked in front of other complexes, but now they park North of the main complex.
-There are no longer trucks parking on the lot over night; now they use Macy’s lot.
-Bedford has an overpass being constructed on US3 were it crosses the Everette Turnpike. This will allow people to travel faster and safer to the Bedford Mall.
-Michael’s School of Hair and Nail Designs once had a temporary hanging sign above its entrance prior to its now permanent white, back-lit sign. They successfully stayed in their location during the entire rejuvination of the Bedford Mall while they were constructed around.
-On NH101 between Wallace Road and NH114 the papers mention that they plan on building a middle turning lane with 2 to 3 South and North Bound Lanes. Traffic gets blocked up big-time due to Rush Hour when people leave the Bedford Mall and other nearby plazas.
-Due to the new construction of a Market Basket in bedford at the NH114 and New Boston Rd intersection, local newspapers state that heavy traffic likely to compile around 293, Wallace Rd, and NewBoston Rd. So, to prevent traffic for new constructions like the Bedford Mall, they are redeveloping that to 2 lanes.
Union Leader:
-3 Teens were caught spray-painting the new NH101/US3/Daniel Webster Highway overpass.
-Fresh Market had 90 positions provided when opening and hiring occurred only within days before it opened.
-All tenants of the Bedford Mall are working together to nab shoplifters. These people are all caught on camera and are reported. Keep up the great work Bedford Mall Team!
-Fresh Market is all about natural food and bakery products. Construction of Fresh Market and its opening in June Last year (2012) had little debate over its financial impact on local food retailers. This is unlike the current undergoing of construction of Market Basket in Bedford at the NH114/New Boston Road Intersection(where Bedford Gold Land used to be).
-Local Food Retailer Competitors for Market Basket:
–Stop & Shop: on US3 accross from Bedford Mall
–Stop & Shop: on NH28 (S. Willow Street)
–Hannaford: on US3 up the street from Bedford Mall
–Hannaford: on NH101 Past Wallace Road
–Harvest Market: on NH101 (formerly named Vista Foods)
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-Personal Noticed Bedford Mall Construction Notes-
—Some store signs are crooked and are leaning over
—The Bedford Mall is no longer an indoor mall; it is now a srip mall
—Once the Royal Cinema movie theater closed the mall went dead
—Papa Gino’s closed
—CVS relocated up the street by VIP Auto Parts
—Kobra Kahn’s Martial Arts Academy relocated down the street across from Macy’s
—MVP Sports changed its name to Decathlon and closed soon after and was torn down to make way for the new Kohl’s
—Key Nails relocated to the South-end of the Mall where Weight Watchers was
—Staples relocated into a new complex on the North side of the lot
—Marshals relocated next to Bob’s where Linens and Things formerly was
—Constructors tore down everything remaining to the North of the New Marshals
—All front door finishings of the entrances to the major tenants were redesigned and rebuilt for a strait forward and appealing look
—Pet’s Supply Plus is in its own complex on the North-West corner of the lot
—Starbucks, Fresh Market, Chopotle Mexican-Grill, and Outback Steakhouse are the major food and drink companies on the lot.
—Wi-Fi hotspots are emerging – Starbucks has opened its Wi-Fi Hotspot to all its customers
—The Mall’s entrance peaks have wind vanes on them
—JoS. A. Bank is opened on the opposite end as Staples of the Staples Complex. Joseph A. Bank sells mens’ Apparel and it’s indeed well noticable when traveling by.
—Take a look at the Mall’s sign: all it name plates are full
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The Market Basket on 114 opened just last week on May 9, 2013. Bedford had to reconstruct its intersection there, now with 4 lanes on the Northbound Side and 1 lane on the Southbound Side. Traffic is flowing more frequent at that intersection allowing for a long minutes’ wait for the 114 lights to turn back to red.
Having read all the papers, you can see how much Market Basket’s competitors are bugged by its construction, let alone its new opening last week. Hannaford’s of Bedford on Rte. 3 infront of Wal-Mart sued Market Basket, but the State Supreme Court of NH said that Hanaford’s claim that this could have a negative financial Iimpact is implausible.
Will this Have an Impact on The Bedford Mall? I DON’T I GUESS WE’LL JUST WAIT AND SEE!!!
Like you mentioned above, they are building a new bridge down the street where Rte. 3 OVERCROSSES the turnpike. Take a look everyone…The new overpass is complete and.is opened to traffic 24/7. What they are doing.right now seems to be destructing the old bridge. Its beams have been removed and all it looks like they have left is to remove the concrete structure.
This mall has been big-boxed. Staples has moved to a newly built location across the parking lot.
The adjacent Wayfarer inn and convention center still sits abandoned and poorly secured. This was once one of the most notable hotels in the area. A Jordan Mash era Macy’s is on the other side.
