Route 24 and Reynolds Memorial Highway
Brockton, Massachusetts
Massachusetts' first fully-enclosed shopping mall was developed by the Campanelli Brothers of Boston, who ran New England's largest residential development company. WESTGATE SHOPPERS' PARK was built on a 48.3-acre tract. This was located 20 miles south of the Massachusetts State House, in suburban Brockton.
Brockton, Massachusetts
Massachusetts' first fully-enclosed shopping mall was developed by the Campanelli Brothers of Boston, who ran New England's largest residential development company. WESTGATE SHOPPERS' PARK was built on a 48.3-acre tract. This was located 20 miles south of the Massachusetts State House, in suburban Brockton.
In its original state, WESTGATE encompassed approximately 356,000 square feet. Its first operational stores opened on February 24, 1963. A 1-level (73,000 square foot), Boston-based Gilchrist's was dedicated on October 23, 1963. New London, Connecticut-based Bradlees opened a 1-level (75,000 square foot) Family Center on November 7th. Charter WESTGATE inline stores included Child World, Mister Donut, Cherry & Webb, Storey's and an F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10.
WESTGATE ANNEX and WESTGATE PLAZA strip centers were built in the northeast and southwest parking areas. Gilchrist's opened a freestanding Auto Service Center in September 1964. The freestanding Chapel At The Mall (attended by the Franciscan Friars of Atonement) was built across the road from the complex.
WESTGATE ANNEX and WESTGATE PLAZA strip centers were built in the northeast and southwest parking areas. Gilchrist's opened a freestanding Auto Service Center in September 1964. The freestanding Chapel At The Mall (attended by the Franciscan Friars of Atonement) was built across the road from the complex.
The General Cinema Corporation Cinema I & II Westgate Mall was also located across the road from the mall. First features were shown on April 17, 1965. The theater re-opened, as a 4-screen venue, on October 7, 1970. In 1976, a fifth auditorium was created. By the late 1980s, Westgate Cinema Centre was operating with 8 screens. The theater closed in October 2004 and was demolished in the summer of 2005.
Major shopping hubs in the vicinity of WESTGATE included SOUTH SHORE PLAZA (1961) {8.6 miles north, in Braintree}, DEDHAM MALL (1965) {12.2 miles northwest, in Dedham} and HANOVER MALL (1971) {11.1 miles northeast, in Hanover}.
The first mall expansion was completed in March 1971. This project enlarged the Bradlees store to 110,000 square feet. In mid-1977, Gilchrist's was shuttered. It re-opened, as a Boston based Jordan Marsh, on October 13, 1977.
A Northeast Wing was added to WESTGATE in 1984-1985. Anchored by Marshalls and a relocated Child World, this new shopping concourse added twenty stores to the directory. By this time, the shopping center was being promoted as WESTGATE MALL. The complex prospered until 1992, when the superregional SILVER CITY GALLERIA {15.6 miles south, in East Taunton} was dedicated. SOUTH SHORE PLAZA {in Braintree} also completed a renovation, which doubled its size.
As a result, WESTGATE began losing tenants. Jordan Marsh closed and re-opened, as a Macy's, in March 1996. Child World and Woolworth were shuttered in 1992 and 1997, respectively. By 1998, WESTGATE was in a pronounced state of decline. Newton-based New England Development bought the mall in 1999. They embarked on a major renovation, repositioning the complex as a value-oriented venue.
Marshalls expanded into a new (28,000 square foot) store. The original location, and a vacant Child World, were razed. These were replaced by a 2-level (126,000 square foot) Sears. When construction dust settled, the newly-expanded and renovated shopping center encompassing 552,900 leasable square feet. A formal dedication was held on November 26, 2000.
Bradlees closed in March 2001. The building was razed and replaced by a 1-level (140,000 square foot) Filene's, which welcomed first shoppers on March 26, 2003. Other new mall tenants included Best Buy, Old Navy and Dick's Sporting Goods (a freestanding store built on the old cinema site).
As a result, WESTGATE began losing tenants. Jordan Marsh closed and re-opened, as a Macy's, in March 1996. Child World and Woolworth were shuttered in 1992 and 1997, respectively. By 1998, WESTGATE was in a pronounced state of decline. Newton-based New England Development bought the mall in 1999. They embarked on a major renovation, repositioning the complex as a value-oriented venue.
