Mountain Farms Mall
Encyclopedia
Mountain Farms Mall is a one-story shopping mall
in Hadley, Massachusetts
, United States
, with approximately 12 stores. It is located on Route 9
, at 335 Russell Street in Hadley, Massachusetts
, between Amherst and Northampton, approximately five miles east of Exit 19 off I-91
. The mall is owned by S.R. Weiner and WS Development.
After the neighboring Hampshire Mall
opened in 1978, business at Mountain Farms fell off. In the heyday of its first incarnation were about 40 stores in the mall. By 1990, the Mountain Farms was generally referred to as "the dead mall", containing a hot tubbing location and an AMC theater. By the spring of 1994 its original 35 stores had declined to four. In May 1994 Wholesale Depot Inc. filed bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code and closed its store which opened at the mall in December 1992.
In June 1997, WS Development, an open-air shopping center developer, showed interest in refurbishing the mall and as part of this plan it envisioned devoting a third of its space to a Wal-Mart store. The Planning Board members at the time raised concerns about the appropriateness of a Wal-Mart in Hadley saying that they preferred small and unique stores. In 1998 permission was obtained to bring in the Wal-Mart. In April 1998 a citizens group in Hadley filed suit against W.S. Development and the Hadley Planning Board seeking to overturn the Planning Board's decision to grant site plan approval. In July 1998 a Hampshire Superior Court justice dismissed the lawsuit.
On August 19, 1998 the mall was sold by Henry Rosenberg of New York City, trustee of MFF Realty Trust, to W.S. Hadley Properties, care of S.R. Weiner and Associates Inc. of Chestnut Hill. The buyers were sister companies of WS Development, the mall's prospective developers. Construction on the new project began in February 1999.
Peoples Bank of Holyoke purchased a boarded-up former Bess Eaton
doughnut shop adjacent to the Mountain Farms Mall. Wal-mart opened its store in February 2000. Linens 'N Things opened its store in September 2000, and closed in 2008 after liquidating. An Old Navy opened a month later in October 2000. In 2001, Barnes and Noble opened a store in the revamped mall. In 2002 Michael's, an arts and crafts store, opened between Marshalls and Bread & Circus supermarket. In September 2002 the Kai Chi restaurant in the Mountain Farms Mall closed as a consequence of their landlord W.S. Development Associates, LLC of Chestnut Hill purchasing the remaining 10 years on their lease.
In 2003 a 16400 square feet (1,523.6 m²) expansion of the Bread & Circus (which later that year was rebranded as Whole Foods Market) at Mountain Farms Mall began.
A 63-room, 27700 square feet (2,573.4 m²) Econo Lodge
was constructed that opened in 2003 in front of Mountain Farms Mall. During this time period the Hampshire Mall
was regarded as the dead mall in comparison to the vibrant Mountain Farms Mall (although it too revived in 2005). Eastern Mountain Sports
, Pier 1 Imports
, Panera Bread
, and Famous Footwear
opened stores in mall in 2004. A new expanded Whole Foods Market (formally Bread and Circus) opened in June 2004. Home Depot obtained permission for a 323000 square feet (30,007.7 m²) shopping center adjacent to the mall later in the year.
In May 2006 the town voted in favor of the "Compatible Building Size Bylaw" which measure placed 75000 square feet (6,967.7 m²) cap on retail building size, effectively prohibiting future malls and shopping centers from coming to the Route 9 corridor. The proposed Lowe's home improvement center, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart Supercenter projects, all of which have already begun or completed the planning process, will not be affected. The Home Depot and Hadley Corner
retail project was shut down in March 2006 by the state Department of Environmental Protection, but has resumed activity.
In 2007 construction began at the rear of the mall for a Planet Fitness
which opened in 2008.
Bed, Bath, and Beyond opened in the former Linens N' Things space in November 2009.
Currently there is no interior entry other than a set of vestigial doors between Panera Bread
and EMS
.
Starting in 1997, when Wal-mart started expressing interest in establishing a store, an organized group of area residents have sought to oppose any Wal-mart development plans, Wal-mart epitomizing what they oppose. In 2005 Wal-mart wished to build a new 212000 square feet (19,695.4 m²) Supercenter southeast of the Hampshire Mall
. However there have been various hindrances as a consequence of a bylaw designed to keep out large stores by restricting new stores to 75000 square feet (6,967.7 m²) as well as local organized opposition. After two years of negotiations, on November 20, 2007, a subdivision plan that exempted the planned Wal-Mart Supercenter from the current bylaw restrictions was approved. Developers have eight-years to get a site plan approved before the exemption expires. This would almost certainly mean the current store, attached to the east end of Mountain Farms Mall, would close. There continues to be tensions within the Hadley community between those that want development for shopping, business, tax and employment reasons versus those that wish to not allow any more development in order to keep Hadley as rural as possible.
