O’Malley’s Take on Legacy Place
August 18, 2009
Dedham’s Legacy Place – the replacement of the dilapidated old Dedham movie theatre – has begun it’s slow opening. Set to eventually house over 50 high-end shops, restaurants, and services, Legacy Place began the roll-out with it’s highly anticipated anchor store, L.L. Bean.
The flagship L.L. Bean store in Kittery, Maine is known for not having locks on their doors – because it never closes. As a means of creating buzz and excitement about this new store, the brass at the Legacy Place location advertised being open for 24 hours for the first weekend of it’s opening. The town of Dedham thought otherwise and put the kybosh on the idea. As L.L. Bean had already advertised their no-closing policy, they were in a pickle. In order to save face and live up to their (well-deserved) legendary customer-service, they dispatched clerks to hand-out gift cards to any would-be patrons who arrived for some late-night shopping.
City Sports has also opened this week to a store-wide 20% sale through the end of the month. To purchase a new pair of sneakers for under $50 was well worth the trip down Route 1.
The third opening this week was P.F. Chang’s which boasts a chic American-Chinese style cuisine.
Other stores slated for opening include expected staples from an up market shopping center: everything from an Apple Store to a Yankee Candle (with a Gap, Banana Republic, Victoria’s Secret and Ann Taylor Loft thrown in for good measure). There will also be a Whole Foods Market (seemingly drawing business from Roche Bros. West Roxbury and Westwood stores); as well as a new movie theatre, called Showcase Cinema de Lux (you know it’s classy, because deluxe is split into two words).
The open parking lot in the center of the outdoor mall is the result of good planning. Last Thursday evening, with only three stores opened, the lot seemed packed (a sure indicator of buzz), yet the sheer size of the lot gives confidence to a shopper that there will always be a spot, even when other stores are opened.
All in all, Legacy Place will be good for Dedham and good for the Parkway. The variety and quality of stores make for great shopping.
It’s funny to think of how far we’ve come since the Dedham Mall was the predominant shopping center on Providence Highway. These days, the Dedham Mall seems to thrive only on the web, with a page on the site Deadmalls.com as well as a Facebook group called I hung out at the Dedham Mall before it became a demilitarized zone.
Change can be a very good thing.
Matt O’Malley is a regular contributor and a big booster of all things Parkway. Matt shares his thoughts on a wide range of topics on his personal blog.
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hey Matt,
Thanks for the update on Legacy Place. You actually just made my day telling me that PF Chang’s is now open there. It is a shorter ride than the Boston and Burlington location and I can finally get some Chinese!!! Can’t wait now.