Dartmouth Mall

Dartmouth Mall is a one-level shopping mall located near the intersection of U.S. Route 6 and Faunce Corner Road in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. It is a regional retail complex serving Dartmouth and surrounding communities in the South Coast area of the state. The property is managed by PREIT and includes department stores, specialty retailers, a supermarket, a food court, and an on-site movie theater. The mall was developed between 1969 and 1971 on the former site of Paskamansett Links, a nine-hole golf course. Dartmouth had zoned land along Route 6 for commercial development, and the project became the first major retail facility built along that corridor. When it opened, the property was known as North Dartmouth Mall and contained 72 stores, nine restaurants, and a three-screen cinema. Its original anchor lineup included Zayre, Sears, and The Outlet Company, while Cherry & Webb and Woolworth operated as smaller anchor tenants. The property’s retail mix changed substantially over time. The Outlet Company ceased operations in 1980, after which its space was occupied by JCPenney. Zayre was acquired by Ames in the late 1980s, converting that anchor to an Ames store. The former Ames building was later demolished and replaced by a Filene’s department store in 2004. Following Macy’s acquisition of Filene’s, the location became a Macy’s store in 2006. The former Cherry & Webb and Woolworth spaces were divided into smaller units as the mall evolved. In the early 2000s, Dartmouth Mall underwent a major renovation involving new entrances and signage, extensive interior demolition and refurbishment, and the addition of a food court. The original basic layout was retained, while the cinema was expanded from three screens to twelve. The theater is operated by AMC. Additional freestanding restaurants occupy portions of the surrounding parking and outlying retail area, including Olive Garden, Chick-fil-A, and Taco Bell. The mall has also been affected by broader changes in department-store retailing. Sears announced in January 2019 that its Dartmouth Mall store would close in the fall of that year. Burlington was announced as the replacement tenant in June 2019 and opened in spring 2020. Aldi subsequently announced in January 2021 that it would join the complex, with an opening planned for the fourth quarter of 2021. The property’s surrounding trade area has expanded over the decades, with multiple retail plazas developing along Route 6 and Faunce Corner Road. Dartmouth Mall remains an active shopping and entertainment destination, anchored by Macy’s, JCPenney, Burlington, Ulta Beauty, and Aldi.

Dartmouth Mall was developed from 1969 through 1971 on the site of Paskamansett Links, a nine-hole golf course in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. The town had zoned land along Route 6 for commercial use, and the mall became the first large-scale retail development established on that corridor. At opening, the property was called North Dartmouth Mall, reflecting the area’s then-common geographic designation. The mall contained 72 stores, nine restaurants, and a three-screen movie theater. The original anchor tenants were Zayre, Sears, and The Outlet Company. Cherry & Webb and Woolworth also operated in smaller anchor spaces. The Outlet Company later went out of business in 1980, and its space was taken over by JCPenney. Zayre was acquired by Ames in the late 1980s, changing that anchor’s identity without immediately changing the broader role of the space. The former Cherry & Webb and Woolworth locations were eventually subdivided for other tenants. The property’s name changed from North Dartmouth Mall to Dartmouth Mall during the 1990s, following the town’s move away from officially using “North Dartmouth” in its name. During the same broad period, the mall’s surrounding environment became increasingly commercial, with additional plazas developing along Route 6 and Faunce Corner Road. The growth of nearby retail areas reinforced the mall’s role as part of a larger shopping district rather than an isolated center. A major renovation took place in the early 2000s. The work introduced new entrances and signage, demolished and rebuilt much of the interior, and added a food court. The basic mall layout was retained. The cinema was expanded from three screens to twelve and later operated by AMC. The former Ames building was demolished and replaced by a Filene’s department store in 2004. In 2006, after Macy’s acquired Filene’s, the store was converted to Macy’s. Dartmouth Mall continued to adjust its anchor lineup as department-store retailing changed. Sears announced in January 2019 that it would close its store at the property in fall 2019. In June of that year, Burlington was identified as the replacement tenant, and Burlington opened in spring 2020. Aldi announced in January 2021 that it would enter the complex, with an opening planned for the fourth quarter of that year. The mall complex also includes or has included freestanding restaurant sites outside the enclosed mall, including Olive Garden, Chick-fil-A, and Taco Bell. The property is managed by PREIT. Its current anchor and major tenant mix includes Aldi, Ulta Beauty, Burlington, JCPenney, and Macy’s, together with food-service facilities and a movie theater. Dartmouth Mall remains an active retail and entertainment property serving the local and regional market.

• 2021

  Aldi announced for the complex

  [1]Dartmouth Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Aldi announces plans to join Dartmouth Mall during the fourth quarter of 2021.

