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by Kim_Carrigan from Dedham, MA

Last Post 28 minutes Ago


Collecting dust!
May 5, 2008 | 9:34 AM
Category: News
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Hello Fellow Bloggers,

According to pulished reports, the new Natick Collection is collecting dust!

The upscale mall is having some big problems. For those of you who aren't sure what I'm talking about, you remember the Natick Mall? Well a developer got the idea to remodel the mall..updating the existing facility and expanding into a new wing with all high-end stores. The anchor store being Nieman Marcus.

Full disclosure here, I have never been to the Natick Collection. But I live on the Northshore and I didn't shop at the Natick Mall. But, by all accounts, the new Collection sounds like it's great. Beautiful atmosphere. Great shops. A charge for parking....WHAT? Oh yeah, they charge for parking...in Natick.

In my estimation, that's just one of the issues facing this shopping center. I don't know about you, but I don't think of high-end shopping in a local mall. Call it what you will, the Natick Collection is still the Natick Mall to anyone who shops there on a regular basis.

If you do any high-end shopping...I believe you do it in Boston. Say you make one trip a year to Copley Place. If you're like me, you know you'll pay to park. You get a little more dressed up than when you run to the local mall. You spend the day and have lunch. And you come home with an idea of the newest trends..and maybe a few special finds.

Somehow, that's just not the kind of shopping day you expect or have when you head to the local mall.

I hope I'm wrong...I don't like to see big projects like the Natick Collection fall flat...but I'm predicting they make it through one holiday season and that's it. Then they can turn that side of the building into a discount center.

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Member Comments Total Comments: 8
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fenwaydav read my blog view my photos
May 5, 2008 | 12:28 PM

Hey KC, I have passed this Natick Collection, when going to some of the many stores in the area including Jordan's Furniture and BJ's. I guess I'm not the Natick Collection type of guy, cause I never even had the desire to stop and check it out. I don't like to see any business go under but the area just has so many of hundreds of stores that you just pull in, get what you want and move on. No Charge.
Kalena
May 5, 2008 | 2:44 PM

You do not have to pay to park at all the lots. There is one lot that is supposed to be closer to the stores and have valet parking. All I know is what I see when I drive by, as I park in the "free parking lots".
Xantun read my blog view my photos
May 5, 2008 | 4:47 PM

I've been to the Natick Collection a few times, for about 4 stores that were there when it was the plain Natick Mall. Not only do the spiffy new high-end stores NOT appeal to me, I can't afford them! I don't know whose brilliant idea it was to put an upscale shopping center in a town like Natick, but I saw this coming when the idea was originally announced. And this was BEFORE the economy started tanking! Some areas just aren't able to support upscale shopping, no matter what the economy is. And, seeing as the expansion is built on the former site of the Hostess Bakery plant, that should have been clue number 1 that Natick is one of those towns.
fenwaydav read my blog view my photos
May 6, 2008 | 4:59 AM

Xantum, How right you are...Not so much Natick couldn't handle high end, but why??? There is so much competition along Rt 9. It would be like them doing the same thing to Daniel Webster Highway in Nasuha. You can build it, but they won't come.
Chip read my blog view my photos
May 6, 2008 | 5:54 AM

It might be timing too....gas prices...fears of recession....
Xantun read my blog view my photos
May 6, 2008 | 9:30 AM

Dave, I actually live in a town neighboring Natick, and know a lot of people who live in Natick. 99% of the people I know who live in Natick can't afford the higher-end stuff that was just put in. And for the out-of-town folks who'd go to Boston for their higher-end shopping? Well, Boston has one thing Natick really doesn't: Public transportation. Having been on the Mass Pike, RT 9, RT 30, Speen St AND Flutie Pass (Yes, there really IS a Flutie Pass folks) during some pretty bad congestion, let me tell ya, it's the time when a T line would probably make millions!

Chip, maybe I'm cynical, but I saw this coming when the plan was announced 3 or 4 years ago. Y'know, back when we were all kinda hopeful gas prices would go down and we weren't worried about recession.
OkieDokie read my blog view my photos
May 6, 2008 | 2:39 PM

Not to mention the high priced UNFINISHED condos on top of the Natick Collection that are just an eye sore from my office building...

When the renovation was in progress, I worried if it would drastically increase the already high levels of traffic in the area...needless to say, its hasn't been much of a worry lately.
Xantun read my blog view my photos
May 6, 2008 | 4:14 PM

Ahh, yes, how could I forget the overpriced apartments? Just wait until those people who haven't lost their mortgages move in, Okie. IF they're ever finished, that is! Oh, wait, no, Sam's Club moving back into it's old location, in this economy would create more of an increase!
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Kim_Carrigan

I anchor the FOX25 Morning News every weekday morning from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Member Since: 2/17/2007


 

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