The Wal-mart at the Mountain Farms Mall has been the scene of various demonstrations since it opened, not all of which impinged directly on Wal-mart. On May 2, 2004 activists picketed the store to publicize what they have called the "Wal-Martization of health care," and to vocalize what they saw as a need for a national health insurance plan." Some customers, however, felt harassed and complained to the store manager who called the police. All the other stores in the mall also placed a call in complaint of the protest. According to the police, the protectors stopped customers from entering stores, blocked store entrances and generally annoyed the customers. It was only after a trespass order was issued to force the activists to disperse that the demonstration ended. Since then, further demonstrations have occurred on Route 9 on the edge of the Mountain Farms Mall property.
in Mountain Farms Mall, in Panera Bread, in Whole Foods, and in Barnes & Noble which became complimentary in 2009.
, and a Panera Bread
bakery/restaurant. There is also a Dave's Soda and Pet City store.
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in Hadley, Massachusetts
Hadley, Massachusetts
Hadley is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area around Hampshire Mall and Mountain Farms Mall along Route 9 is a major shopping destination for the surrounding...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with approximately 12 stores. It is located on Route 9
Route 9 (Massachusetts)
Route 9 is a major east–west state highway in Massachusetts. Along with U.S. Route 20, Route 2 and the Massachusetts Turnpike, Route 9 is one of the major east-west routes of Massachusetts, and like the others its eastern terminus is in Boston...
, at 335 Russell Street in Hadley, Massachusetts
Hadley, Massachusetts
Hadley is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area around Hampshire Mall and Mountain Farms Mall along Route 9 is a major shopping destination for the surrounding...
, between Amherst and Northampton, approximately five miles east of Exit 19 off I-91
Interstate 91
Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
. The mall is owned by S.R. Weiner and WS Development.
History
Mountain Farms first opened to the public on Nov. 23, 1973 as an indoor shopping mall. Original anchor stores were Woolco and Almy's.After the neighboring Hampshire Mall
Hampshire Mall
Hampshire Mall is a primarily one-story shopping mall with a small second floor in Hadley, Massachusetts, United States, with approximately 55 stores owned by The Pyramid Companies. Current anchor stores include Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, JCPenney, and Target. There is a LaserStorm, a...
opened in 1978, business at Mountain Farms fell off. In the heyday of its first incarnation were about 40 stores in the mall. By 1990, the Mountain Farms was generally referred to as "the dead mall", containing a hot tubbing location and an AMC theater. By the spring of 1994 its original 35 stores had declined to four. In May 1994 Wholesale Depot Inc. filed bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code and closed its store which opened at the mall in December 1992.
In June 1997, WS Development, an open-air shopping center developer, showed interest in refurbishing the mall and as part of this plan it envisioned devoting a third of its space to a Wal-Mart store. The Planning Board members at the time raised concerns about the appropriateness of a Wal-Mart in Hadley saying that they preferred small and unique stores. In 1998 permission was obtained to bring in the Wal-Mart. In April 1998 a citizens group in Hadley filed suit against W.S. Development and the Hadley Planning Board seeking to overturn the Planning Board's decision to grant site plan approval. In July 1998 a Hampshire Superior Court justice dismissed the lawsuit.
On August 19, 1998 the mall was sold by Henry Rosenberg of New York City, trustee of MFF Realty Trust, to W.S. Hadley Properties, care of S.R. Weiner and Associates Inc. of Chestnut Hill. The buyers were sister companies of WS Development, the mall's prospective developers. Construction on the new project began in February 1999.
Peoples Bank of Holyoke purchased a boarded-up former Bess Eaton
Bess Eaton
Bess Eaton or Bess Eaton Donut Flour Company Incorporated started as a bread and bakery products manufacturer and later as an operator of a small chain of coffee shops based in southern New England, often serving doughnuts, bagels, and muffins. The firm filed for bankruptcy in 2004 and liquidated...
doughnut shop adjacent to the Mountain Farms Mall. Wal-mart opened its store in February 2000. Linens 'N Things opened its store in September 2000, and closed in 2008 after liquidating. An Old Navy opened a month later in October 2000. In 2001, Barnes and Noble opened a store in the revamped mall. In 2002 Michael's, an arts and crafts store, opened between Marshalls and Bread & Circus supermarket. In September 2002 the Kai Chi restaurant in the Mountain Farms Mall closed as a consequence of their landlord W.S. Development Associates, LLC of Chestnut Hill purchasing the remaining 10 years on their lease.
In 2003 a 16400 square feet (1,523.6 m²) expansion of the Bread & Circus (which later that year was rebranded as Whole Foods Market) at Mountain Farms Mall began.