BEDFORD MALL LOCAL OCCURRENCES:
Last Month, when a storm hit the area, I was driving towards Merrimack from Bedford on the old Route 3, just a quarter mile up the street from the new overpass construction site…
…and just when I said, “HMM….GEE…I wonder what it would look like if a huge lightning bolt struck that crane,” a bolt struck the tip of the blue and white crane and I just broke up in “laughing-mode” thinking I jinxed the the crane.
But boy was that a hit!
I wonder if the construction team ever found out about the lightning strike!
Anyways Traffic flows great over here at these here Market Basket; I like the 4 lane decision on NH Rte. 114 South. I think that the new Market Basked Built at the 114/New Boston Rd. intersection should have a Logo on the West edge of its South-West Corner.
I did see a few construction hat-wearing dudes walking about an empty lot of the Staples annex. So more construction is indeed likely to happen.
A few personal notes on local Grocery Store closings and their impact on Bedford Mall Traffic:
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http://m.wmur.com/money/stop-shop-closing-its-nh-stores/-/17440892/21350640/-/38rhk1/-/index.html
I heard this today on AM610: Stop & Shop is closing ALL6 of its stores in New Hampshire . Point Being; the Stop & Shop in Bedford is just across the street from the Bedford Mall. Traffic vilume to the Bedford Mall lot may lesses until something comes.
Stop & Shop there demolished the old Caldor that was there. I sure miss the old Caldor that orinally existed there! I would always buy my Sega and Nintendo brand Video Games of the day there for the right prices. And Stop & Shop is closing its Manchester store that they constructed via taking the place of the Bradlees by demoloshing it.
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http://m.wmur.com/news/shaws-to-close-6-stores-in-nh/-/17440650/21236616/-/ka5ny7z/-/index.html
And the same goes for Shaws that are local to the Bedford Mall – 6 closing total just like Stop & Shop.
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OTHER:
Look at the Parking Lot of the Bedford Mall.- it’s always so full these days.
I have heard some rumors about a bagel shop gong in one of the units of the Staples Annex.
Driving by the old Wayfarer Inn, you can see a door open at the north wast corner of the dead mall. Are people breaking in there?
PREPARE FOR MORE SHOPPING OF ITEMS AT BEDFORD MALL AND A MORE DEEPLY FILLED PARKING LOT!
INFO GATHERED FROM LOCAL MEDIA:
You’re right! ALL 6 Stop & Shop Stores and All 6 Shaws are already closed/going to be closed. People will no longer be stopping there to pick up items that they have always been able to purchase at Bedford Mall’s shops. Stores at the Bedford Mall sell items from Office Supplies, Food, Stamps, Clothing, & Coffee.
I gotta say that the Stop & Shop across from the Bedford Mall has been closed down from here on out. And…This applies to 6 ALL Stop & Shops of New Hampshire. The Bedford Journal mentions un-employment benefits are to be offered to some, if not most of those layed off.
As for Shaws, walk inside today and you will see they’re down to their 10 final days of business at these 6 NH stores. I went inside the Shaws today in Goffstown – the next town over from Bedford’s Bedford Mall – and I saw new tags in there with today’s date on them. They use Unions, so that must be why it takes so long, unlike Stop & Shop taking only days to close. The Bedford Journal also mentions that un-employment benefits are to be offered to some, if not most of those layed off from shaws.
It’s so busy at the mall these days and the parking lots are oh-so full. The parking lots are always clean, and security is tight at the lot – with police around and about for safety. It sure makes me feel safe and more secure than ever. Staples’ HOOKSETT STORE is closing on the first of next month (09/01/13).
Anyone notice the grocery shop chain across the street is gone? They closed all 6 of those by that name in NH and now that the Bedford Mall has empty retail space accross the street, the Bread Bakery and Starbuck’s are going to become high end for food. The other chain next to Planet Fitness in Goffstown has closed along with 4 others by its name in Greater Manchester.
There are two shops going into the Staples Complex, right in between Staples and Joseph A. Bank. One is a Payless Shoe Source.
The parking lot is all paved these days with lots of busy-ness! The paper reads that trucks are no longer allowed to park overnight and that you can no longer place signs on telephone poles; you must buy a sign that sticks into the ground! So if the fair comes to the Parking Lot again… where are they gonna place the signs???
And the trees finally no longer have sticks holding them upright. It’s a little hard to read the Bedforn Mall’s sign from I-293, but once the leave are gone, I can always view it like a charm.
The trask cans are never apearing to be over-full. When entering the parking lot from So. River Rd., there is no stop sign, so all those coming out have one. There’s a huge Air Conditioning Unit behind the mall! Must be a big piece of trash awaiting for the dump.
I read in Last Weeks’s Paper that Bedford Mall’s Next Door Neighbor – Wayferer Inn – is planned to be demolished. It says it has been closed for 8 years.
