Copley Place Mall: Is This High-End Luxury Mall on the Decline? Boston, Massachusetts.

[@tekkieman]

I’m not sure I’d call CP a “mall”. It’s a shopping center with mostly luxury stores. These type of centers don’t need throngs of people waking around to be successful. They just need a handful of wealthy customers to make purchases-Akin to Americana Manhasset and Bal Harbour Shops. Put it simply, if your mall has Versace and TODs on the roster, you’re far from dead.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Interesting. I never thought of it like that.

[@MathewWeaver73]

I’m actually from Boston so I’m familiar with Copley Place and yes it is filled with luxury stores but I remember a time before Covid when it was uncomfortable to go in Copley place because it was so crowded compared to then it’s a ghost town.

[@joans.7935]

Copley Place was my place to shop, and I'm far far from wealthy. Spent a lot of time in Neiman Marcus. Still have the Christmas ornaments purchased at NM. I do remember the waterfall with the little ramp you walked over and the giant ornaments hanging from the ceiling

[@riverholme]

'Saint Lorront... never heard of it... is this mall dying?' Brah 😆 i used to work in jewellery store. looked dead before i worked there, when i worked there ppl casually spent £4000 some days, we always made target.

[@johnhutton4788]

They use to have so many kiosks in the center were you walked through. The mall is definitely better than a couple years back because every 2nd and 3rd space on the first floor was bordered up. It’s so expensive most people walk through to go to the prudential mainly for the food court. I worked in this mall pre covid for over 10 years.

[@eliasf8213]

This brings back some memories, I first went to this mall in 1988 with my girlfriend Julianne. We saw the movie " A fish called Wanda" on the multiplex they had on the first floor. For the next few years, and while in college, I dined, shopped, and went to the movies there almost, on a weekly basis. I do have some great memories from that time. I still remember that my favorite store was Rizzoli, they also had a sharper image shop next to the Au Bon Pain fast-food restaurant. I haven't been there for the best part of twenty years, but I guess everything has changed since then.

[@ruby055]

Me too. I saw a Fish called Wanda in there while a student at Northeastern living at the Greenhouse a few blocks up Huntington. There was a coffee connection with muffins from Delucas on Beacon Hill.

[@eliasf8213]

@@ruby055 Amazing, I worked the evening shift at Delucas during the summer of 1990, they had another store on Newbury Street as well. I remember the Greenhouse on Huntington; I partied there a couple of times. From memory, it was the preferred living place for Northeastern students. What intrigued me, was how expensive the rent was. I guess the high cost was mitigated by the fact, that everybody seemed to have a couple of roommates. I spent my whole four years living on campus at MIT's McGregor House, even though life has been very good to me, I'm filled with nostalgia when I think about that period.

[@j.c.p.4671]

The movie theater was where the Starbucks was at the beginning of the video by the Marriott. There was also a 'luxury' chocolates' aisle stand on the left or across from that starbucks.

[@marcreichman]

Part of the reason the first floor has traffic is that people often cut through the mall as part of commutes, from the T, to/from nearby colleges, to/from the Prudential, etc.

[@DigitalIslandboy]

That water fountain was also vastly reduced. The in-lay photo was part of it. But the water used to flow like a babbling brook underneath the marble floor and appear like trickling brook down towards the food court. and there were small rocks in the 'brook where the water flowed along.'

[@jeanpierre9539]

I shop there all the time. It can get real busy!

[@mkoury83]

I shopped here back when Copley Place was the oasis of gold and bronze marble - every surface looked like the wall with the Neiman Marcus sign - with tons of foliage and the huge 6 story fountain. Was an authentically high end experience especially the first two floors. I can still remember the smell of Italian leather and British cotton wafting from Gucci & Pink... that was the best mall I've to this day, ever shopped in. Sad to see it whitewashed and dumbed down.Looks like LV and Tiffany & Co. have held fort with anchor Neimans in the same spot since my shopping days, strange how they shuffled locations of other stores while many have come & gone.

[@axhottboi]

The second floor area with no stores near Banana Republic and Pink was a Gap and Gap Kids in the early 2000s. There also used to be a chillis restaurant near the former movie theater (now Saks). I remember being there with friends eating when George W Bush declared War on Iraq in 2003. My ex fiance worked at that Gap back then..The mall looks alot different from years ago when it had the water fall and 80s aesthetic. This mall was a hell of alot busier back in the early 2000s when I frequented this mall.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Cool! Thanks for the info. I would have loved to see that waterfall! What's with malls removing water features? Thanks for watching!