A 63-room, 27700 square feet (2,573.4 m²) Econo Lodge
Econo Lodge
Econo Lodge is an economy motel chain based in the United States and Canada. Econo Lodge is the second largest brand in the Choice Hotels system. It is one of the best known brands in its category and aims to provide affordable rooms to budget travelers. Econo Lodge properties contain a minimum of...
was constructed that opened in 2003 in front of Mountain Farms Mall. During this time period the Hampshire Mall
Hampshire Mall
Hampshire Mall is a primarily one-story shopping mall with a small second floor in Hadley, Massachusetts, United States, with approximately 55 stores owned by The Pyramid Companies. Current anchor stores include Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, JCPenney, and Target. There is a LaserStorm, a...
was regarded as the dead mall in comparison to the vibrant Mountain Farms Mall (although it too revived in 2005). Eastern Mountain Sports
Eastern Mountain Sports
Eastern Mountain Sports is an outdoor apparel and equipment retailer in the U.S. Northeast headquartered in Peterborough, New Hampshire.EMS sells outdoor equipment and clothing from both name brands and its own EMS line...
, Pier 1 Imports
Pier 1 Imports
Pier 1 Imports Inc. is a Fort Worth, Texas based retailer specializing in imported home furnishings and decor, particularly furniture, table-top items, decorative accessories and seasonal decor. The chain operates over 1,000 stores under the name Pier 1 Imports in the United States, Canada, Mexico...
, Panera Bread
Panera Bread
Panera Bread is a chain of bakery–café quick casual restaurants in the United States and Canada that sells breads, sandwiches, soups, salads, and other bakery items. Its headquarters are in Sunset Hills, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.-Corporate history:In 1993, Au Bon Pain Co...
, and Famous Footwear
Famous Footwear
Famous Footwear is a nationwide chain of retail stores in the United States dealing in branded footwear, generally at prices discounted from manufacturer's suggested prices. Established in 1960 as a single store, "Famous" is regarded as both a forerunner and champion of the trend towards the...
opened stores in mall in 2004. A new expanded Whole Foods Market (formally Bread and Circus) opened in June 2004. Home Depot obtained permission for a 323000 square feet (30,007.7 m²) shopping center adjacent to the mall later in the year.
In May 2006 the town voted in favor of the "Compatible Building Size Bylaw" which measure placed 75000 square feet (6,967.7 m²) cap on retail building size, effectively prohibiting future malls and shopping centers from coming to the Route 9 corridor. The proposed Lowe's home improvement center, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart Supercenter projects, all of which have already begun or completed the planning process, will not be affected. The Home Depot and Hadley Corner
Hadley Corner
Hadley Corner is a one-story shopping center currently under construction in Hadley, Massachusetts, United States, with 9 stores planned. It is located on Route 9, on Russell Street in Hadley, Massachusetts between Amherst and Northampton, approximately five miles east of Exit 19 off I-91 and...
retail project was shut down in March 2006 by the state Department of Environmental Protection, but has resumed activity.
In 2007 construction began at the rear of the mall for a Planet Fitness
Planet fitness
Planet Fitness is an American franchise of fitness centers based in Dover, New Hampshire. Each gym features exercise equipment and personal trainers to assist its members. It markets itself as a "Judgement Free Zone", though somewhat controversially it has rules in place to discourage deadlifters...
which opened in 2008.
Bed, Bath, and Beyond opened in the former Linens N' Things space in November 2009.
Currently there is no interior entry other than a set of vestigial doors between Panera Bread
Panera Bread
Panera Bread is a chain of bakery–café quick casual restaurants in the United States and Canada that sells breads, sandwiches, soups, salads, and other bakery items. Its headquarters are in Sunset Hills, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.-Corporate history:In 1993, Au Bon Pain Co...
and EMS
Eastern Mountain Sports
Eastern Mountain Sports is an outdoor apparel and equipment retailer in the U.S. Northeast headquartered in Peterborough, New Hampshire.EMS sells outdoor equipment and clothing from both name brands and its own EMS line...
.
Walmart controversy
Hampshire Mall
Hampshire Mall is a primarily one-story shopping mall with a small second floor in Hadley, Massachusetts, United States, with approximately 55 stores owned by The Pyramid Companies. Current anchor stores include Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, JCPenney, and Target. There is a LaserStorm, a...
. However there have been various hindrances as a consequence of a bylaw designed to keep out large stores by restricting new stores to 75000 square feet (6,967.7 m²) as well as local organized opposition. After two years of negotiations, on November 20, 2007, a subdivision plan that exempted the planned Wal-Mart Supercenter from the current bylaw restrictions was approved. Developers have eight-years to get a site plan approved before the exemption expires. This would almost certainly mean the current store, attached to the east end of Mountain Farms Mall, would close. There continues to be tensions within the Hadley community between those that want development for shopping, business, tax and employment reasons versus those that wish to not allow any more development in order to keep Hadley as rural as possible.