Marshalls expanded into a new (28,000 square foot) store. The original location, and a vacant Child World, were razed. These were replaced by a 2-level (126,000 square foot) Sears. When construction dust settled, the newly-expanded and renovated shopping center encompassing 552,900 leasable square feet. A formal dedication was held on November 26, 2000.
Bradlees closed in March 2001. The building was razed and replaced by a 1-level (140,000 square foot) Filene's, which welcomed first shoppers on March 26, 2003. Other new mall tenants included Best Buy, Old Navy and Dick's Sporting Goods (a freestanding store built on the old cinema site).
Filene's morphed into a Macy's on September 9, 2006. The mall's original Macy's (in the old Gilchrist's-Jordan Marsh) was vacated and eventually bulldozed. Work was to begin on The Village, a lifestyle addition, in the spring of 2008. The Village would to be built on the old Gilchrist's-Jordan Marsh spot and be anchored by a Showcase megaplex cinema. The expansion, scheduled for a fall 2010 completion, was never built.
The mall's proprietor, Australia-based Babcock & Brown, declared bankruptcy. WESTGATE MALL was foreclosed on in October 2009, with an auction attempted in December. This was unsuccessful and the shopping center remained for sale. Newton, Massachusetts-based New England Development repurchased the property in June 2010.
The mall's proprietor, Australia-based Babcock & Brown, declared bankruptcy. WESTGATE MALL was foreclosed on in October 2009, with an auction attempted in December. This was unsuccessful and the shopping center remained for sale. Newton, Massachusetts-based New England Development repurchased the property in June 2010.
Massachusetts-based TJX Companies owned and operated T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, A.J. Wright and HomeGoods stores in the United States. In the early 2010s, TJX eliminated the A.J. Wright name, with stores closing in February 2011. An outparcel A.J. Wright, at WESTGATE MALL, was converted into a Marshalls.
Marshalls inside the mall was vacated. The building was retenanted by CW Price; a division of Los Angeles-based National Stores. This store was shuttered in March 2015. The building was assumed by Fallas; another National Stores division. Fallas went dark in August 2018, as a result of the bankruptcy of National Stores. The vacant mall space was leased as Liam's Home Furniture, which welcomed first customers on January 5, 2020.
Meanwhile, New England Development had started construction on the abandoned south addition in April 2011. The original plan had been drastically changed. Instead of a cinema, the expansion would be anchored by a freestanding (80,000 square foot) Tewkesbury, Massachusetts-based Market Basket discount supermarket. The grocery opened for business on May 22, 2012.
With their completion, WESTGATE MALL encompassed approximately 571,900 leasable square feet and housed sixty-nine stores and services. One of these -Macy's- would be shuttered in March 2017. Burlington, Planet Fitness, PCX apparel and Dick's Sporting Goods filled the Macy's space. The 1-level (43,000 square foot) Burlington opened on September 28, 2018, with Dick's dedicated on August 8, 2020. Sears, which anchored the mall for 20 years, closed for good on May 2, 2021.
Sources:
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Enterprise (Brockton, Massachusetts)
https://www.plymouthdeeds.org / Plymouth County Registry of Deeds / Plymouth County, Massachusetts
https://www.labelscar.com
https://www.labelscar.com
http://www.atonementfriars.org
http://www.shopatwestgate.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
https://www.shopatwestgate.com
http://www.enterprisenews.com
http://movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
https://www.shopatwestgate.com
http://www.enterprisenews.com
http://movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
https://nedevelopment.com / New England Development
"Westgate Mall" article on Wikipedia
FAIR USE OF WESTGATE PHOTO:
The photo from The (Brockton) Enterprise helps to illustrate a key moment in the history of the mall that is described in the article. The image is of lower resolution than the original (copies made would be of inferior quality). The image is not replaceable with a free-use or public-domain image. The use of the image does not limit the copyright owners' rights to distribute the image in any way. The image is being used for non-profit, informational purposes only and its use is not believed to detract from the original image in any way.
