Burlington Mall Memories from the 1970s and Beyond

To many, the Burlington Mall in Burlington, MA, might look like any other mall, but it will always have a special place in my heart.

As a child in 1968, I saw farmland and cows grazing on dense, green grass replaced by this huge shopping structure that, unlike the North Shore Shopping Mall in Peabody, MA, was built with an indoor corridor leading to all stores. What a concept!

Also, the absence of cows might have meant a shortage of milk for me to consume, which made the Burlington Mall seem even more appealing. 1968 soon became the "summer of love" for me when it came to what the mall would bring: lots of toys, better air conditioning than back home, and a nice Chinese or cafeteria-style meal.

Thinking of the Burlington Mall stores through the years nearly brings tears to my eyes, which is ironic since sometimes as a child, the thought of shopping there for hours -- and not having the shopping revolve around us kids -- brought tears to my eyes. As an adult, I can now look back with fond memories of the slick clothing salesmen at Kennedy's trying to sell my Dad a cheap suit. I recall the revolving door of beloved restaurants that never fostered long-term relationships, including the Hot Shoppe with its cafeteria-style food that was almost as good as the school lunches. York's Steak House where the steak tasted like fish and the sauteed onions transformed that pungent allium food species into something good. The Pacific Hut where it was so dark that we nearly bumped into walls. The restaurant at the former Jordan Marsh department store where the one-of-a-kind bluberry muffins had priority over the actual food.

Through the years, Music Land provided entertainment as we enjoyed being spoken down to by the angry young hippie employees who were probably making $4.00 an hour and clearly didn't like our short haircuts. Or the fact that we liked David Gates and Bread and other musical groups that actually included melodies with the music. Spencer Gifts was full of hippie joy, joy buzzers and a few girls that were probably named Joy. It wasn't always a joyful place, however, with some mean-spirited and countercultural stuff that seemed incompatible with my David Gates and Bread albums.

I loved the Wurlitzer store including with the pencil thin mustache and Pee Wee Herman-type too small suit playing the greatest hits of Lawrence Welk tuneshe tuneson the organ.

The former Sears department store had Ted Williams as a spokesman, as well as golfer Johnny Miller, if my memory serves me correct. They lended some class to this huge store that we liked because they also had toys. My beloved late Uncle Lou shopped at the Sears in Rochester, NY, and always chose classy clothing. I tried to mimic him in that regard, but golf clothing on a 10-year-old kid just didn't seem to gel at the miniature golf course.

The aforementioned Jordan Marsh and Filene's (both, no longer there) served as the other anchors. We could always find parking on the Jordan Marsh side. This allowed us to walk through Jordan Marsh, ignore the merchandise and proceed to our preferred stores in the mall (gee, maybe by bypassing Jordan Marsh, we were solely responsible for that New England retail landmark going out of business?). We also didn't do much shopping at Filene's. It was nice to look at, but Marshall's in Bedford, MA, always had better deals for the same brand names. They still do, a real testimony to the concept that customers love a good bargain.

Lord and Taylor became the other Burlington Mall anchor in 1978. I remember buying a green winter jacket there in the early 90s, because it was heavily discounted. That green jacket lasted a long time, suggesting maybe I should give Lord and Taylor another try. Oh wait, never mind -- they closed.

The Burlington Mall even had a two-screen cinema and a Stop and Shop supermarket in the early days. We saw a few Disney movies at the cinema but never went to Stop and Shop. It just didn't seem right to buy your groceries at a mall (today many supermarkets, however, resemble a mall with toys, gifts, music CDs, hardware items, etc.).

What about Radio Shack where they recorded your life story on a sign-up sheet when you just wanted to buy a couple of batteries? Or, going to Tom McAns for shoes and worrying that one of your classmates would be there to laugh at your purple socks bought from Woolworth's? How about the now-closed Rainforest Cafe with all the rainforest "bells and whistles" in an incredibly realistic, yet hokey setting -- as well as serving pretty good food? The thunder storms, waterfalls and apes pounding their chests help create a jungle theme away from the jungle of shoppers buying so much more than we ever did growing up. I miss that place but, at the same time, really don't.