• 2020

  Burlington opens

  [1]Dartmouth Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Burlington begins operating in the former Sears space during spring 2020.

• 2019

  Sears closure announced

  [1]Dartmouth Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Sears announces plans to close its Dartmouth Mall location in the fall.

• 2019

  Burlington selected as Sears replacement

  [1]Dartmouth Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Burlington is announced as the replacement anchor for the departing Sears store.

• 2006

  Filene’s becomes Macy’s

  [1]Dartmouth Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Macy’s acquisition of Filene’s results in the Dartmouth Mall store changing to the Macy’s banner.

• 2004

  Filene’s replaces the former Ames building

  [1]Dartmouth Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The former Ames structure is demolished and replaced by a Filene’s department store.

• 2000

  Major renovation begins

  [1]Dartmouth Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall undergoes a major early-2000s renovation involving entrances, signage, interior reconstruction, and the addition of a food court.

• 1990

  Mall adopts the Dartmouth Mall name

  [1]Dartmouth Mallen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1990s, the property drops “North” from its name and becomes Dartmouth Mall.

• 1980

  JCPenney replaces The Outlet Company

  [1]Dartmouth Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Following The Outlet Company’s closure, its former anchor space becomes a JCPenney store.

• 1971

  North Dartmouth Mall opens

  [1]Dartmouth Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall opens after construction carried out from 1969 to 1971, with 72 stores, nine restaurants, a three-screen cinema, and anchors including Zayre, Sears, and The Outlet Company.

A broad-based regional shopping and entertainment center combining department stores, value retail, beauty, groceries, dining, and cinema services for consumers in Dartmouth and the surrounding South Coast Massachusetts market.

• Department store · 2006

  Macy's

  Macy’s is one of Dartmouth Mall’s department-store anchors. The store occupies the former Filene’s location, which replaced the former Ames building in 2004 and changed to the Macy’s banner in 2006 after Macy’s acquired Filene’s.

• Department store · 1980

  JCPenney

  JCPenney is a long-standing Dartmouth Mall anchor. It took over the former The Outlet Company department-store space after The Outlet Company ceased operations in 1980 and continues to represent the mall’s traditional department-store offering.

• Off-price department store · 2020

  Burlington

  Burlington occupies the former Sears anchor space. The retailer was announced as Sears’s replacement in 2019 and opened at Dartmouth Mall in spring 2020, adding an off-price apparel and home-goods offer to the mall’s tenant mix.

• Beauty retail

  Ulta Beauty

  Ulta Beauty is a major specialty tenant at Dartmouth Mall, representing the complex’s cosmetics, skincare, haircare, fragrance, and beauty-services category.

• Grocery retail · 2021

  Aldi

  Aldi is a grocery anchor announced for the Dartmouth Mall complex in January 2021. Its planned addition broadens the property’s offer beyond discretionary shopping and entertainment into everyday food retail.

• Cinema and entertainment

  AMC movie theater

  The mall’s original three-screen cinema was expanded to twelve screens during the early-2000s redevelopment. The theater is operated by AMC and forms part of Dartmouth Mall’s entertainment offering.

• 2021

  Aldi expansion into the mall complexProduct launch

  Background

  Dartmouth Mall continued to broaden its tenant mix beyond department stores and specialty retail.

  Action taken

  Aldi announced plans to join the complex during the fourth quarter of 2021.

  Aftermath

  The planned grocery addition extended the complex’s everyday-needs retail offer.

  Source

• 2019

  Sears anchor replacementStrategy

  Background

  Sears announced that its Dartmouth Mall store would close in fall 2019.

  Action taken

  The mall announced Burlington as the replacement tenant for the Sears space.

  Aftermath

  Burlington opened in spring 2020, maintaining a large-format anchor in the former Sears location.

  Source

• 2004

  Replacement of the Ames anchorGeneration change

  Background

  The Ames anchor space was no longer used by Ames after the chain’s changes and eventual departure.

  Action taken

  The former Ames building was demolished and replaced with a new Filene’s department store.

  Aftermath

  The replacement preserved a major department-store presence at the property until the location became Macy’s in 2006.

  Source

• 2000

  Comprehensive mall renovationStrategy

  Background

  The property required a substantial modernization while retaining its established basic layout.

  Action taken

  Dartmouth Mall added new entrances and signage, rebuilt much of its interior, created a food court, and expanded the cinema to twelve screens.

  Aftermath

  The renovation updated the customer environment and expanded the mall’s dining and entertainment capacity.

  Source

1. 1Dartmouth Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Dartmouth Mall official websiteshopdartmouthmall.com