Emerald Square mall asks for shoppers’ input on which stores should fill vacant spaces
by KENNEDY BUCK, NBC 10 NEWS
NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, Mass. — Emerald Square in North Attleborough’s opening weekend in August of 1989 was full of hustle and bustle as people rushed in for their first look at a million square feet of shopping under one roof.
The popular mall still has its fans present day.
“A lot of the stores here are amazing, there’s great people there and there’s small businesses at the mall and other stores,” said Grant Tostie, who calls the mall one of his favorites.
Recently, some shoppers saw some unwelcome changes as a variety of stores come and go over the years and vacant spaces increased.
“We notice like a decline and incline like there will be new stores and then no stores like it’ll be there for a week and it’ll be gone,” Grace Tostie said as she thought about the changes she’s witnessed. “I would like more food courts or maybe like a mini pet store.”
“It’s too bad the activity here has slowed down so much,” said Claudia Ingles. “It used to be a place on a Friday night and the kids would come and just hang out and there was enough security that it was a safe place for them to be.”
Recently, some shoppers saw unwelcome changes at Emerald Square as a variety of stores come and go over the years and vacant spaces increase. (WJAR)
Emerald Square knows there is room for improvement, quite literally, as hundreds of thousands of square feet are vacant.
Sears is empty along with other storefronts, and the mall is now asking shoppers directly what exactly they want to see next.
“I would like a sporting goods store or like a Dick’s,” said Al Ingles, thinking of the mall’s future.
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Still, shoppers are glad to see the mall is hanging on and trying to grow and hopefully avoid a fate similar to the Silver City Galleria in Taunton, which is not just vacant, but completely demolished.
“Or they could convert them into some type of residential like lofts or something like that,” said Lester Alvarez as he explained what he thinks management should do. “The owners have to figure out what direction they want this ship to steer and once they figure out their target marketing, then that’s who they’re going to start drawing in here.”
If you want to make sure Emerald Square hears your thoughts and ideas directly, you can comment under Emerald Square’s recent post on Facebook.