The Wal-mart at the Mountain Farms Mall has been the scene of various demonstrations since it opened, not all of which impinged directly on Wal-mart. On May 2, 2004 activists picketed the store to publicize what they have called the "Wal-Martization of health care," and to vocalize what they saw as a need for a national health insurance plan." Some customers, however, felt harassed and complained to the store manager who called the police. All the other stores in the mall also placed a call in complaint of the protest. According to the police, the protectors stopped customers from entering stores, blocked store entrances and generally annoyed the customers. It was only after a trespass order was issued to force the activists to disperse that the demonstration ended. Since then, further demonstrations have occurred on Route 9 on the edge of the Mountain Farms Mall property.
Wifi hotspots
There are currently 3 free hotspotsHotspot (Wi-Fi)
A hotspot is a site that offers Internet access over a wireless local area network through the use of a router connected to a link to an Internet service provider...
in Mountain Farms Mall, in Panera Bread, in Whole Foods, and in Barnes & Noble which became complimentary in 2009.
Stores
Current stores include:- Barnes & NobleBarnes & NobleBarnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
- Bed Bath and Beyond
- EMSEastern Mountain SportsEastern Mountain Sports is an outdoor apparel and equipment retailer in the U.S. Northeast headquartered in Peterborough, New Hampshire.EMS sells outdoor equipment and clothing from both name brands and its own EMS line...
- Famous FootwearFamous FootwearFamous Footwear is a nationwide chain of retail stores in the United States dealing in branded footwear, generally at prices discounted from manufacturer's suggested prices. Established in 1960 as a single store, "Famous" is regarded as both a forerunner and champion of the trend towards the...
- GameStopGameStopGameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
- MarshallsMarshallsMarshalls, Inc., is a chain of American department stores owned by TJX Companies. Marshalls has over 750 conventional stores, as well as larger stores named Marshalls Mega Store, covering 42 states and Puerto Rico. Marshalls expanded into Canada in March 2011...
- MichaelsMichaelsMichaels is an arts and crafts retail chain. It currently operates more than 1040 Michaels Arts and Crafts Stores located in 49 U.S. states and in Canada. The company owns and operates the Aaron Brothers retail chain which consists of more than 140 stores...
- Old NavyOld NavyOld Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
- Planet FitnessPlanet fitnessPlanet Fitness is an American franchise of fitness centers based in Dover, New Hampshire. Each gym features exercise equipment and personal trainers to assist its members. It markets itself as a "Judgement Free Zone", though somewhat controversially it has rules in place to discourage deadlifters...
- Pier 1 ImportsPier 1 ImportsPier 1 Imports Inc. is a Fort Worth, Texas based retailer specializing in imported home furnishings and decor, particularly furniture, table-top items, decorative accessories and seasonal decor. The chain operates over 1,000 stores under the name Pier 1 Imports in the United States, Canada, Mexico...
- Sleepy'sSleepy'sSleepy’s LLC is an American retailing company and mattress store chain founded in 1931 in Brooklyn, New York, United States. As of 2009, Sleepy's had over 700 stores and five distribution centers in 11 states in the Northeast and Middle Atlantic, with over 2,900 employees.- Business operations...
- Wal-MartWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
- Whole Foods MarketWhole Foods MarketWhole Foods Market is a foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes "natural and organic products." The company has been ranked among the most socially responsible businesses and placed third on the U.S...
Food
The mall has a Whole Foods MarketWhole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market is a foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes "natural and organic products." The company has been ranked among the most socially responsible businesses and placed third on the U.S...
, and a Panera Bread
Panera Bread
Panera Bread is a chain of bakery–café quick casual restaurants in the United States and Canada that sells breads, sandwiches, soups, salads, and other bakery items. Its headquarters are in Sunset Hills, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.-Corporate history:In 1993, Au Bon Pain Co...
bakery/restaurant. There is also a Dave's Soda and Pet City store.
Outbuildings
Notable stores, but not part of the mall:- AT&TAT&TAT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
- Burger KingBurger KingBurger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
- Florence Savings Bank
- KFCKFCKFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
- Manny's TV & Appliances
- Vision Showcase
See also
- Hampshire MallHampshire MallHampshire Mall is a primarily one-story shopping mall with a small second floor in Hadley, Massachusetts, United States, with approximately 55 stores owned by The Pyramid Companies. Current anchor stores include Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, JCPenney, and Target. There is a LaserStorm, a...
- an indoor mall, across the street and competing with the Mountain Farms Mall - Hadley CornerHadley CornerHadley Corner is a one-story shopping center currently under construction in Hadley, Massachusetts, United States, with 9 stores planned. It is located on Route 9, on Russell Street in Hadley, Massachusetts between Amherst and Northampton, approximately five miles east of Exit 19 off I-91 and...