Fox Run Mall at Newington: The End of an Era & the Start of Something New
Although malls have been declining for more than two decades, seeing one close in your own backyard hits differently. Call me old-fashioned, but the mall of the past still represents something special.
It was never just a collection of stores and a food court. The mall was so much more:
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a place to meet up with friends
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back-to-school shopping or that perfect outfit for a big event
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the site of your first job—or maybe the launch of a whole career in retail
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a warm, safe place for morning walkers
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spending your last $5 on a slice of pizza or an Orange Julius
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the yearly pilgrimage to see Santa or the Easter Bunny
For many of us, the mall is where we had our first crush, maybe held hands for the first time, or wandered for hours feeling like we were part of something bigger. It’s no shock that malls set the backdrop for so many coming-of-age stories—Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Valley Girl, and even Paul Blart: Mall Cop. They were more than buildings; they were stages for growing up.
The Fox Run Mall in Newington opened in February of 1983 and employed thousands over the years—retail workers, food-service staff, security, management, and the folks who kept the floors shining and the halls welcoming. Walking through last Sunday, most likely for the final time, I found myself drifting back to childhood: back-to-school trips with my mom, pizza at Papa Gino’s, movies with my dad at the Hampshire Mall, or meeting friends at the Dream Machine in the old Mountain Farms Mall in Hadley, MA. Those moments stay with you.
And now, here we are again, the slow evolution of retail. Small-town shops gave way to department stores and malls, and now malls are giving way to online shopping. Growth happens. Change happens. I’m all for innovation, but if I’m being honest, I do miss seeing people out in society, browsing aisles instead of clicking buttons, bumping into neighbors instead of tracking packages. Call me old-fashioned, but I think something gets lost when everything becomes digital.
But not all is lost here.
In fact, something new is taking shape.
The existing Fox Run Mall will be replaced with Seacoast Landing, a fresh commercial development designed with today’s world in mind. It will bring a mix of shops, restaurants, inviting green space, and a modern layout that blends convenience with community. It won’t be the mall we grew up with, but it will be a place for people to gather, shop, eat, walk, and reconnect. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll see a little of that old magic return in a new way.
So yes, it's the end of an era. But it’s also the start of a new chapter. And I’m hopeful that chapter brings people back outside, back together, and back to enjoying the simple act of being out in the world. -Steve O