Monday, November 18th, is the date for proposals to be make to the Bedford Planning Board. They are proposing a 4-Story apartment complex, 2 restaurants, and a retail suite.
The Way I think should it should go is to build more Box Stores and connect them to the Bedford Mall to make it larger and bring more business to Bedford. Connect these box stores to the Macy’s Lot.
The worrisome part is that the part of the hotel that over passes the Mill Part of the brook may be destined for destruction.
@Dan, the Bedford Mall did house a Gap until 1994 or so. The location closed around my sophomore year of high school — I remember stocking up big time when they were liquidating their inventory!
Bedford Planning Board Meeting Minutes data:
Here are some great URL’s containing Background Information & Project Statistics on both the Bedford Mall and it’s southern neighboring site – The Wayfarer Inn. Find superior updates on where the redevelopment stands/stood for these projects.
———————-
THE BEDORD MALL:
Go to Page 8.
Open this URL to view the project’s proposal made way back when on April 19, 2010. Here you will see the Bedford Mall’s history mentioned at the time and you will see lots about the proposal made then. Compare this to how this mall’s layout today appears to how it was mentioned-to-be way back in the Spring of ’10.
THE URL: http://www.ci.bedford.nh.us/Pages/BedfordNH_PlanningMin/2010/Minutes7.pdf
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Wayfarer Inn:
Go to page 17.
See lots here on the proposal of the Wayfarer Inn. It holds that the plan for the property is for it to have retail, apartment, office and restaurant uses. Traffic would enter through the Macy’s Parking Lot. Utility work is preferred. If you read, it contains a major conceptual review of the site’s plan:
THE URL: http://www.ci.bedford.nh.us/Pages/BedfordNH_PlanningMin/2014/Minutes5.pdf
————————
Road Development – These should bring traffic to the MALL quicker and sooner.
—There is redevelopment up the road on Exit 4 of I-293 Exit. There are 5 Red-Listed Bridges there
— There is redevelopment planned to Widen NH 101 to 5 lanes from NH 114 to Wallace Road. They want to have a middle turning lane and two lanes on the East and West bound sides of NH 101.
Here are some great links to the Bedford Mall’s Layout:
LAYOUT – PRE-CONSTRUCTION:
Here is the TO BE layout of Pre-Construction: http://www.atlanticretail.com/images/content/BedfordNH_BedfordMall.pdf
LAY OUT – SUMMER 2013:
Here is the CURRENT layout of today’s construction:
http://emmesrealty.com/sites/default/files/properties/files/nh_bedford_leaseplan_lp.pdf
—-Look on the right-hand side of this PDF document and you will see a list of Tenant Data (Who’s where).
PROPERTY OWENER:
http://emmesrealty.com/states/new-hampshire/bedford-mall
http://www.emmesco.com/41-property.htm
LOCATION MAP:
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=73+South+River+Road+Bedford,+NH&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=31.564064,58.623047&ie=UTF8&ll=42.959972,-71.479111&spn=0.007114,0.014312&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1
I REMEMBER:
Bruce Willis appeared as the one who owned and operated Bedford Sports Collectables in the Bedford Mall. He now owns and operates Cobra Kahn’s Martial Arts Academy down the street in Manchester by Second Street.
Belly Up was a store in the Bedford Mall, next to Bedford Sports Collectables. It sold things like those you find a Spencer Gift’s in the Mall of NH. Belly Up went Belly Up itself went it closed. They always sold Nine Inch Nails shirts there – and that was the band McKelvie Middle School kids loved at my time.
Traffic was a mess years ago across the street from Macy’s onto and off of NH 101 and US Rte. 3. But today, it’s so nasty up the highway at the Route 101 and 114 intersection, that getting back on the highway is always a trouble during rush hour when departing from or for the Bedford Mall. Construction is going to take place to make 101 five lanes – two in each direction with 1 middle turning lane – or so rumor has it.
The Bedford Mall’ll be getting new neighbors and lots of more traffic soon! Thank that to the Bedford Planning Board! Lots more business is likely to come.
Been reading up on and spinning by the Wayferer Inn these days? Word is, as stated in the Bedford Bulletin, the Wayfarer Inn is to be demolished and taken upon by new land owners for development.
The Bedford Planning Board has approved for this to take place. Here is what’s gonna go there:
—–4-Story Appartment Complex w/73 Units
—–Restaurants(2 total)
—–Retail Building (48.8K Square Feet)
—–Bank (2.9K Square Feet)
—–Training Space w/ a Spa (7,562 Square Feet)
—–Whole Foods Market
—–Subdivision (5 Lots Total)
—–Parking Lot (for All Cutomers’ Access and Private Inn Parking)
—–Goffe Mill Plaza (a Shopping Center)
Lots of studying was put into place and from the looks of things, they appear to be placing a traffic officer directing cars for starters like they did with the Whole Foods in Nashua. Turning the intersection will be new so this will allow all drivers to get used to their directorial whereabouts. Signs will be constructed and placed appealingly and visible for all to see.
Architecture-wise, they will be constructing the Whole Foods Complex in such a way that those entering the parking lot can determine the correct way of front-door entry. There’s been no word on if it will cause protesting from neighboring grocers, as that’s what happened when Market Basket was put in a little while ago.
Source: http://www.newhampshire.com/article/20141007/NEWHAMPSHIRE1408/141009148
Words is it has been approved by the planning board!: Bedford Mall’s next door neighbor The Wayfarer Inn is being demolished and replaced by a 4-story apartment complex, a Whole Foods, and some other various retail shops. Not only will they be demolishing it, but they will be placing fixtures on its premises to still give it that John Goffe Mill appealing look. It ill have a late-2015 opening date.
Staples will be downsizing its Manchester retail store footprint-size to be smaller than its Bedford Mall one.
Its Co-Tenants are:
1. Bob’s Stores
2. Kohl’s,
3. Marshalls
4. Staples
Its Smaller Tenants are:
1. Chipotle Mexican Grill
2. Citizens Bank
3. Famous Footwear
4. Fresh Market, The
5. Hand & Stone
6. Joseph A Bank
7. Key Nails
8. Michael’s School of Hair Design & Esthetics, Paul Mitchell Partner School
9. Optima Bank
10. Outback Steakhouse
11. Pet Supply Plus
12. Sally Beauty Supply
13. Weight Watchers
The Bedford Mall now has its store labels lit up!
It seems they have a new achor going in to the Bedford Mall between Michael’s School and Food Market. In there, you can see a huge tube of the air duct lying from the ceiling and onto the floor. Must be an air filter or something for the new tenant. It no longer has a “For Lease” any where on its windows.
People still pull into that Citizens Bank, so it’s gotta still be operational and not a scar in the Mall’s lot.
They’re tearing down that od food storage facility off 101 at the So. Willow Street Exit. It is going to be Walmart Supercenter!
The local media says that the Staples in Manchester will shrink its floor space by 13,000 Sq Feet! Is that a load or what?! There is a sign aside the Back-Lit Staples Store Sign of the Bedford Mall Staples complex (85 So. Rive Rd.) depicting that that store is now inter-opperational with USPS. The town mayor is very picky so they will probable have that removed.
The Wayfarer Inn Demolition Just Began Last Week!!! (Bedford Mall’s Neighbor) & More on History:
—-
Check out today’s Sunday Union Leader and a 2010 Nashua Telegraph.
—
Sunday Union Leader (Sunday, February 22nd, 2015):
URL: http://www.unionleader.com/article/20150222/NEWHAMPSHIRE02/150229818/0/NEWS11
This article talks about the Wayfarer Inn, which is the Southern next-door neighbor of the Bedford Mall. New Hampshire’s First-in-the-Nation Presidential Primary always took there for years. People are sad to see it go, but others are thankful to see the Bedford Planning Board moving on with things and willfulness to give Bedford a great new, appealing, and recent appearance.
It’s sat vacant for years. I wonder if they will find anything of suspicion while demolishing it and digging it up. Things of that sort would include old colonial artifacts and perhaps recent things thugs have taken out of it like copper pipes mentioned about above and whathaveyou.
While passing by, take a look at the giant Backhoes digging up the joint. That’s what you will keep seeing for a season’s time to come. Let’s hope they keep the old part of the John Goffe Mill intact. Look forward to a more busy Bedford Mall.
Just to say, the Radio Shack up the street behind Taco Bell is closing. So you will indeed see a Label Scar there at that small strip mall. Going in there, I was told by a store employee that the Radio Shack on So. Willow St. is staying open.
Snow is going bonkers this Winter in Bedford, NH with piles all over the place. So, looking around at what’s to come will be a challenge. Don’t let the Weather Get in your way demolition crew!
—–
Nashua[, NH] Telegraph (Wednesday, August 4th, 2010):
URL: http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/business/813917-192/plans-under-way-for-mall-upgrade.html
This link has great historic images of the Bedford Mall. It was written a day way prior to construction. It is titled “Plans Under Way for Mall Upgrade.” You will find mentioning of what was planned for a new Bedford Mall, its vacancy area, and tells you who bought it (Emmes Asset Management Co.) with what responsibility they had to make it into what it is today.
Anyone notice they are tearing down the Wayfarer Inn?
I would always attend the political campaigns there and people there would be of vital importance to the State of NH. That Wayfarer Inn is where the first NH Primary was held every 4 years.