[@kencoakley8366]

I used to work at the main office of the RMV, which is above the stores at Copley Mall. I had to go through the mall to get to work then again to go home.

[@SavSpdDemon]

Last time I was at Copley Place, there was a Barnes & Noble, but now it's gone. Still a good place to hang out at with friends.

[@pheerbeard]

i think this mall will be fine despite the lack of people on the 2nd floor. it's definitely a super high-end mall and there are only so many people who can actually afford to shop there at any given time. i'm sure these stores make rent and profit with relatively few purchasers. what this store lacks in quantity it makes up for in absurdly high prices 😁

[@fleabittenadventures]

You are probably correct. Thanks for watching!

[@320k]

I spent many hours in this mall in the 80s and 90s. @00:27 - There used to be no walls there: you could see the escalators in the hotel. I think it was seating for a restaurant or a bar. @00:35 - there was (is?) a sports bar in there, hence the big screen you can see. I don't know why they walled it off. Tiffany's has been in the mall forever. @01:22 - where John somethingorother is used to be a Sony store, I think. The waterfall was really nice and added a lot of ambiance to the place. If I remember correctly, the floor sloped up slightly in the center, and then there were benches you could sit on. Once when I was there a young boy fell into the water, which was unfortunate because how are you going to dry off? I guess they had to take him to the restrooms and use a whole bunch of paper towels. @02:35 - on the right were DIOR is used to be a book store that also had greeting cards. I forgot the name. Straight ahead was a movie theater. I saw Home Alone there. I remember there were a number of screens so kids would buy tickets to a PG or PG-13 films and then sneak into R movies because no one was checking. @02:58 - one of those two places on the right was a kiosk where you could get magazines, books and so on. @04:40 - if you went straight ahead down the escalators, on the left was a big Sharper Image (I think) at the time. It was always full of people. @08:15 - straight ahead was a GAP. There was also a Disney store, if I remember correctly. @09:36 - on the right was a small store that sold video games. Lots of PC stuff .. Software Etc maybe? @09:48 - On the left was Chili's (I think) and on the right was a food court. I think there was a Sbarro's in there, with seating where you could see the houses behind the mall. I can't believe they got rid of the fountain and I agree that it was a mistake. The center of the mall especially looks cold and clinical and unwelcoming.

[@dg321_]

That area of Boston has a LOT of money.

[@EndTikTokandTwitter]

These malls are thriving, they’re basically supposed to only serve wealthy international tourists and students and the ultra wealthy of Boston. Kind of like the hudson yards mall in nyc. Most of the normal “mall” stores that attract the typical young American crowds have been getting pushed out on purpose.

[@nancydarling4918]

Hope this mall lives on. Great video. Thanks.

[@dsandler92]

I used to go there with my parents in 80s when it was new and worked near there for a little bit in the late 90s I haven’t been there in years it went more upscale about 10 years ago and got rid of stores that weren’t upscale

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yeah, it's too upscale for me. I can't think of any reason I would go back, other to film a follow-up video some day. Thanks for watching!

[@cynthiatravelingqueen9095]

awesome video thanks for sharing i just booked marriott

[@fleabittenadventures]

Thanks. Glad you liked it.

[@wllmjhuang]

8:11 On the far right, that store use to be Circuit City Express. That Pink store use to be a Disney Store back then. 10:42 Laced used to be Chili's back then.

[@trevorlane]

I used to work at Wayfair and had a desk by one of those windows. There's guards that check badge photos and you'd also have to tap to get in. Having your office in a mall is ...interesting at best. Convenience is there either by Commuter Rail or getting out of the parking garage and going right onto the Pike. On the other hand, you're still commuting to Back Bay and you goto work in a mall. Coincidentally I'm now at another ecomm retailer which happens to be across from another massive mall, Lotte World Mall. Ideally my next job is hopefully nowhere near a mall.

[@DetectiveGrey]

The convenience of it, I always thought, is that Back Bay Station is right across the street. I can't say I ever went anywhere in Copley other than as a passthrough on a brief visit to the Prudential Center a long time ago, but the restaurants in the area are all great. It's a nice place to get lunch. Though, they're just as pricey as Copley is. Five Napkin Burger or Douzo or whatnot.

[@marinakhan7335]

It's a beautiful mall and I love it and it's awesome 👌

[@PSPoolside]

High end stores don’t need crowds just a few people with money.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Good point. Thanks for watching!

[@jamesrobertson9149]

This is exactly true.

