Silver City Galleria facts for kids
Entrance to the food court and restaurant wing, January 2020
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| Location | Taunton, Massachusetts, United States |
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| Coordinates | 41°51′50″N 71°03′07″W / 41.864°N 71.052°W |
| Address | 2 Galleria Mall Drive |
| Opening date | March 1, 1992 |
| Closing date | February 29, 2020 |
| Developer | The Pyramid Companies |
| Management | Jones Lang LaSalle |
| Owner | Thibeault Developments |
| Architect | ADD, Inc. |
| No. of stores and services | 120 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 7 (all vacant) |
| Total retail floor area | 1,030,000 square feet (96,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 2 |
| Parking | 4,900 parking spaces |
| Website | none |
The Silver City Galleria was a large, two-story shopping mall in Taunton, Massachusetts. It was located near major roads like Route 24 and Route 140. The mall had over 1 million square feet of shopping space. It served many towns and cities in the area.
This mall was a popular place to shop and hang out. It had 120 stores and 7 large department stores. There was also a ten-screen cinema, many restaurants, and a food court. Kids could enjoy an arcade and a play area. Big stores like Sears, JCPenney, and Macy's were once located here. Other popular spots included Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, Regal Cinemas, and Round One Entertainment.
History of Silver City Galleria
The Silver City Galleria first opened its doors on March 1, 1992. A company called The Pyramid Companies planned and built it. When the mall was first built, it was surrounded by forests. But its location was very smart. It was close to major highways like Route 24, Route 140, and I-495. This made it easy for people from places like Boston and Providence to visit.
The mall quickly became a favorite shopping spot in Massachusetts. It was so popular that it caused problems for older, smaller malls nearby. In 2002, the Silver City Galleria was bought by a group of companies.
Changes Over the Years
After a big economic downturn in 2008, the Silver City Galleria started to struggle. Fewer people visited, and the mall began to lose money. Many stores closed, and new ones didn't move in to replace them. By 2010, about a quarter of the stores were empty. Some well-known brands that left included Old Navy and Pacsun.
Because of these problems, the mall had trouble paying its loans. In 2011, the mall was bought by a company called Midland Loan Services. Then, its management team was changed. In 2013, the mall was sold again to a new group of owners. They announced plans to update the mall in 2014.
However, more big stores continued to leave. In 2015, JCPenney closed its store. Later that year, a new entertainment center called Round One opened. The Regal Cinemas also got a cool upgrade with new seats and a restaurant.
But the closures continued. Macy's closed in 2017, followed by Best Buy. By 2018, Sears also closed its doors. This left Dick's Sporting Goods as the only original big store remaining.
In 2019, the mall faced more financial trouble and was sold at an auction. New owners, Thibeault Developments, took over. They said they would make plans for the mall's future. However, in early 2020, the mall suddenly told several remaining stores they had to leave. The main entrance was closed, and shoppers had to use a different door.
The Silver City Galleria officially closed forever on February 29, 2020.
After the mall closed, the remaining businesses also shut down. Regal Cinemas closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Round One Entertainment closed in January 2021, and Dick's Sporting Goods closed shortly after. In January 2021, it was announced that the Silver City Galleria would be torn down. Investors said it was too expensive to keep the building open. The mall was demolished in February 2021.