I wonder if those politicians ever visited the Bedford Mall? They must have known it was a dead place by 2000! It was an honor to meet people there.
Look at the 4-Story part of the Inn – there is ivy growing up to the top. I don’t see a single duck there like I did attending the primaries.
Anyone remember Officer Friendly? That was the Bedford police department elder guy who would stand allotted directing traffic.
Place a historical marker there to discuss about the old days of the Wayfarer Inn.
Great News Bedford Mall Fans….
Its neighbor, officially know as The Sheraton-Wayfarer Inn, is currently being destructed to make way for the all new, and mighty entitled:
The Goffe Mill Plaza
–
of Bedford, NH
–
The team TFMoran has long been seeking to successfully become a recipient of approval for this new development. Personal chats speak of local officials saying that once they went in there after that Copper Bust, it was never entered again! Why? Their reasoning is that it was (and still is) all nasty in there with bugs, spray paint, and torn walkways and ceilings!
Look at all the rejuvenation work while driving by and you will see that they are keeping the original mill part of the building intact.
Who knows…Maybe The Goffe Mill Plaza will have its own rejuvenation like that of the Bedford Mall after long un-succession. Only time will tell.
Here is a great link to The Goffe Mill Plaza’s future layout:
http://nerej.com/79508
Click here for some of the site’s foretelling depictions of what is to come of the lot and where places are to be constructed:
http://nerej.com/images/stories/2014/79508_POM-site%20plan_opt.jpeg
http://nerej.com/images/stories/2014/79508_POM-whole%20foods_opt.jpeg
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Sheraton- Wayfarer, Bedford, NH, Past and Present:
Want to verify your remembrance of the insides of that old inn??? Click this link for great views of what it looked like inside it back in the day.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/edge_and_corner_wear/sets/72157628813683193/
Sheraton Wayfarer, Bedford, NH then and now images are shown at this link containing scans of vintage postcards and family photos, along with recent photos of the soon-to-be, forthcoming The Goffe Mill Plaza
———-
As for traffic, visit the NH D.O.T. site RebuildingI93.com to see where things stand as far as success on the Interstate I-93 redevelopment project. They are reconstructing I-93 from Salem-to-Manchester, and vice-versa. Therfore traffic should get to the Bedford Mall quicker and with more ease after 4 lanes are completed.
Boy – The NH D.O.T. sure is coming along!!! I am proud of them!
Click this link for their 2014-2015 winter newsletter.
Visit page 4, which shows you a table containing an I-93 PROJECT SUMMARY OF PROJECTS TO DATE.
http://rebuildingi93.com/documents/2014-2015%20Winter%20Newsletter.pdf#page=4%22
———-
Miss You Old Bedford Mall!
On April 6th there will be construction taking place to reconstruct Route 3 to five lanes from the Bedford Mall up north up to Hannaford’s. This must be due to the reconstruction and demolition of the Wayfarer Inn lot.
They have oh so much of it torn up and taken away to dumps or what not. They will place some historical marker representing it. Look at the lawn and you will see matresses piled atop one another. That goes to show that there are junk after junk being disposed of within the part of the Wayarer Inn that overcrosses Bowman Brook.
You can see CAT bulldozers digging up lots of it all day long. Drive by on 293 and you can clearly see the other side of the lot to Route 3. The back road is closed! You know: the one that you could drive over Bowman Brook(Behind the Wayfarer Inn) from Macy’s to The Bedford Mall and vice versa.
When they bulit the Market Basket on 114, Market Basket paid for the layout change of the New Boston Roan/NH Rte 114 intersection on thier own behalf. That was done to show they are good neighbors and occupants of Bedford.
Been to TYBY across the street? They’ve got good tasting whatchamacallits. Bedford Mall’s Starbucks has great coffee and their drive-throughs are nice and fast paced. That Outback Steakhouse has been opened for years, and existed even when the old Bedford Mall was around! Go in parking lot in the evening and you can smell the goods of it from behind.
Down the street on Second Street, they are redoing the inside of that McDonald’s. It is gross all over the floors. They redid Brown Ave.’s McDonald’s last year and made it look clean, getting rid of its stench and nasty bathrooms’ odors.
Great news for the Bedford Mall! Traffic will be greater than ever!!! All of South River Rd., from the NH Rte 101/Kilton Rd. exit, all the way up to Second St.(where Mobil gas station is located on the Bedford/Manchester line) is being widened to 5 lanes. There will be 2 lanes in each direction with a middle turning lane, thus allowing for easier traffic flow. A sign was posted on the street 2 weeks ago stating that construction was to begin on 04/06/15 (this past Monday). But it seems they already starting marking their demolition points 2 Fridays ago (04/03/15) for a supposedly head start.