[@mikegallant811]

​@@fleabittenadventuresthis is the mall that people like Charles Emerson Winchester III and Honoria his off screen sister from MASH would shop at in real life.

[@Madness832]

This just showed up, in my watch list, after watchin' your latest video. But back in the 90s, I lived in South Boston, so I'd often go to the movie theater (usually, I'd take the 10 bus from Andrew Station). I'd go in, via the street entrance, and see security chasin' out homeless people, who'd be grabbin' change out of the fountain.

[@SectionATE617]

My mom got my ear pierced in this mall when I was in the 5th grade! R.I.P Mom dukes!!

[@kaychristensen2425]

I was the Boston area district manager for a national chain selling women's apparel in the 1990's. Copley Place was the highest end mall in the Boston area at the time and ALWAYS bustling with shoppers. However, as far as dollar volume, the most productive store for this chain was in South Shore Plaza in Braintree. It's sad to see the low foot traffic at all of these malls today- it's reminiscent of the days of a snowstorm in Boston. Cambridgeside Galleria, Copley Place, Natick Mall, Framingham, Pheasant Lane, Burlington Mall and Northshore Mall were some of the most productive mall locations in the country. To see a vacant storefront or a mom and pop shop at any of these locations was a rarity. All of these locations were very nice, well maintained (Southshore Plaza was old but busting at the seams with business) and vibrant- it's stunning to see the decline across all properties. The mall is truly a thing of the past.

[@donnadrane4977]

Burlington Mall is still very busy and doing well. Can’t get a parking spot on weekends. I should know because I’m there every weekend!

[@vinyl1Earthlink]

If these high-end stores charge high enough prices, they don't need huge mobs of customers. However, the people in the video don't look like big spenders.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Who knows, maybe those were the people that the big spenders paid to do their shopping for them???? I'm half joking, but that could be part of it. Too high end for me. Thanks for watching!

[@oldretailsongooglemaps2619]

same here l do not think that mall is dead at all and l just think that mall was not busy it was because you went on a Tuesday at around 1:00pm and kids were still in school around that time so l think that is why it was not busy l think it is mostley busy around other times

[@Batcave6]

The mall featured in ‘The Last of Us’ is based on the old Cambridgeside Galleria located in East Cambridge.

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

8:13 That spot of the mall on the left hand side was a chili's on the right hand side was A B Dalton booksellers or borders ,( cant remember), and straight ahead was a movie theater.That's where I saw the titanic on january 8th 1998.

[@rayl6599]

I've lived in Boston for 3 decades and have never remembered the 2nd floor being busy. On weekdays, it used to be much busier due to office workers transiting through to offices or to lunch at the eateries in the Pru, etc. But with lower office occupancy post-pandemic, that traffic is much lighter. Those are not shoppers though, so I wouldn't conclude anything about retail health from traffic levels.

[@donaldfedosiuk1638]

I've been going into and through Copley Place since literally the day it opened, and it's never been a place filled with great milling hordes. Just about every retail space on each level is high-end and then some and as your video shows there were virtually no empty storefronts. And you never heard of (Yves) St. Laurent or Balenciaga? Really? And I miss the waterfall, too.

[@edwarddefranco638]

To me, there aren't enough vacancies to indicate the mall is in trouble.

[@jeffreysantner3717]

I was there in July 2023 and saw one bored sales clerk in an empty store, one after the other. What happened to the comfy chairs and the waterfall? Too much gentrification and consumerism.

[@popstar1964]

I have fond memories of going to this Mall to buy my junior prom dress at jessica Mcclintock (early 90s). Enjoyed the movie theatre too. Now its just cavernous. I took my teenage niece and its so high end and intimidating to even look its just no fun!

[@popstar1964]

And the poor guards who look bored out of their minds

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yeah, unless someone tries to rob the place, there doesn't seem to be much for them to do.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yeah, I feel like if I went into any of the stores the clerks would be following me around thinking I was going to shoplift or something. Thanks for watching!

[@AchaWifehouse]

That mall was lit back in the day. I was always at record town on the second floor, which was a store over from ebx and right next to it was kb toys. I always used to steal change as a kid from that water fountain that was in the middle of the mall. That mall would be packed after the 4th of july show on the Charles. I miss the old boston. Ps someone needs to do a quick homage video to teddy bear arcade!!@!

[@AchaWifehouse]

Fendi was the newspaper stand and that shoe store next to saks was where legal seafoods originally was. Jimmy Choo was where the waterfall was smh.

