When I lived in the Hartford area in the mid 80’s this mall was certainly the best one in the area. It was large and beautifully designed. I recall with fondness Lord & Taylor, where at that time carefully wrapped your purchase, then placing your it in a Lord & Taylor box. Then the clerk wrote out your receipt in hand. Creating a special experience I still remember. Of course Lord & Taylor is gone, but this mall seems to be as successful today as it was back then.
Another awesome jazzy video. Lately I watch and like the video then play it a second time to hear the soundtrack while I do Cat sit emails. Why do you call it a tamed down Taubman mall? I like it because it has some sculpture, plants and greenery and Pottery Barn type carpeting. The old Lord and Taylor neon logo in blue (my favorite color) is terrific. The mall looks classy and with a mix of stores to make everyone happy. Maybe having a Nordstrom makes the operators give a mix of TIffany and Bath and Body Works. Don't see any vacant spaces, which I guess would get filled fast. Glad to see a florishing,, bright sunny mall with very contemporary light fixtures and, again sculpture and plants. And Nordstrom. Enjoying your adventures and your interpertation of these malls. With Jazz.
Westfarms was developed by a company called Taubman Centers, started by a businessman named A. Alfred Taubman. Taubman had a very unique and recognizable design style with all the opposing angles, multiple levels, conversation pits, ornate atria, fancy glass elevators, really lush sort of style that made you feel pampered just by being there. Most of Taubman's malls have been modernized and blandified to one extent or another. First thing they do is get rid of the huge center court conversation pits, then the fancy elevators (square ones do just fine these days), then the artsy sculptures then the fountains. They still have that super recognizable and unique look to them, because of the aforementioned angles, but the awe and grandeur of an original Taubman mall is long gone. Check out my Stamford Town Center video for a great example of a nearly original Taubman mall. It feels fantastic being in that mall, just walking around and feeling so very small. I call Westfarms a tamed Taubman because that is exactly what it is. Look up old pictures of this mall and see how they "renovated" it over the years. It's a much tamer version now than it once was.
Grew up in this mall starting in 1974. It was such a warm and cozy mall with waterfalls and beautiful artwork. Now, it’s just a super high end mall with zero charisma and appeal. So sad. Still has most of the original tile floors.
Wow. Very superb. I just subscribed. Was sent from faded commerce from his live stream. Very nice looking mall. My channel specializes in retail and malls in Illinois. I'm based near Chicago. I just started a jcpenney series.
Now that Lord & Taylor will be on the way out soon, I'm wondering if Hudson's Bay owns the box it's in after the sale of L&T to Le Tote. If that's the case, I'm wondering if it would make sense for Hudson's Bay to gut the store and convert it into a new Saks Fifth Avenue, since the nearest one is an hour and a half away in Greenwich. It would fit in very nicely with the roster of existing high end stores like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Tory Birch, etc.
NICE music accompaniment!
When I lived in the Hartford area in the mid 80’s this mall was certainly the best one in the area. It was large and beautifully designed. I recall with fondness Lord & Taylor, where at that time carefully wrapped your purchase, then placing your it in a Lord & Taylor box. Then the clerk wrote out your receipt in hand. Creating a special experience I still remember. Of course Lord & Taylor is gone, but this mall seems to be as successful today as it was back then.
Great video. I fondly remember shopping at the Lord & Taylor back in the early eighties. Nice to see a mall that’s doing well.
I love this mall and love that it is still going strong! Great video, music is on point :)
Another awesome jazzy video. Lately I watch and like the video then play it a second time to hear the soundtrack while I do Cat sit emails.
Why do you call it a tamed down Taubman mall? I like it because it has some sculpture, plants and greenery and Pottery Barn type carpeting. The old Lord and Taylor neon logo in blue (my favorite color) is terrific. The mall looks classy and with a mix of stores to make everyone happy. Maybe having a Nordstrom makes the operators give a mix of TIffany and Bath and Body Works. Don't see any vacant spaces, which I guess would get filled fast.
Glad to see a florishing,, bright sunny mall with very contemporary light fixtures and, again sculpture and plants. And Nordstrom.
Enjoying your adventures and your interpertation of these malls. With Jazz.
Westfarms was developed by a company called Taubman Centers, started by a businessman named A. Alfred Taubman. Taubman had a very unique and recognizable design style with all the opposing angles, multiple levels, conversation pits, ornate atria, fancy glass elevators, really lush sort of style that made you feel pampered just by being there. Most of Taubman's malls have been modernized and blandified to one extent or another. First thing they do is get rid of the huge center court conversation pits, then the fancy elevators (square ones do just fine these days), then the artsy sculptures then the fountains. They still have that super recognizable and unique look to them, because of the aforementioned angles, but the awe and grandeur of an original Taubman mall is long gone. Check out my Stamford Town Center video for a great example of a nearly original Taubman mall. It feels fantastic being in that mall, just walking around and feeling so very small. I call Westfarms a tamed Taubman because that is exactly what it is. Look up old pictures of this mall and see how they "renovated" it over the years. It's a much tamer version now than it once was.
Good video. Nice, stylish mall interior. Thanks for filming.
Great video covering the upscale mall of the Hartford area
great video,thanks for the walk
I LOVE THE MALL
Those little pyramid lights are cool!
I remember this mall from the 80's......still looks the same....
I grew up in CT and went to this mall often. I remember that Zales. They've been there forever. Same with the JC Penny, I think.
It was beige on beige in the 1980s?
Grew up in this mall starting in 1974. It was such a warm and cozy mall with waterfalls and beautiful artwork. Now, it’s just a super high end mall with zero charisma and appeal. So sad. Still has most of the original tile floors.
Totally wish I grew up in a mall!
Wow. Very superb. I just subscribed. Was sent from faded commerce from his live stream. Very nice looking mall. My channel specializes in retail and malls in Illinois. I'm based near Chicago. I just started a jcpenney series.
Oh, in your first paragraph you note the mall is located in New Jersey. It’s located in West Hartford.
Good eye. Thanks!
Now that Lord & Taylor will be on the way out soon, I'm wondering if Hudson's Bay owns the box it's in after the sale of L&T to Le Tote. If that's the case, I'm wondering if it would make sense for Hudson's Bay to gut the store and convert it into a new Saks Fifth Avenue, since the nearest one is an hour and a half away in Greenwich. It would fit in very nicely with the roster of existing high end stores like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Tory Birch, etc.
I don’t go to the mall no more after they took out that rainforest Café
That was the only reason I went there
Ok
Doesn't seem to be too many people... When I was a kid in the 90's it was always teeming. Kind of depressing
C