Imagine visiting a shopping center where there truly is something for everyone for stores, restaurants, and services.
Such a place exists and its name is the Shoppes at Blackstone Valley in Millbury, Mass and was built in 2004.
The lifestyle center has six different buildings with a total of 820,000 square feet.
Carter and Burgess was selected to provide comprehensive services for the design of the center which features elements of the typical New England village such as stone bases, clapboard and trim to reinforce the village context, and towers to reduce the massing of buildings.
The entrance of the center features a replica of an old gristmill with an operable water wheel.
The directory, according to W/S Development, as of March 30, 2007 reported the following.
Building 1 consists of a 123,559 square foot Target Department Store, an 88,248 square foot Kohl’s Department Store, a 32,906 square foot Circuit City, a 30,624 square foot Babies ‘R Us, and a 10,040 square foot iParty store.
Building 2 consists of a 54,283 square foot Dick’s Sporting Goods, a 32,791 square foot Linens ‘N Things, a 21,574 square foot Michael’s: The Arts and Crafts Store, 19,055 square foot Petsmart, and a 10,050 square foot Pier 1 Imports.
Building 3 has a 3,000 square foot T-Mobile Cellular Store, a 3,500 square foot Stride Ride Shoe store, a 2,551 square foot Kasper store, a 2,200 square foot Cingular Cellular store, an 1,800 square foot Quizno’s Restaurant, a 3,000 square foot Payless Shoe Store, 15,354 square foot Staples Office Superstore, and a 40,694 square foot Marshalls Department Store.
Building 4 hosts a 15,125 square foot combined Gap, Gap Body, and Gap Baby Store, a 2,592 square foot Kay Jewelers, a 5,368 square foot American Eagle Outfitters store, an 1,173 square foot Cold Stone Creamery, a 250 square foot Bank of America, a 2,348 square foot Qdoba Mexican Grill Restaurant, a 73,000 square foot National Amusements Cinema de Luxe 14-screen movie theater with a small food court and Chatters Bar and Grill Restaurant, a 1,910 square foot California Nails, a 2,306 square foot Glow Tanning, a 5,459 square foot Pizzeria Uno Restaurant, an 11,465 square foot Guitar Center, and a 5,248 square foot Mattress Giant.
A portion of Building 4 has a bottom and top level.
Guitar Center and Mattress Giant are at the top with Gap, American Eagle Outfitters, and Kay Jewelers at the bottom.
Building 5 has a 6, 913 square foot Red Robin Restaurant, a 5,222 square foot Strawberries (For Your Entertainment – Movies and Music), a 2,709 square foot Total Fitness, a 4,509 square foot Bombay store, a 5,239 square foot Justice Clothing Co. Store, a 1,788 square foot Sprint Cellular, a 1,788 square foot EB Games, a 1,999 square foot Yankee Candle, a 7,323 square foot Famous Footwear, a 1,793 square foot Claire’s, a 5,337 square foot Lane Bryant, a 15,734 square foot Old Navy, a 24,193 square foot Barnes and Noble, an 11,019 square foot The Paper Store, a 4,449 square foot Kirkland’s, a 5,505 square foot Ann Taylor Loft, a 5,030 square foot Coldwater Creek, a 2,843 square foot Chico’s, a 2,086 square foot Elizabeth Grady, a 4,373 square foot Jos. A. Bank, a 1,210 square foot GNC, a 7,519 square foot EMS, a 4,561 square foot Carter’s, and a 5,376 square foot Longhorn Restaurant.
The center is the largest open air shopping center in central Massachusetts and has outstanding visibility and excellent access to the entire region.
It is built off the first new exit off the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) in 20 years (exit 10a), and is located on Route 146, a major connector between Providence, RI and Worcester, Mass.
This portion of I-90 saw an average of 70,000 vehicles a day in 2000.
The primary trade area stretches south to the Connecticut/Massachusetts border, west to Southbridge, east to Westborough, and north to Rutland.
This area consists of 251,110 people and an average household income of $58,089.
The center is also frequented by northeastern Connecticut residents living in towns such as Thompson, Woodstock, Putnam, and Plainfield.
This includes portions of the I-90, I-190, I-290, I-395, U.S. 20, Route 12, Route 146, and Route 122 corridors.
The Town of Millbury awarded W/S Development its 2004 Cornerstone Award.
The center was developed by W/S Development Associates, LLC, and RK Associates and is leased by S.R. Weiner and Associates, Inc. from Chestnut Hill, Mass.
The center is approximately 19.6 miles away from the Solomon Pond Mall in Marlborough, Mass. and 6 miles away from the Auburn Mall in Auburn, Mass.
Other shopping destinations not far from the center include a Home Depot, B.J.’s Wholesale Club, Perkins Farm Marketplace, Worcester Common Outlets, White City Shopping Centers, Greendale Mall, Lincoln Plaza, Quinnsignamond Plaza, Shrewsbury Crossing, Old Shewsbury Village, The Loop in Northborough, and Christmas Tree Shoppes.