[@fleabittenadventures]

It sounds like this used to be a very different mall. I don't think a record store or toy store would fit in here anymore. Thanks for watching!

[@fleabittenadventures]

Oh ok. Thanks for the info.

[@wllmjhuang]

There wasn't a KB Toys store, but there was a Disney Store back then. KB Toys was in Cambridgeside back then by the way.

[@cubehire3653]

Something you already know, Amazon has killed the malls. This mall also has another big disadvantage no dedicated free parking lot.

[@fleabittenadventures]

And the parking is crazy expensive! I think it was about $36 for a few hours, unless you validate.

[@PSPoolside]

I’d include Macys for the downfall of malls. They bought up all the interesting anchor stores and closed them. Malls need attractive anchors and Walmart, Target, Sears and Pennys don’t qualify.

[@animatedabe6819]

8:13 that used to be GAP

[@fleabittenadventures]

Thanks for the info and for watching!

[@ruby055]

That's a tourist and day worker mall. Tourists from areas of the country like the mid west come and shop. However the census of office workers is still low as COVID still has workers home but don't fret, the cities largest law firms have just called 5k workers back in the Fall. Many in the Back Bay will follow. Fountains are removed due to their high maintenance costs.

[@DigitalIslandboy]

There used to be a BlackBerry cell phone store in there. There used to be a combined (Sony VAIO Computer/sony camera/satellite dish receiver/Tvs/Sony sound systems/MP3 players/walkman/Sony Ericsson cell phone store), there too. That was next to the Tiffany & Co. at close to the 1 min. mark on the left. Circuit City I believe it was was also in that vicinity prior. Also used to be a Seafood place either Legal Seafood or Red Lobster. I think there was a Sbaros in there too in 1990s. There was one of those Yankee scented candle places there which you could smell with like cinnamon and stuff waffting into the center aisle I couldn't visually tell which of the three/four wings you were down when you asked 'what was in there', but Marshalls used to be an anchor store too I believe way--- back in the day too I think it had 2 floors down at the end perpendicular to the waterfalls. Where the Marshalls was was once also the foods court on the left side which later became the seafood. The spot I consider the 'fourth wing' is if you count the semi-obscure route towards the Westin Mall and its conference center area which I thought was quite a bit less travelled from the other three. But once the anchor store and food court perpendicular to the waterfall and babbling 'trickling' brook in the floor area was close that end died way down too as that became a backdoor exit from the offices up above too.

[@kimberlyedwards1885]

Not everybody has that kind of money lots of high end stores and there’s not much stores for younger people to shop in nothing is there to do with family on the weekend super quiet not much going on

[@qchang09]

@8:14 left to right-- used to be a Gap that had all three of those entrances behind that escalator. On the right side there was a Circuit City Express that was there until 2002, until it closed and Victoria's Secret replaced it-- and now that's gone too

[@DigitalIslandboy]

The fountain was on the back side of the elevators which were hidden behind the fountain. You said on the left. It was actually on the right.... Where that big white empty wall was it now has a store there "Hive & Company". And where you said you'd be walking through the waterfall is incorrect. It would have been directly infront of you.

[@DigitalIslandboy]

They shut the food court. The movie theater near the Marriott was closed in the late 1980 to early 1990s. I had worked in a student loan processing loan place in there in the early 2000s. I only cut through that mall now from Prudential mall to the Back Bay MBTA/Amtrak station, Nothing I need in that mall I cannot find with free parking 20-30 miles or so outside of crowded Boston. Security is needed cuz lots of stuff goes on in the bathrooms leading to complaints. Also a number of embassies and consulates and other offices call the upper upper floors home that want the security most...

[@jeff123246]

I think it is a slow mall, but not dead yet.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

These ultra high end brands have to use these stores as a loss versus gains in other locations like Miami, Atlanta and LA… possibly they exist for marketing presence, because I doubt there’s any way these are profitable with the overhead.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Could be. I never thought of that, but it makes sense. Thanks for watching!

[@josephcarino5829]

Check it out on Sat morning

[@fleabittenadventures]

If I'm in the area on a Saturday I would. I live about 2 hours away, so it's rare that I get up to Boston. Thanks for watching!

[@danielarnold7307]

IT WAS THE GAP

[@TheNBAonTNT]

Last of Us Mall reminds me of the Cambridge Galleria in Cambridge, MA

[@scottcrowell323]

I think it was the now-closed Northland Village Mall in Calgary.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Do you mean Cambridgeside? If so, I have a video of that coming up in the next few weeks. If not, where is Cambridge Galleria? Thanks for watching!