The Burlington Mall eventually built a second floor featuring many more specialty shops and a food court with a 775 person capacity. The Mall -- with more than 165 stores -- clearly became more upscale (perhaps best represented by Nordstrom's 2008 opening).

I still love going to the Burlington Mall. It's just different, though, with most stores from childhood gone and new trends intact.

Tying to navigate my way through cell phone talkers, people not fully or appropriately dressed, and those not looking where they are going (often the cell phone talkers) can be frustrating and seem superficial and shallow. I guess you just have to ignore the excesses and enjoy what the Burlingon Mall has to offer. There' still plenty to like there. The Christmas season particlarly stands out with lights, designs and decor that are well alisgned with a back in the day scene. I am generally mortified and nauseated all the development in the Boston suburbs that's threatening our peace of mind. The Burlington Mall is exempt from my concern of overdevelopment, however. After all, how can you knock a place that provided so much happiness and great memories as a child and seems to be doing the same for our current generation?

The Burlington Mall, 75 Middlesex Tpke, Burlington, MA 01803. Tel. (781) 272-8667 More Burlington memories: Lauriats Book Store
Memrories of Route 3A in Burlington

Lauriat's Books - Boston and the Suburbs

Lauriat's Books served as the greatest chapter of my interest in books as a kid.

The Boston-based book chain that dated back to 1872 not only helped spark my interest in reading (ahh, the Curious George, Encycopedia Brown and Richard Scarry books!) but also offsetting the boring tendencies of mall shopping. You know, like shoe shopping at Tom McAn and Filene's and the cosmetic counter with the sales ladies in white lab coats (still don't get this one) at the former Jordan Marsh.

There was something about Lauriat's that made for a far more rewarding book shopping experience than Barnes and Noble and Amazon. They always seemed to have the books I was looking for and other gems not yet discovered. Additionally, Lauriat's created a nice layout without crowded aisles. They hired employees genuinely interested in books. The lighting and low-pile carpeting were pleasing and the overall store spotless and with a clean smell -- not that musty book odor. They must have vacuumed that place day and night, I had thought as a kid.

Unfortunately, Lauriat's liquidated (hey, nice alliteration!) in 1999, ending many a relationship between book lovers like me and a local book chain. Chains like Barnes and Noble and the former Borders crushed great book stores like Lauriat's. I think if Lauriat's survived, Amazon would have further dominated this smaller gem of a book chain.

It stinks how big business has taken over the smaller booksellers. Taking away Lauriat's was like making sure I'd never see a best friend again.

There's hope, however, as many local book shops have found a way to currently survive. I'm sure it's noit easy but I have all the respect and admiration in the world from these brave small business owners who take passion, pride of ownership and connection to the community rather than just making the big bucks.

I just wished Lauriat's was still part of that mix. It's too bad that chapter had to come to an end.

Crackers and Cheese Tray at Boston Area Restaurants

There was something so wonderfully traditional about Boston area restaurants serving crackers and cheese before the main meal.

Some eateries added offerings of sticky and regular bread rolls and a relish tray to the mix, which was nice, but for me the taste of store-bought artificial tasting cheese and bland crackers could stand on their own.

Many times, this offering seemed to be served by very old ladies in colonial-like or old school waitress uniform apparel or high school kids with good manners and a healthy fear of their employer -- they wanted to keep their jobs and not disappoint the business, or mom and dad.

I know many traditional New England restaurants offered crackers and cheese but as the years go on, many of the names escape me. Places I can remember: The Commodore in Beverly, The Continental in Saugus(still in business, yay!), The Joppa Grill in East Bridgewater and I think The Cock N Kettle in Uxbridge.

