Let’s Take a Fun Tour of the Oldest Mall in Massachusetts

In a time when so many people shop online, malls continue to see a decline in traffic. I certainly miss the days of shopping at the mall. The mall was more than just a place to shop, it was a culture. It was the location where you would meet and hang out with your friends on Friday or Saturday nights.

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Years back when the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough was thriving my friends and I had a blast looking at all of the cool horror movies at Saturday Matinee or checking out the latest video games for the original Nintendo system, Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. It was also fun to check out the latest music that was coming out on cassette and CD. Grabbing some food at the food court was always a big deal as we had so many choices between Asian cuisine, hot dogs, taco, and of course I can't fail to mention the birthday parties and family gatherings that would take place at the Ground Round. Even though we still have malls around today, the atmosphere and culture don't just seem the same as in the earlier days of shopping malls. Wouldn't you agree?

What and Where is the Oldest Mall in Massachusetts? 

The oldest mall in Massachusetts (or the oldest enclosed mall to be precise) is the Westgate Mall in Brockton. According to online resources, Westgate Mall opened as the 356,000-square-foot Westgate Shopper's Park in February 1963. The original anchor store was the department store Gilchrist's, which was expanded in 1984-85 and substantially renovated between 2000 and 2003.

Below we have included some photos and a video tour of what Westgate Mall looks like inside today (2023). As with many malls, the Westgate Mall though still open appears to be in the twilight of its life.

RELATED: Here's a look at some stores that were once located in the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough.