Holyoke Mall
Encyclopedia
The Holyoke Mall at Ingleside (a.k.a. just Holyoke Mall) is a shopping mall
located in Holyoke, Massachusetts
that serves the Springfield metropolitan area
. It features nearly 200 stores, a large food court, and several restaurants. At 1.6 million square feet, the three-level mall is one of the largest malls in New England
.
The mall has four parking garages, and has unique architecture such as wood paneling, wooden benches, a dome with purple lights, a box-spiral staircase with holes that leads to the Café Square level, and a stone-shafted elevator. Located near the interchange of I-90 and I-91, the Holyoke Mall is one of the primary shopping destinations in Western New England, and attracts many out-of-state visitors. WiFi
access is offered at Starbucks
, Borders
, and Friendly's
. There is a United States Post Office
in the mall that is open 7 days a week and open until 7pm (except Sundays).
opened at the mall in November 1994. It closed in 2003 citing a lack of business. Pyramid in 1998 proposed a 1400000 square feet (130,064.3 m²) expansion that would have added a 20-screen cinema complex but this attempt was blocked by the city. In August 2007 Apple opened a store. In November 2007 Borders Books opened a store on the in part of a renovated spot formerly occupied by Lord and Taylor. Pottery Barn
, Williams-Sonoma
, Swarovski
, Sephora
and Burlington Coat Factory
opened stores in the mall in 2008. In April 2009, Forever 21
massively expanded their store (it became a flagship store XXI Forever) in the lower floor of the mall using the other part of the space formerly occupied by Lord and Taylor. At the time it was the largest Forever 21 in Massachusetts.
population. The policy (implemented on September 9, 2005) requires all patrons under the age of eighteen to be accompanied by a parent or guardian on Friday and Saturday nights after 4:00 PM. Anyone who appears to be under 18 can be asked to show identification such as a school ID card or a driver's license. This policy is not enforced in the majority of the approximately twenty complexes managed by the Pyramid Corporation, largely located in suburban areas. Because of this, the mall has been accused of racism
by the local community. City Councilor William H. Dwight, who serves on the Northampton Youth Commission, commented that because teenagers do not have as many places as adults to gather, they are frequently treated like pariahs. "It seems to me the mall is relatively safe. It's a shame that's gone," said Dwight. Pyramid has defended its decision by saying that it will increase sales because the environment will be more pleasing to adult shoppers and the incidence of shoplifting will be reduced.
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...
located in Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range of mountains. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 39,880...
that serves the Springfield metropolitan area
Springfield, Massachusetts metropolitan area
The Springfield Metropolitan Area is a region that is socio-economically and culturally tied to the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines the Springfield metropolitan statistical area as consisting of three counties in Western Massachusetts. As of...
. It features nearly 200 stores, a large food court, and several restaurants. At 1.6 million square feet, the three-level mall is one of the largest malls in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
.
The mall has four parking garages, and has unique architecture such as wood paneling, wooden benches, a dome with purple lights, a box-spiral staircase with holes that leads to the Café Square level, and a stone-shafted elevator. Located near the interchange of I-90 and I-91, the Holyoke Mall is one of the primary shopping destinations in Western New England, and attracts many out-of-state visitors. WiFi
WIFI
WIFI is a radio station broadcasting a brokered format. Licensed to Florence, New Jersey, USA, the station is currently operated by Florence Broadcasting Partners, LLC.This station was previously owned by Real Life Broadcasting...
access is offered at Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
, Borders
Borders Group
Borders Group, Inc. was an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employed approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores....
, and Friendly's
Friendly's
Friendly Ice Cream Corporation is the owner and operator of the Friendly's restaurant chain on the United States' East Coast. Founded in 1935 in Springfield, Massachusetts by brothers Curtis Blake and S. Prestley Blake, 20, their first shop served double-dip cones for 5 cents...
. There is a United States Post Office
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
in the mall that is open 7 days a week and open until 7pm (except Sundays).
History
The mall opened in 1979 and was expanded (and slightly renovated) in 1995. At the time it was expanded, it was billed as the largest mall in New England. It is owned by The Pyramid Companies. Lord & TaylorLord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods...
opened at the mall in November 1994. It closed in 2003 citing a lack of business. Pyramid in 1998 proposed a 1400000 square feet (130,064.3 m²) expansion that would have added a 20-screen cinema complex but this attempt was blocked by the city. In August 2007 Apple opened a store. In November 2007 Borders Books opened a store on the in part of a renovated spot formerly occupied by Lord and Taylor. Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn is an American-based home furnishing store chain with retail stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Since September 1986, when it was purchased from GAP, Inc, Pottery Barn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Williams-Sonoma, Inc....
, Williams-Sonoma
Williams-Sonoma
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a high-end American consumer retail company that sells kitchenwares, furniture and linens, as well as other housewares and home furnishings, along with a variety of specialty foods, soaps and lotions...
, Swarovski
Swarovski
Swarovski is the brand name for a range of precisely-cut crystal and related luxury products produced by Swarovski AG of Wattens, Austria...
, Sephora
Sephora
Sephora is a chain of cosmetics stores founded in France in 1970 and acquired by Paris-based conglomerate LVMH in 1997. The Sephora chain includes more than 750 stores in 17 countries...
and Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation is a national department store retailer focusing on clothing and shoes, with over 450 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico.. In 2006, it was acquired by Bain Capital, LLC in a take-private transaction...
opened stores in the mall in 2008. In April 2009, Forever 21
Forever 21
Forever 21 is an American chain of clothing retailers with branches in major cities in The United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East that offers fashion and accessories for young women and men....
massively expanded their store (it became a flagship store XXI Forever) in the lower floor of the mall using the other part of the space formerly occupied by Lord and Taylor. At the time it was the largest Forever 21 in Massachusetts.
Must be 18 controversy
In 2005, The Pyramid Corporation sparked local controversy over its "must be 18 policy", especially from the local LatinoLatino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
population. The policy (implemented on September 9, 2005) requires all patrons under the age of eighteen to be accompanied by a parent or guardian on Friday and Saturday nights after 4:00 PM. Anyone who appears to be under 18 can be asked to show identification such as a school ID card or a driver's license. This policy is not enforced in the majority of the approximately twenty complexes managed by the Pyramid Corporation, largely located in suburban areas. Because of this, the mall has been accused of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
by the local community. City Councilor William H. Dwight, who serves on the Northampton Youth Commission, commented that because teenagers do not have as many places as adults to gather, they are frequently treated like pariahs. "It seems to me the mall is relatively safe. It's a shame that's gone," said Dwight. Pyramid has defended its decision by saying that it will increase sales because the environment will be more pleasing to adult shoppers and the incidence of shoplifting will be reduced.