Can you think of any more Boston area or New England restaurants that served crackers and cheese before the main course? If so, please comment in the box below.

Boston Area Bands from the 70s, 80s and 90s

Aerosmith, Boston, The Cars and J. Geils Band might just be the biggest rock bands ever to come out of Boston -- and all finding huge success starting in the 1970s. Aerosmith and The Cars made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Boston and J. Geils, arguably, should have been inducted by now.

Oh, and what about Extreme, Pixies, 'Til Tuesday (featuring Aimee Mann), They Might Be Giants, New Kids on the Block and the New Edition? They just came to mind when writing this post -- all were, obviously, hugely successful groups!

Not to sound like one of those Time Life infomercials, but who can also remember some of the brilliant solo singers that came out of Boston -- and the rest of Massachusetts -- like James Taylor and Donna Summer? How about Billy Squier?

But wait, that wasn't all: Boston spawned a further wealth of bands and solo singers from back in the day. Many became regulars in the Boston club scene. Here are some, sure to bring you good memories depending upon your musical taste...

The Lemonheads (featuring Evan Dando)
Buffalo Tom
The Del Fuegos
Mission of Burma
The Drive
Juliana Hatfield
The Stompers
Throwing Muses
Barrence Whitfield and the Savages
Little Joe Cook and the Thrillers
Pousette-Dart Band
Duke and the Drivers
The Fools
Jon Butcher Axis
Letters to Cleo
The Atlantics
The Lyres
The Dresden Dolls
James Montgomery Band
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
Swinging Steaks
Tribe
Robin Lane and the Chartbusters

Do you have pesonal memories/stories to tell of these bands and solo singers? What bands and other musicians did I miss? You can join the conversation by commenting in the box below.

Igo's Restaurant in Cambridge, Mass.

Hmmm, where to go after after buying a pair of Stride Rite shoes and cordoroy pants from Filene's, a button up shirt that wasn't flame retardant from Woolworth's, and a Boston Bruins cardigan sweater from Zwicker's Sporting Goods in Arlington?

Why, a night out on the town with my parents at Igo's Restaurant in Cambridge, of course!

What a splendid way to show off my elite clothing choices and impress Igo's owners, staff and customers.

The only problem, though: It was so dark in the Igo's dining room that no one could have probably seen these latest fashion styles.

That was ok, however. Going out to Igo's was a special treat, a privilege and a chance to see how the hoi polloi lived. Well, from the eyes of an eight-year old typically eating at Howard Johnson's, Burger Chef and Chicken Delight.

At Igo's, the grand entrance looked like fancy marble. The dining rooom had this certain elegance. The waistaff seem subdued and professional yet courteous and friendly. I put on my Sunday best behavior at this upscale restaurant and made sure not to discuss my favorite Three Stooges episodes with the waitresses.

The menu featured dinners distant from Swanson's and Stouffer's. Baked stuffed lobster, roast prime rib of beef, broiled swordfish, baked stuffed Lousiana shrimp and broiled prime filet mignon highlighted a very fancy menu. Intererestingly enough, Igo's could also tone it down with some more familiar dishes like roast turkey dinner, fried clams, fried boneless chicken, burgers and broiled pork chops. They also offered... yuk... calf's liver. that putrid dish was somewhat improved, however, with accompanying bacon.

If Igo's was around today, it wouldn't seem quite as fancy. I think in retrospect, this Porter Square restaurant struck the perfect balance between pleasing both the uppeer and working classes in the diverse Cambridge neighborhoods.

And also eight-year olds like me wearing Stride Rite shoes and cordoroy pants from Filene's, a button up shirt that wasn't flame retardant from Woolworth's, and a Boston Bruins cardigan sweater from Zwicker's Sporting Goods in Arlington!

5 Gone But Not Forgotten Burlington, Mass. Memories

Who remembers these Burlington, Mass. memories?