[@fleabittenadventures]

Makes sense that the Last of Us mall was in a closed mall. They couldn't really dress up an open mall like they did in the show. Thanks for the info and for watching!

[@TheNBAonTNT]

@@fleabittenadventures Yes, that’s it! 🙂

[@AchaWifehouse]

@@fleabittenadventures it's in Cambridge Mass. Down the street from the science museum

[@harrisonhanson2998]

Nah they don’t need tons of people in this mall. All they need is what they have; clients.

[@mikegallant811]

Well this mall is definitely for the Mr and Mrs. rich bitch kind of folks that live out in the Back Bay area of Boston. The kind of folks that send their kids to private school.

[@JohnDoe-mt7ws]

I went to this mall in 2008. It seemed a lot busier then. Is it emptier since covid?

[@madmerlot841]

Very strange mall. Some (if not most) of those luxury retailers are also at Wrentham Village. Same problems with the sister mall across the skyway. I still don't see a reason to pay $25+ to park there just to go there from the suburbs and I don't see office workers going down there to hang around if there is a cafeteria on the 3rd floor.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yeah, the parking is ridiculous. It probably makes more sense to just take the T into the city and avoid the parking fees altogether. I would bet that the office workers just take the elevator from the parking garage and never step foot in the mall. Just guessing though. Thanks for watching!

[@tekkieman]

Wrentham Village is an outlet shopping center. Not the same thing.

[@jamescampbell2190]

It’s not dead, just resting.

[@Baldgol4]

Kind of like the "late" Inner Harbour in Baltimore, Ma. Once upon a time, it was wonderful but now, GONE.

[@ekdorane]

Nieman Marcus had extra space there.

[@autumnwolfmoon]

Right off the bat I noticed the mall looks a little dated. Go watch videos of luxury malls in Asia, then compare this one. It's a nice mall, but I think for a luxury mall the overall interior design could use a little more oomph. I too think taking the fountain out was a mistake.

[@WhittyPics]

Is there an Apple store? Apple tends to locate in high end malls

[@fleabittenadventures]

Nope. I didn't see one. Thanks for watching!

[@jamescampbell2190]

Apple Store is on Boylston Street across from the Prudential shops. It’s huge and always busy.

[@PalmBeachCountyWithPatrick]

Mall you are referring to in the show is the Cambridge side mall

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yes, they definitely look similar.

[@Steve.Cutler]

There should be a lot more traffic. The only reason it's this busy is the location. It looks like a cold sterile place.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yes, for downtown Boston I was expecting more traffic too. I didn't feel too inviting either. Thanks for watching!

[@arosenweig]

People are either shopping online or going to suburban malls instead.

[@fleabittenadventures]

Yeah, that's pretty much it in a nutshell. The only reason I would go to a mall to shop would be to try on shoes or clothes, which I can't do online. Thanks for watching!

[@HarrisonHanson-hy7or]

Well I’d say stores like neimans & Saks have clientele they rely on for business. They don’t necessarily need a large amount of shoppers in their stores all the time. But it all honesty these super high end brands don’t impress me much, their overpriced junk imo & I don’t think there’s enough ppl getting behind these brands to keep a luxury mall afloat & any different than every other American mall. HUH, I actually didn’t know saks moved in so recently.

[@SectionATE617]

Copley is more so Back Bay than downtown! Aldo Copley has ALWAYS been dead, I grew up in boston and the only thong that was hood about Copley was the movie theater back in the day!!

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Looks like a retail lobby at a fancier airport. These downtown malls are cooked… sad

[@fleabittenadventures]

That's a good comparison. It does kind of have that feel. Thanks for watching again!

[@DigitalIslandboy]

It seemed like Simon Propreties made that mall all very sterile 'white'. I hated it after their renovation. It lost its warm friendly feeling 'come explore look around feel' and became very like corporate and just 'don't touch' museum-isque feeling even when I walked in there to goto work it made me not want to touch or look at anything just keep my head straight and not go anywhere don't acknowledge anybody just dress nice act snooty and look-down upon folks.

[@paullewis2413]

Well it sure is dead boring 😩

[@Michael20]

why was my comment deleted. unsubbed

[@fleabittenadventures]

I didn't delete it. KZbin auto deletes comments that it thinks are offensive, sometimes in error.

[@mission51able]

Because they turned it to a wealthy only mall.

[@DigitalIslandboy]

That "Last of Us Mall" kinda looks like the Chestnut Hill on Route 9. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Mall_at_Chestnut_Hill_MA.jpg