The Shops at Chestnut Hill: A Not So Dead High End Luxury Mall in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

Join me as I take a look at The Shops at Chestnut Hill, formerly the Mall at Chestnut Hill, in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
Is it a dead mall? I don't think so, but what do you think? Let me know in the comments!
This video was filmed in April 2023 on a Thursday around 2:00pm.
If you liked this video, please give me a thumbs up, leave a comment and subscribe to my channel! Thanks!
Source of information and historical photos:
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dome.mit.edu/h...
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#deadmall #deadmalls #mall #massachusetts #shoppingmall #shoppingmalls #retail

[@owensweetland342]

This USED to be a great mall...back in the '80s. They had a piano player in the daytime. Was surprised back then to see Tweeter, Etc still around.

[@andrewgeorgelang]

Wow that mall is clean. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from Nova Scotia Canada

[@fleabittenadventures]

Glad you liked it!

[@marksudikoff8268]

I’m surprised that no one mentioned that instead of the elevator in the middle, there was a huge spiral staircase in the center.

[@dapydude]

Originally Bloomingdales in the mall was Home Furnishings. The Clothing portion of Bloomingales was located in "the Street" which was across the street. Now that location is a superlux theatre and legal seafoods rest. Its also a quiet mall always as it is high end shopping not many casual browsers.

[@danielfernandez9571]

Thank you for beautiful memories. I was student in Boston in 70’S and 80’S

[@fleabittenadventures]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@kitandsons173]

Great mall. My sister used to do the decorations at the holidays there. Good restaurants. The luxury mall across the street was top shelf back in the nineties. I think it is medical offices now. Nice video!

[@felix121984]

Not dead but a dull mall !

[@anthonysong7160]

Thanks to bring back my memories ❤

[@R32R38]

Definitely a thriving mall, high occupancy and mostly quality tenants. Not many food options, but in a way that's in line with the upscale theme.

[@treoffle]

I went there back in the 80's. It was always a high end mall, mostly trendy clothing. The ceiling was always that way. The central elevator wasn't there; the only option for wheelchair peeps was a elevator buried in the back of Bloomingdales. That weird sculpture was there along with several others like it. There was a waterfeature in the center, and overhanging seats in the top floor.

[@julieannspas518]

The developer was Weiner and the leasing agent, Woody Kaplan, at the time. It was our favorite mall without going into Boston and even Charlie's, from Newbury Street opened its restaurant.

[@SavSpdDemon]

Went to this mall last year. I was hoping to find some good shops there, but I hope to visit again next next year.

[@andysorensen1737]

I really like that skylight on the second floor. Kinda reminds me of the concourse at the Contemporary Resort at Disney World.

[@NuncNuncNuncNunc]

"Hot tub" sculpture is Les Girls by Dutch sculptor Cornelis Zitman. Both this and its neighbor, the Atrium Mall, always felt like malls for old ladies. I'm pretty sure the target for both was wealthy women. A mall with a similar feel would be the Mazza Gallerie. Two of the three malls mentioned are now gone, so if you're planning a mall don't make assumptions about your target audience.

[@davidgold5961]

In response to your request for comments, this mall has always been known as a high-end mall in a wealthy area. It has always been very upscale and sophisticated and I enjoy going there. Chestnut Hill is part of the town of Newton, Massachusetts, bordering Brookline, which is closer to Boston. Newton has been an enclave for academia, inventors, high-tech leadership people, scientists, writers, business leaders in Boston, and other wealthy people who only have to drive or take the train (known as the MBTA) a few miles into downtown Boston. For about 150 years, Newton has been this way ever since Commonwealth Avenue was built, including the Carriage Road, which is part of and parallel to Commonwealth Avenue. It was THE preferred way to get into Boston from these neighborhoods.

[@jackietatum2245]

can you do a tour of bloomingdales? I've never been in one before.. maybe Tiffany & Co, and even Ann Taylor too! (love the video!)

[@fleabittenadventures]

I could probably do Bloomingdale's, but the super high end stores like Tiffany's would almost certainly kick me out for filming.

[@elliotssportsgamerpro]

im going there with the wife thanks for showing us !!!

[@TheNBAonTNT]

Frank Pepe’s and Friendly Toast makes this my favorite 😮

[@BusanNinja]

I'm from the area. Not the most exciting place but always seems to have some people. The independent Glazed Bytes coffee shop is top notch. I think one of the reasons the mall does well is that the area has a lot of upper-middle/ upper class Asian immigrants who have imported their shopping (more in person/ luxury based) habits. Just a theory based on what I've seen there.