Take a look at the Wayfarer Inn! They have torn down the oh so most of it! All they have left to remove is the part over-crossing the Bowman Brook! They are in the process of removing it, and as they “eat away” at it, you can see graffiti all over its inside walls. They keep placing old pieces underneath what they’re currently tearing down, that way they can dig higher and more into that part of the Wayfarer Inn!
Y’all gotta pull over to the side of the parking lot of the Bedford Mall so you can watch what is going on over there at the former Wayfarer Inn’s lot! They have Komatsu and CAT brand cranes tearing down the whole place, eating away at it, piece-by-piece.
They are seemingly leveling out the Wayfarer Inn’s lot. The John Goffe Mill sits still, awaiting its recovery and assurance for protection. Placing a historical marker next to it there would be great. They must have already transported the bridge – it no longer stands there.
When they were closing the place years back, I went in there to look at all that stuff laying around that the Wayfarer Inn was selling. They had a large Rear-Projection Television there probably measuring 48 inches (four feet). All they wanted was one hundred bucks for it. But I doubt that thing ever even sold because it was so heavy and had a light-pale output.
I like reading all the posts placed here prior to the reconstruction of the Bedford Mall.
Bedford Mall was used in 1992 when they had George Bush Senior during his campaign run against Pat Buchanan – it was indoors back then. At the Wayfarer Inn, NH would always have its first primaries held there, but with no more of a Wayfarer Inn, where are they going to place the primaries this time around? NH, after all, is the first state to perform voters. Bowman Brook is what underpasses the Wayfarer Inn’s lot. I wonder is they will allow the brook to be visible and noticeable on the lot and off the road.
The parking lot is full these days at the Bedford Mall. Unfortunately, the Manchester Transit Authority(MTA) does not use public transportation to and from there. Their busses (or is it “buses”?) only go as far south on S. River Rd. as Wal-Mart up the street.
The Goffe Mill Plaza is coming along. Have you seen all of the Construction taking place at the Wayfarer Inn’s lot? That is the to-be location of the Goffe Mill Plaza. They have now filled in the entire lot with sand and fill. At the moment, they are placing beams at the site to make a successful frame for the buildings. The Bedford Mall has open Wi-Fi network connections from lots of its stores. The 48,000 sq. ft. Whole Foods that is going to be placed there seemed to get no confrontation from Hannaford’s about its construction, like they did when Market Basket moved in.
You can see them working next to the road on the telephone poles; it might be for an entrance to the Wayfarer Inn’s lot. They have crushed up lots of the granite that they dug out of the Wayfarer Inn’s lot. The John Goffe Mill is all left standing alone – they will not be touching that, so it appears. Lots of new drainage pipes sit about. Wayfarer Inn still owned the lot once they left, so they were the ones who had the responsibility to sell it off.
There is no longer a way to go between the Bedford Mall and the Macy’s lot via riding through the Wayfarer Inn property. That, of course, well for now anyways, is so the construction team can complete their job. It plans to be complete by Summer of 2016. Local paper reads that all is paid off for The Shoppes at the Bedford Mall.
Up the street, between the Bedford Mall Entrance and Wal-Mart, they are adding one lane to the southbound side of the road – South River Road. That is being done, for sure, to make way for a heavier traffic flow. I wonder if they found any graffiti on the interior walls of the Wayfarer Inn? Or any copper pipes taken like you mentioned above? It seems it took the Bedford Planning Board 5 YEARS to get through with all the approvals for the Wayfarer Inn’s lot reconstruction.
I remember Papa Gino’s inside The Bedford Mall – they had a 5-sliced pizza selling pizza slices for just $1.00 a slice! I can’t seem to find such a deal like that today!
Here are some great images of the soon to come Goffe Mill Plaza:
Sky-High Proposed Look of Goffe Mill Plaza:
http://nerej.com/images/stories/2014/79508_POM-site%20plan_opt.jpeg
Street Proposed Look of Goffe Mill Plaza:
http://nerej.com/images/stories/2014/79508_POM-whole%20foods_opt.jpeg
Removal of Bridge:
http://nerej.com/images/stories/2015/82752_Goffe%20Plaza-Bridge%20Rem_opt.jpeg
VANDALISM VIDEO: Wayfarer Inn has Become a Historic Mess:
http://www.wmur.com/news/wayfarer-inn-has-become-a-historic-mess/25707078
I like reading all the posts placed here prior to the reconstruction of the Bedford Mall.
Bedford Mall was used in 1992 when they had George Bush Senior during his campaign run against Pat Buchanan – it was indoors back then. At the Wayfarer Inn, NH would always have its first primaries held there, but with no more of a Wayfarer Inn, where are they going to place the primaries this time around? NH, after all, is the first state to perform voters. Bowman Brook is what underpasses the Wayfarer Inn’s lot. I wonder is they will allow the brook to be visible and noticeable on the lot and off the road.
