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DEDHAM MALL: DEDHAM, MA

Tim Colby's Commentary:

Posted July 25, 2003 (user submitted)

The Dedham Mall opened in the 1960's, but we never could find the date. It was a popular hangout - when I was a kid in the early-mid 80's, it was THE place to be seen.

There was a Child World across the lot, where Circuit City is now. Pizzeria Uno, also in the lot, was once a York Steakhouse.

The mall had a Bradlees, Walgreens (closed in 2000), Friendly's (closed in 2000), Woolworths (with a Woolworths Diner next door), Weathervane, Bedazzled, Record Town, Tello's, Irish Cottage, Kaybee Toys, Friendly's Restaurant, Stacy's Yarn and Crafts, Debby's Pet Land, the Wine Cellar, Booksmith (later Waldenbooks), Foot Locker, Baker's Shoes, Olympia Sports, Hannoush Jewelers, Belden Jewelers, GNC, Original Cookie Co, C.B Perkins Tobacco, and various other small shops that all disappeared starting in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. However, it seems as though the mass exodus happened between 2000-2003.

My best memory would be the Collectible shows they would have-tables set up all throughout the mall, featuring every type of collectible you could possibly think of.

As of now, there is only a Radio Shack, Sears, and Foot Action USA that are open in the space that the mall used to occupy. The rest of the stores that remained have moved outside to the strip adjacent to Old Navy and DSW Shoe Warehouse. There's been some talk of completely renovating the mall, adding a second level and the sort. That has NOT come about, but there is something being added into the mall... what that is exactly is not yet known. Some say it's going to be a Christmas tree Shop.

When we went to take pictures, we found a large warehouse in the old Brigham's ice cream parlor. As we took pictures, a worker stopped and stared out at us for a good two minutes, then walked over and pulled the overhead door down. Rude!

Exclusive Photos:

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  • The sign. Not sure if it's original, but it has been there since at least the very early 80's.
  • The outside of one main anchor, Bradlees, which closed around 2001. They very recently started picking this apart, taking down the sign and gutting the interior.
  • The Bradlees mall entrance, which is about the only open entrance into the mall.
  • Inside the mall, looking at Bradlees.
  • Sbarro, right across the hall from Bradlees. It left the mall about the same time as Bradlees.
  • The former Avenue clothing store, which is now home to the temporary rest rooms.
  • C'est Bon, which closed fairly recently, sometime in 2002.
  • Things Remembered, which also closed in 2002 and still had stuff inside.
  • Brigham's ice cream, once a fairly popular chain in the Boston area that is now pretty scarce (however they do sell their ice cream in supermarkets). This one closed in early 2003. This is where a makeshift warehouse seemed to be set up, and where the nasty workers gave us the evil eye for snapping pictures.
  • The ever-recognizable label scars of Waldenbooks (formerly Booksmith), which closed in early 2003 along with its next door neighbor, Foot Locker.
  • More Waldenbooks, and a glimpse into a closed-off section of the mall. On the same side as Waldenbooks, there was a Foot Locker, Talbot's, Record Town and what used to be Anderson Little, the men's store.
  • Benches blocking access to that part of the mall. The wall at the end of the hall was put up to keep people out, as Sears is still open on the other side of the wall.
  • Looking left from in front of Sears, which is still open. Waldenbooks and everything else is on the other side of that wall. On the same side as Sears, there was the Irish Cottage, Baker's Shoes, and This End Up Furniture. Now there's nothing.
  • This last one isn't really a mall picture per se, but I couldn't resist taking it as it's right next door and deader than a doornail. Levitz Furniture is so close to the mall that you can get to it without getting on a road. It closed in or around 2000.

  • Bing Bird's Eye View:

    Dedham Mall from a satellite in space
       
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