My last update to this site was almost twelve months ago, and needless to say...it has been quite a year! Despite countless headlines at the national and global level, the 150 or so acres around Galleria Mall Drive managed to remain in the news.
Evictions and Closings
Covid-19 accelerated the Galleria's final exodus of tenants. Regal Cinemas reopened briefly over the summer before shuttering for good, while Dick's Sporting Goods and Round 1 held on until January. Work Out World relocated to the former Taunton Mall on Washington Street, which, in a twist of fate, will outlive its "replacement."
Waldorf-Astoria Auction
As tenants and shoppers gradually left, something very peculiar began to take their place: a treasure trove of fine furniture, artwork, and fixtures. News eventually broke that the Galleria would host an auction of furnishings from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. It was truly an unpredictable year.
Since the auction included the Galleria's contents alongside Park Avenue chandeliers and oil paintings, the entire building was open for potential bidders to explore and inspect. It was a chance not only to say goodbye, but also to own a piece of the mall. (Did you buy something? Send me a note! It would be neat to see where different parts of the Galleria ended up.)
Demolition
On Friday, some thirty years after bulldozers first arrived on the site as part of the Galleria's groundbreaking, they returned to knock it to the ground. We've all seen the signs pointing in this direction, but somehow I'm still overwhelmed with a sense of "I never thought I'd see the day..."
Thank you to everyone who has reached out over the past year to share memories, photos, and kind words. I am very happy to be part of this community, and I'm looking forward to getting back in the habit of posting. I have several improvements planned for the site, as well as tons of photos I took during the auction. Until then...