1. The cow field right off Route 128 at the Burlington Mall's Macy's location. Hard to believe but true! Born in 1962, my recollection of that field was probably around 1966.

2. A bit farther down the road from the Middlesex Turnpike was Betty Crocker's Pie Shop. Named after the famous fictional character used for food and recipes, this chain went beyond a chain. The pies truly tasted homemade and they were always well-stocked -- even during the Christmas season.

3. Restaurants have come and gone at the Burlington Mall, but one that sticks out is The Magic Pan. This pleasant and innovative restaurant chain specialized in a great variety of crepes. In true 1970s convenience-style (as opposed to 2022 convenience style as I was reminded about the following from Wikipedia!), the Magic Pan featured an automated system to make crepes at a crepe station. This looked groundbreasking back in the day when we worked off typewriters, had no remote control for the TV and dialed up family and friends through a rotary phone. But I digress. The crepe station consisted of a motorized conveyor that heated metal pans while an attendant dipped the bottom of the pans in the crepe batter for uniform coating. That attendant would then turn the pans upside down while on the gas flame conveyor as a means for the thin crepes to cook on the bottom of a greased pan facing upwards. The conveyor -- a gas flame heated circular “wheel” -- slowly turned and held eight pans maximum at one time. The result: great-tasting crepes!

4. On Route 3A north past the town common: Almy's, a clothing store much in the vein of Marshall's and TJ Maxx. Almy's had a friendlier, more low-key tone than Marshall's and TJ Maxx and almost never disappointed with a nice variety of name-brand clothing at very low prices. We used to live in back of Almy's -- no, not the back of the store but through the woods and into a modest neighborhood with small ranches. Shaw's suoermarket anchors that shopping center now.

5. The Burlington News. Many of you might remember this independently-owned mom and pop newspaper that served as a viable alternative to the Burlington Times Union. Fredi and Peter Blume owned the paper and I was their assistant editor from 1984 to 1985 -- fresh of of college as a journalism grad. I started at 10K with no benefits and pretty much wrote the paper. I also delivered the paper to local businesses. Wow, talk about overall experience! I really enjoyed working with Fredi and Peter -- very nice folks!

6. How about Victoria Station on the Middlesex Turnpike? I loved that place. Yes, it was a chain but the railroad themed steakhouse offered a comfortable, fun environment and the steaks rivaled populist steakhouse restaurants like the Hilltop and Valle's in Saugus. They were definitely better, as well, than the budget steakhouses like York's, Ponderosa and Bonanza. Victoria Station's prime rib was amazing! Although the chain filed for bankruptcy in 1986, the Salem, Mass. location stayed open until 2017. Incredible to think that a railroad-themed steakhouse with American-inspired roots now continues as a restaurant chain in Malaysia!

What are some of your Burlington memories? I look forward to your feedback in the comments box below.

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Buzzy's Fabulous Roast Beef, Boston, Mass.

Located on Cambridge St. under the Charles Street Train Station and next to the Charles Street jail, Buzzy's Fabulous Roast Beef seemed to be open at all hours. This outdoor, order-at-the window food stand was best known for its heaping roast beef sandwiches, french fries, onion rings and curt, brusque "What do you want pal?" service. Buzzy's attracted drunks, sober late night owls (in the minority), Massachusetts General Hospital staff, refined Beacon Hill types showing their alter egos, and other purveyors of the best in greasy food.



Local comedians abused Buzzy's many times in their stand-up routines. I remember one comedian (the name escapes me) saying that Buzzy's used to throw its food over the wall to feed Charles Street jail prisoners -- and the prisoners threw it right back!

Buzzy's Fabulous could have very well contributed to higher traffic at the Mass General Hospital cardiac unit, but I remember it as a beloved place from youth. Granted, I never went there much (even as a nearby Suffolk University student), but just the sight of this bustling, old-fashioned outdoor food stand made me feel good -- from the comfort food aromas to the undeniable presence of a local business succeeding.