Willamette Town Center — Attraction in Salem

There are a bunch of great stores here for just about anyone. In fact, this entire area up and down Lancaster Drive packs a serious punch for shopping and eating, as well as most anything else you can think of. I remember years ago I was reading an article that said Lancaster Drive, in Salem, was the busiest street in all of Oregon. I don't know about today's statistics, but that is exactly why it is such a busy stretch of road. Whether you need a dentist, new tires, or feel like playing some video poker, you'll find it on Lancaster Drive. The Willamette Town Center used to be known simply as the Lancaster mall. After that, it was the Lancaster Plaza. There is still a "mall" there with stores inside and outward facings all around most of the building. You'll see stores like Barnes & Noble, Bath and Body, Famous Footwear, and many others such as Joanne Fabrics and the Dollar Tree. Speaking of that last one I mentioned.... I couldn't write this review without sharing my experience there a few days ago. It made me come to the conclusion that the Dollar Tree has no place in a mall like setting, or any type of large shopping center. A small strip of 3 or 4 stores is where they belong. I went in for tissue paper to wrap gifts with. This location has the aisles reversed from the location I usually shop at. This allowed me to take a peek down every aisle after I went the wrong direction to the last aisle where the tissue paper wasn't. I couldn't believe the condition that this store was in. I had worked in retail for 2 decades, and I've never seen anything like this. The aisles were all mostly empty. This wasn't due to lack of product. The product was all over the floors. We've all heard the expression, like a bomb went off. Generally it's a bit of an exaggeration. In this case, the only thing missing was the smoke and ashes. I finally found the tissue paper, on the floor of course, in a stack with a couple other boxes of tissue paper and random items. I always thought the Dollar Tree was bad at keeping up on their merchandising, but this wasn't even an attempt. They might as well just have their trucks put the pallets right on the sales floor, and let the customers dig through them themselves. At least they already know the prices! Okay, moving right along. .. Other things you will find at the Willamette Town Center that are not attached to the mall include: A giant movie theater, Best Buy, Petco, Applebee's, US Bank and Bank of America, McGrath's Fish House, Crumble Cookie, and the list goes on. The parking lot is Huge! It's also confusing if you're looking for a store like Bath and Body, using google maps. The reason for this is because they have a facing inside the mall through one of the mall entrances, as well as outside the mall they have their very own facing. Somehow, even though it's the same location, the outward facing is in a completely different area of the parking lot. This threw me for a loop because I shopped that Bath and Body several times before they had their own entrance. I thought I was losing it, Twilight Zone style. The point is that the parking lot is busy and confusing. Please, it's much easier to just have courtesy because it's very difficult to navigate. There are a lot of folks who aren't noticing the right of way. Not because they're assholes, but because there is just too much going on there. Careful and courteous is the only way to get through without taking frustration with you. Lastly, I just have to make it known that they also have the best place to eat in the whole wide world there. I know what you're thinking, and you'd be correct. It IS Baja Fresh! Yum! Best guacamole and pico de giao ever!! The steak quesadilla is my favorite item on the menu by...

Updated Review: 5/5 Stars Although old Lancaster Mall had a special magic to it, they have done a decent job remodeling this place. The indoor court pales to what it used to be. However, if one let's go of what was and just takes in the mall as it is now, you would never know what you're missing. There are a variety of new home decor shops that are a delight to have in town, such as Hobby Lobby, and it makes for a delightful outdoor/indoor shopping experience. My favorite change is the addition of Barnes & Noble which is a delightful place to peruse books, grab a coffee, and enjoy the bright seating area they have in their cafe.

The South side of the mall offers a outlet mall style outdoor experience, and there is still an indoor mall with a food court and smaller shops such as Game Stop. It makes for a great day activity with the family, or a hang out place with friends. And there's a movie theater!

Original Review: 3/5 Stars Although I am not much of a mall-goer, I live near Lancaster Mall so I do shop there every now and then. It used to be a fairly lively place but at least four shops have closed in the past few months including Macy's, Sportsman's Warehouse and Starbucks. There are still enough shops to make it worthwhile to go to Lancaster Mall such as Sears, Burlington Coat Factory, several phone/internet stores and a food court with a good selection, but it's not as good as it used to be. Lancaster Mall makes a great place to hang out with friends before/after seeing a movie at the (very) nearby...

I visited the North Salem DMV recently on a Monday during the late morning and early afternoon hours, and I must say, my experience was surprisingly smooth and efficient. Upon arriving, I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of a long queue. I got right in and only had to wait for about 2-3 minutes before my ticket was called, which is quite remarkable for a DMV visit.

The staff member who assisted me was fantastic. She demonstrated excellent listening skills and took the time to fully understand my request. Rather than rushing through the process, she provided me with all the relevant information tailored to my specific situation. I appreciated her thoroughness and attention to detail.

What really stood out was her willingness to go the extra mile. At one point, she even took a moment to consult with her supervisor to clarify a question I had, rather than simply giving me a generic answer. This proactive approach made me feel valued as a customer and reassured me that I was receiving accurate information.

Overall, my visit to the North Salem DMV was a positive experience. The staff's professionalism and willingness to help made a potentially stressful task much more manageable. I left feeling satisfied and grateful for the...