Solomon Pond Mall — Attraction in Marlborough

Ah, the majestic American mall. Once a gleaming temple of consumerism, now a dusty relic whispering, "Remember Sicily jeans?" Let's not sugarcoat it, folks. These malls are about as lively as a disco in a retirement home. Anchor stores? Gone, vanished like a Zima at a frat party. Small stores? Clinging on like koalas to a burning eucalyptus tree. And the replacements? Oh boy, buckle up.

First, we have the "ethnic" gift shops, peddling dreamcatchers and knock-off kimonos like it's nobody's business. Need a Chia Pet shaped like Buddha? They got you covered! Want to rock MC Hammer pants again? Dive right in! It's a one-stop shop for questionable cultural appropriation where dust bunnies the like tumbleweeds are rolling down through half vacant food courts where you can, with a bit of luck, play Russian Roulette with your colon and choose the the non-salmonella version of ethnic mall food.

Then there's the shoe emporium, where a dude with the accent thicker than Texas chili tries to pass off plastic pumps as Prada rejects. "Basically the same, my friend!" he winks, as the heel snaps off while you're trying them on. His brother runs the "designer" perfume stand next door, where "brand-name" means glitter and wishful thinking. Save yourself the disappointment, folks. Even dollar store cologne smells more exciting.

And don't forget the cart people, those tireless hawkers of questionable gadgets and dubious delights. They'll follow you like pigeons after a dropped french fry, their sales pitches echoing through the cavernous halls like dust devils blowing through a ghost town.

So yeah, the golden age of the mall is about as dead as those neon socks you wore back in the day. But hey, at least you can get a laugh (and maybe a Chia Buddha) while browsing the ruins. Just remember, bring your own entertainment and hand sanitizer....

Updated: August 2021

This mall seems to be in trouble. The food court is average at best, retailers coming and going. With the closure of the BOA branch and Sears, it seems as if this mall is standing on its last leg. While there are plenty of retailers to choose from, the variety available at this mall is not particularly great for anything but clothes. Even then, a slightly longer drive to Natick or Wrentham (especially if you’re in the market for a new wardrobe) may be better choices.

Apple, JC Penney, Macys and Newbury Comics are the only tenants really holding this place up.

The pandemic came, and took with it countless lives and deepened the state of the retail apocalypse. This mall is evidence of that. I really hope that the management can devise a plan to reinvigorate this mall, as I would hate to see a place I loved so much fall in the wake of this global crisis.

The mall definitely needs a face lift as well. Cracking tiles in the floor, worn down fixtures. This mall isn’t getting any younger, and without some work done to bring in more diverse tenants and to bring this mall out of 2002, this mall may soon be the next retail victim of the...

I miss this mall since moving out of town, they have a little bit of everything they have a big food court with a lot of different foods to choose from, my favorite go to place in this mall has to be Asian Island, if you ever find yourself here you must go in for a massage my personal favorite is the foot reflexology, which they offer a special on for an hour for $40 the special includes a foot soak and a full body rub down and stretch it is so relaxing you slip into a trance with the peaceful Chinese and Asian music they have playing. The mall has an Apple store as well as an arcade and many phone repair shops, during the holidays they have live music and dancing it's a great place to do your holiday shopping although don't get sucked into buying half the stuff that the kiosks try to sell you they sell it to you for over a 500% markup and then when you say no they make you feel like they will give you the deal of the century and throw in extras, most of the items they sell can be bought on Amazon...