The parking lot is full these days at the Bedford Mall. Unfortunately, the Manchester Transit Authority(MTA) does not use public transportation to and from there. Their busses (or is it “buses”?) only go as far south on S. River Rd. as Wal-Mart up the street.
The Goffe Mill Plaza is coming along. Have you seen all of the Construction taking place at the Wayfarer Inn’s lot? That is the to-be location of the Goffe Mill Plaza. They have now filled in the entire lot with sand and fill. At the moment, they are placing beams at the site to make a successful frame for the buildings. The Bedford Mall has open Wi-Fi network connections from lots of its stores. The 48,000 sq. ft. Whole Foods that is going to be placed there seemed to get no confrontation from Hannaford’s about its construction, like they did when Market Basket moved in.
You can see them working next to the road on the telephone poles; it might be for an entrance to the Wayfarer Inn’s lot. They have crushed up lots of the granite that they dug out of the Wayfarer Inn’s lot. The John Goffe Mill is all left standing alone – they will not be touching that, so it appears. Lots of new drainage pipes sit about. Wayfarer Inn still owned the lot once they left, so they were the ones who had the responsibility to sell it off.
There is no longer a way to go between the Bedford Mall and the Macy’s lot via riding through the Wayfarer Inn property. That, of course, well for now anyways, is so the construction team can complete their job. It plans to be complete by Summer of 2016. Local paper reads that all is paid off for The Shoppes at the Bedford Mall.
Up the street, between the Bedford Mall Entrance and Wal-Mart, they are adding one lane to the southbound side of the road – South River Road. That is being done, for sure, to make way for a heavier traffic flow. I wonder if they found any graffiti on the interior walls of the Wayfarer Inn? Or any copper pipes taken like you mentioned above? It seems it took the Bedford Planning Board 5 YEARS to get through with all the approvals for the Wayfarer Inn’s lot reconstruction.
I remember Papa Gino’s inside The Bedford Mall – they had a 5-sliced pizza selling pizza slices for just $1.00 a slice! I can’t seem to find such a deal like that today!
Here are some great images of the soon to come Goffe Mill Plaza:
Sky-High Proposed Look of Goffe Mill Plaza:
http://nerej.com/images/stories/2014/79508_POM-site%20plan_opt.jpeg
Street Proposed Look of Goffe Mill Plaza:
http://nerej.com/images/stories/2014/79508_POM-whole%20foods_opt.jpeg
Removal of Bridge:
http://nerej.com/images/stories/2015/82752_Goffe%20Plaza-Bridge%20Rem_opt.jpeg
VANDALISM VIDEO: Wayfarer Inn has Become a Historic Mess:
http://www.wmur.com/news/wayfarer-inn-has-become-a-historic-mess/25707078
Wayfarer Inn has become a historic mess
Been to the Bedford Mall lately? Across the street of its entrance they have new pavement. Traffic will be tight on the street once their new next door John Goffe Plaza is complete. So, they are now placing an extra lane on South River Road just North of Bedford Mall’s entrance. They will be making 5 lanes from the Bedford Mall up to the end of where its last intesection is – at the Hanford’s lot. The will be placing a middle turning lane and 2 North and South bound lanes there to make way for the new traffic flow of the John Goff plaza, which is being constructed on the old lot of the Wayfarer Inn.
Manchester repaved Second Street – the next part of US Route 3 after Bedford Mall’s South River Road endas at the Mobil Station. Man was that road nasty and bumpy. But, if they ever want to stop the slowness of traffic at the North half of that intersection, they’d have to tear down all those complexes just to make enough room for it to have 5 lanes! Two lanes in each direction with a middle turning lane.
Been noticing the former Wayferer Inn? Check out its next door neighbor – the now-demolished, former Wayfarer Inn’s lot – when you drive by it! There, they have already placed tar down on the lot’s parking lot, entrances, and, exits.
They now have the siding placed in the walls of the new-to-be Whole Foods complex. They are currently placing siding around the outside and now. Since yesterday, they have a tall back roof placed on it! It appears as though they may be having a customer walk-in entrance to Whole Foods in the back side of the complex – the side that faces the highway. All of the ground has been leveled out with dirt, and they have trees planted there too in preparation for the opening.
I remember eating at Papa Gino’s of the indoor Bedford Mall. There they had pre-made pizza sold for $5.00 a slice! Slices were sold as fifths of a whole large pizza. Is that expensive or what? Little Caesar’s up the street has always had a large pizza for $5.00. Papa Gino’s subs were so-so and not all that bulky. I saw Millennials working there who were from my day in age.
At the Bedford Mall’s movie cinema, once you paid your ticket you could just sit where you wanted to sit. Going to the movie cinemas in Hooksett, you have to pay by where you want to sit. So, that’s a Pro thing about the Bedford Mall’s cinema. A Con is that the seats were all nasty and never upgraded so far as I’ve always been told.
