Comments on: Berlin Mall; Berlin, Vermont http://www.labelscar.com/vermont/berlin-mall News and Views of Malls, Shopping Centers, and Retail Chains Past and Present Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:00:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Vans http://www.labelscar.com/vermont/berlin-mall#comment-115437 Vans Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:42:46 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/?p=5#comment-115437 Magrams occupied the space where Jo-Ann's Fabrics is now. Magrams occupied the space where Jo-Ann’s Fabrics is now.

]]> By: Ashley http://www.labelscar.com/vermont/berlin-mall#comment-81605 Ashley Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:33:22 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/?p=5#comment-81605 Growing up in a small town that considers the Barre-Montpeiller area to be "the big city" (seriously- Burlington was over an hour away!), I distinctly remember the excitement surrounding the building of this mall. I believe it opened just before I began 4th grade in 1986. The Wal-Mart location is IN the mall for a reason. Vermont has complicated and prohibitive development laws that are meant to keep stores like Wal-Mart and its big box peers from marring the gorgeous landscape Vermont is famous for. Wal-Mart spent a good portion of the 1990's fighting to get into Vermont at all- it was the LAST of the 50 states to have one. Wal-Mart's initial idea, of course, was to build "freestanding units" on commercially zoned land and enter the market- but it's really not anywhere near that simple in Vermont. The court battles that eventually did result in the building of the "freestanding" store at Taft's Corner's in Williston were extensive and costly. Somewhere during the midst of these battles, Wal-Mart came to the conclusion that BUILDING in Vermont was going to be costly and difficult; however, renovating existing retail space was far less of an issue (though protests from residents did abound). That's why there are Wal-Marts in various small malls in Vermont. Growing up in a small town that considers the Barre-Montpeiller area to be “the big city” (seriously- Burlington was over an hour away!), I distinctly remember the excitement surrounding the building of this mall. I believe it opened just before I began 4th grade in 1986.

The Wal-Mart location is IN the mall for a reason. Vermont has complicated and prohibitive development laws that are meant to keep stores like Wal-Mart and its big box peers from marring the gorgeous landscape Vermont is famous for. Wal-Mart spent a good portion of the 1990’s fighting to get into Vermont at all- it was the LAST of the 50 states to have one. Wal-Mart’s initial idea, of course, was to build “freestanding units” on commercially zoned land and enter the market- but it’s really not anywhere near that simple in Vermont. The court battles that eventually did result in the building of the “freestanding” store at Taft’s Corner’s in Williston were extensive and costly. Somewhere during the midst of these battles, Wal-Mart came to the conclusion that BUILDING in Vermont was going to be costly and difficult; however, renovating existing retail space was far less of an issue (though protests from residents did abound). That’s why there are Wal-Marts in various small malls in Vermont.

]]> By: Meta http://www.labelscar.com/vermont/berlin-mall#comment-77396 Meta Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:39:53 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/?p=5#comment-77396 When I was 16 my first job was at Rich's which occupied the mall until '98. I left Rich's before it went bankrupt, and a while later Wal-mart opened there. In 2008, I needed PT job, to help pay bills (was mostly stay home mom) and got a job at Wal-mart. It's interesting working there, even people who saw me at Rich's remember me, and have commented on it. WOW these rural folks have good memories! ;-) When I was 16 my first job was at Rich’s which occupied the mall until ‘98.
I left Rich’s before it went bankrupt, and a while later Wal-mart opened there. In 2008, I needed PT job, to help pay bills (was mostly stay home mom) and got a job at Wal-mart. It’s interesting working there, even people who saw me at Rich’s remember me, and have commented on it. WOW these rural folks have good memories! ;-)

]]> By: Allan http://www.labelscar.com/vermont/berlin-mall#comment-56975 Allan Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:11:28 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/?p=5#comment-56975 It's interesting to think that Wal-Mart is still anchored in this mall, considering that Wal-Mart has been increasingly moving in recent years to locate their stores outside of malls in other states. That said, it's nice to see that smaller-sized malls like this one are still thriving in some parts of the country, such as in the Montpelier/Barre/Berlin area of Vermont. It’s interesting to think that Wal-Mart is still anchored in this mall, considering that Wal-Mart has been increasingly moving in recent years to locate their stores outside of malls in other states.

That said, it’s nice to see that smaller-sized malls like this one are still thriving in some parts of the country, such as in the Montpelier/Barre/Berlin area of Vermont.

]]> By: Joel http://www.labelscar.com/vermont/berlin-mall#comment-56968 Joel Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:39:59 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/?p=5#comment-56968 The mall is verry small, but easily nagigable considering it runs along a stright line. It contains nice stores, and has little vacancies. But, is also somewhat considered "uncool" buy the younger crowd. The mall is verry small, but easily nagigable considering it runs along a stright line. It contains nice stores, and has little vacancies. But, is also somewhat considered “uncool” buy the younger crowd.

]]> By: Bobby http://www.labelscar.com/vermont/berlin-mall#comment-51454 Bobby Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:57:48 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/?p=5#comment-51454 It's a small one, about 35K square feet in size. It’s a small one, about 35K square feet in size.

]]> By: J http://www.labelscar.com/vermont/berlin-mall#comment-51418 J Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:59:49 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/?p=5#comment-51418 Is the JCPenney here a decent sized one, or is it one of those rural JCPenneys that are very small with no home departments and only 1 floor? Is the JCPenney here a decent sized one, or is it one of those rural JCPenneys that are very small with no home departments and only 1 floor?

]]> By: Mark http://www.labelscar.com/vermont/berlin-mall#comment-16713 Mark Wed, 13 Jun 2007 02:44:47 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/?p=5#comment-16713 Sounds like they took the name "Berlin Wall" and turned the W upside down lol. (nothing was actually funny about the Berlin Wall itself, it's just I find the malls name so odd considering the times it was built in.) Sounds like they took the name “Berlin Wall” and turned the W upside down lol.

(nothing was actually funny about the Berlin Wall itself, it’s just I find the malls name so odd considering the times it was built in.)

]]> By: bm http://www.labelscar.com/vermont/berlin-mall#comment-16682 bm Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:38:12 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/?p=5#comment-16682 Gosh, I havent been there in a while, so don't know what space occupies the old Magrams, but I remember it to be in the "middle" of the mall. Gosh, I havent been there in a while, so don’t know what space occupies the old Magrams, but I remember it to be in the “middle” of the mall.

]]> By: Bobby http://www.labelscar.com/vermont/berlin-mall#comment-13093 Bobby Sat, 19 May 2007 16:30:22 +0000 http://www.labelscar.com/?p=5#comment-13093 Which space was Magram's? Is that the JCPenney now or the Jo Ann Fabrics? Which space was Magram’s? Is that the JCPenney now or the Jo Ann Fabrics?

]]>