[@PinkAgaricus]

That planter next to the sculpture, are those purple flowers lavender or some other flower I don't remember the name of at the moment? I think what helps this mall a lot is it's size, it's not too oversized and requiring too much walking to get around, which also helps with the vacancy problem. It seems like the bigger the mall the harder it is to keep spaces occupied along with the overhead for the stores (rent, etc). It's not too big, not too small, but just right. Speaking of Bloomingdales, Hawaii literally only has one location, the renovated Sears pad at Ala Moana Shopping Center. At least when GGP did that final renovation they didn't just leave our empty Sears space to rot, like I've seen in lots of these dead mall videos. So yea that shopping center has 4 anchors (Macy's, Target, Bloomingdales, and Nordstrom [which oddly enough moved from the space where that combined Target/Planet Fitness is now]) and like and unlike this mall is very not dead. I guess specifically the island I'm from is an anomaly because the aforementioned shopping center is near the tourist area which is full of malls (International Marketplace [a Taubman mall] and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center as well as shops going up the main corridor as far as the eye can see. The only loss was the Duty Free shopping. Actually IM has an interesting waterfall idea as it's a water curtain instead of a standard waterfall near the former Saks 5th (which failed for the 2nd time the 1st one was all the way across the island on the west side) which is becoming a Target. Also I feel like our enclosed malls here are doing well too (Windward Mall, Pearlridge, and Kahala Mall). Windward Mall's Sears is also becoming a Target, though that Sears building was looking very worse for the wear. Oddly enough I feel like Bloomingdales doesn't really fit where I live because it just feels like a higher end Macy's. Kahala Mall also has that covered up fountain during certain parts of the year thing as well. I think it was on the last time I walked around in there. lol I was right since Federated Dept Stores was later bought out by Macy's in 06 therefore making Bloomingdales a higher end version of Macy's. I can see why that wasn't mentioned here since everyone and their grandparents mentions the purchase of Mays/Federated by Macy's in the mall/shops history part in living/dying/dead mall videos.

[@RickBerg-b9k]

This mall is very high end, and has always had a somewhat dead feeling to it. Years ago the Men’s Bloomingdale’s was down the street, where eventually a Macy’s would go. When the Filene’s closed, Bloomingdale’s Men’s moved in to the mall, so there is a Bloomingdale’s at both ends. This mall was never upsized like the Natick Mall was.

[@davidgold5961]

By dead, do you mean very few screaming teenagers running around causing havoc? If that’s what you mean, then it’s great to have peace and quiet in a mall.

[@berlin1926]

This isn't the only Bloomingdale's in New England. There's one in Norwalk at the SoNo center.

[@zakihanti]

hey i know it is too early to say this but there no food court at this mall . all there is is just 2 floor of Bloomingdale and the same high end stores on both floors. i rate this mall 3.5/10

[@davidgold5961]

This mall is too high-end to have a food court, and I mean that in a good way. Thanks for your comment. Having been to the mall about 300 times, I would rate it a 9 out of 10.

[@AnimeJSaysBah]

Gorgeous mall, but absolutely nothing there I would go to that mall to get.

[@mmmike150]

Ever heard of The Galleria at Fort Lauderdale? I am so surprised that mall is still alive even after losing Sak's, Lord & Taylor and Neiman Marcus. It's not a hot spot with the high end restaurants and bars inside and outside the main entrance. You should so that one sometime. It will be kind of like The Mall at Chestnut Hill

[@Nothinghere0101]

I’m not a fan that there are 2 Bloomingdales locations that are BOTH 3 Story

[@kanna-san.]

I miss the mini FAO

[@Yukikaze617]

Ah, the talking tree was the stuff of nightmares!

[@kanna-san.]

@@Yukikaze617 WHY DID YOU REMIND ME WHY

[@normanwyatt8761]

MALLS do well in areas where people have money and can buy whatever they like.......Stores and Malls in poor areas do not do well 'cause the shoppers have NO money for extravagant stores like upscale restaurants, overpriced clothing stores and furniture stores....DUH !........

[@RickBerg-b9k]

This mall is very high end, and has always had a somewhat dead feeling to it.

[@JSchaye]

Macys. Not May dept store

[@fleabittenadventures]

Google May Department Stores Company. It's a thing.

[@davidgold5961]

15:38 in 1986 the parking garage was not built yet. I don’t know what year it was built. Are used to live next-door at The Towers of Chestnut Hill.

[@normanwyatt8761]

J

[@Desslok20]

1

[@richiebarrettjr3629]

Boring mall wow good thing I didn't go there

[@todd3563]

Do you know how to get out of people's way?