The Bedford Mall is now just a strip mall and has been so since 2011. With a parking lot as big as it is, sit to the side and watch all the construction going on around and about. With Whole Foods coming in next to the Bedford Mall, word has it, Hannaford’s will be moving itself into where Stop And Shop used to be (accross the street of the Bedford Mall).
Hannaford’s exec.s probably just don’t want to lose Bedford customers. But word is Whole Foods is an expensive place to shop and that has resulted in them losing money. Why spend more when Hannaford’s has it for a (supposedly!) better price?
Just announced tonite that the Macy’s in Bedford NH will close in October 2015 and demolished for a mixed use lifestyle center:(
And It Was Just Getting Remodeled
Whole Foods is ruining history.
They are tearing down the Macy’s soon to make way for a load of other stuff.
I see people standing outside advertising to get the word out that Macy’s will be closing before [Christmas]. Things are 30% – 50% off and they seem to be going quick – walk inside, and you see a load of empty space.
The Wayfarer Inn has been totally demolished and construction crews seem to have the whole building of the Whole Foods up in full force. That will be the 2nd Whole Foods in NH. Word Has It: Hanaford’s will be moving into the old Stop & Shop location to not lose customers of Bedford. Where’s all the protesting for Whole Foods like there was for the Market Basket being made.
The Stop & Shop that was located on South Willow Street now has Michael’s build into it.
At the Bedford Mall, they have closed the entrance to the Wayfarer Inn. Maybe they’ll open it when all the construction is complete by Spring 2016?
The will be placing the Whole Foods, a 4-Story Apartment Complex, four estates and a few retail complexes there.
Tameka Faegan – I’m a constant shopper of the Talbots up the street by Wal- Mart. An employee from said the Talbots used to be located in the Bedford Mall. They moved there to the new location in the late 90’s when things slowed down.
They are currently reconstructing the lanes of South River Rd. (Route 3) in front of the Bedford Mall to 2 Lanes on each side with a middle turning lane. Second Street (past Hanaford’s) has been repaved.
I remember Papa Gino’s in the Bedford Mall
serving a slice of Pizza for $5.00, Each slice was 1/5 of a pizza.
Montgomery Ward’s was a department store that sold clothes, towels, shampoo, etc. and it was about half the size of Wal-Mart.
Until the Mall of NH was built, there was no Sears, so if you had to order something from Sears, you had to go to a catalog store on South Will Street and inside the Bedford Mall..
There was a Friendly’s at the Bedford Mall – it was kind of like Applebees – it was there for a long time – you could sit down and have something to eat.
Macy’s used to be Jordan Marsh and was built in the 60’s. That’s kinda interesting!
And that’s that!!!
They have repaved the US Route 3 in front of the Bedford Mall. It now has a new traffic pattern, making left- and right-hand turning possible via middle turning lane.
Traffic will be all-so-mighty with the new plaza being constructed called “The Goff Mill Plaza” where The Wayfarer used to be. The Wayfarer was demolished and had its whole lot filled in.
The Whole Foods has come along for sure and they now have the plaza’s sign up. Whole Foods has its full exterior appearing great. All of the property has been paved with parking spot lines here and about.
Macy’s closed down and is no longer open. Go to a nearby Good Will and you might come across their fixtures sitting there for just a buck, just like I did! Why not go and pick them up? They are huge and the Macy’s wanted $100.00 for them! I saw those fixtures laying at a Good Will with their original Bedford Macy’s price tag on them. Cool donation on Macy’s part!
Macy’s sold its manikins and people probably placed them in their windows for Halloween!
On the Bedford Mall’s lot, they are making way for a new apartment complex. All of the ground is dug up and beams are being placed. This location is on the North-side of Bowman Brook, where as the Goff Mill Plaza is on the South-side.
Bob’s Stores closed a week ago from today!
Who knows what will be going in tere now?!
The had furniture and fixtures set aside. Buying one reqires you to give your personal info, D.O.B., S.S.N., etc. Who knows where thst personal info went from there.
Back when The Bedford Mall’s Decathlon/MVP Sports and Montgomery Ward stores closed, and Caldor across the street from the Bedford Mall closed, all you had to do was go in there, purchase it, and you are done.
Just more empty space, I guess, for the lot,
@Bedford Molly is Way too Faiier – Holy Foods!,
A couple corrections: There was not a Friendly’s in the Bedford mall, but there was a Blakes, which was very similar. Also, before the Mall of NH, there WAS a Sears in Manchester. It was an old-school, free-standing, 2-story building on Elm street, between Prospect and Harrison. The building is still there but was renovated and re-purposed years ago and is home to the Granite State Credit Union and a large optometry practice.