"Festival of Fright" at Target

If I'm not already on the Target Corporation's watch list for hammering stores with applications this past year, I might just be on their radar for typically taking a lot of pictures of their stores much less spending idle (or idol) time browsing stores when I visit the one(s) in my area. For as many times as I’ve come camera equipped, I’ve never really faced anything more than Asset Protection (for stores that have "Target Security") looming around me while at the Target store in Keene, New Hampshire; where Renee and I take trips usually when I’m up there.

Ever since September’s beginning, Target has put fourth their clever and punny (Boo-Levard; contender for the year!) Halloween line, presentation as usual in high-grade and fashion, and like the chain, refreshingly different and more passionate from any other store's approach by a long shot. Target stores strike me more than any other store I’ve ever frequented before. Those who are more than just shoppers of Target, meaning those who spend too much time there admiring their striking edgey, stylish approach towards department store shopping in addition to shopping, can stress the importance of flashy marketing that Target uses to invite and comfort their guests.

No, you won’t find this elsewhere. Target surely prides itself on distinction and it’s something most stores have not really tried to replicate. Unlike any stores of the past, all of which have seen their darkest day, Target doesn’t care that Wal-Mart “Always” has lower prices (debatable, from an unbiased point of view). Certainly, it would seem Wal-Mart might be picking from Target’s playbook a tad (been noticing some, but only some, contemporary odds and ends there lately) even if it seems their aim is not to become a shadow of the islander Target. Shopping Target's sleek red-lined corridors of product and flashy gondolas is most likely today's non-replicated equivalent to a family trip to Sears at the turn of the 20th.

Now some of you might argue I already work for Target pro-bono. Say what you will. I am, indeed, a proud Target guest and that’s not scary.

Holyoke Mall at Ingleside; Holyoke, Massachusetts

The Holyoke Mall at Ingleside is one of New England’s largest shopping centers and attracts crowds from all over the area, typically destroying nearby competition which includes the long-dead Fairfield Mall in nearby Chicopee and (arguably) takes plenty of attract away from Enfield’s one-level, one-corridor Enfield Square [Mall] (which I will soon do an expose on) on the Connecticut-Mass. border. Located easily off I-91 on the Springfield border in Holyoke, as well as off I-90 (Mass Pike), no mall can really challenge this retail mammoth, not even somewhat close by, more humble one-leveled Eastfield Mall in the Springfield suburbs.

Holyoke Mall neon signage equipped with the Mary Tyler Moore font in full force, presumably unchanged from 1979 when Lou Grant was well into retirement.


One of the mall entrances on the second level of the garage over Pizzeria Uno with the 80's-era expression Holyoke Mall emblem.

The Holyoke Mall opened in 1979 and has seen one major expansion in 1995 adding a bunch of new anchors and wings since it's conception making it, today, a crippling blow to competitors' malls and shopping centers. I have a history from as far back as childhood visiting the mall a few times in my single-digits and there on. One of the things most remembered are the signature arrow-signs hanging from the ceiling to guide guests to major anchors and restaurants all about the mall (presumably changed since as I’m pretty sure the earlier signage was white with colored arrows at one point) when the mall underwent an expansion in 1995 (most malls seem to enter the direction of expansion by around the ten-year mark). Other than that is the canyon-esque food court, located in the “basement” (which also can be said to be the canyon) of this rather grandiose three-leveled mall.

Factor in Macy’s (formerly Filene’s), JCPenney, Sears, and some not-so-typical big boxers and close-outs Christmas Tree Shops, Best Buy, discount department store Target, [a newly relocated] A.C. Moore, H&M, Old Navy, DSW Shoe Warehouse (cramped in the hallway next on the food court) and Babies R Us; formerly a Toys R Us which saw it’s end in the slew of closings last year. The Toys R Us was one of the only inclusive mall stores in the state of Massachusetts.

Groovy wood-trimmed planters and "UFO" neon lighting make this area of the mall look mothership-esque.

The infamous (and tiresome) box-spiral staircase with strange holes gives access to the food court.

The cavity-basement-style food court gives Holyoke Mall distinction.

The mall has always succeeded in bringing shoppers of all over the area, whether it be central and uppermost Connecticut, southern New Hampshire or central Massachusetts with attractive stores, promising anchors, and a wealthy amount of stores. While the mall hasn’t made vast improvements on the upholstery realm (I’d swear the blinding white table/chair combos in the food court are the same as I remember when I came here as a wee lad), the selection of parcels have always been ever-changing for the vast web of attraction it gets. Currently, the mall offers a slew of hearty anchor stores alongside a handful of your typical smaller stores not around the site but right inside the mall.

The geodesic dome of the Holyoke Mall hints at an earlier, done-away-with popular mall theme of the times.


One of many "arrow directory" signs as it hangs today


A bare-bones, stone-shafted elevator.


More groovy 70's artful expression seating; the faux wooden sun-style seating which will promote lack of potential sitters and hemroidals abound.

One reason I repeatedly have fought to photograph the Holyoke Mall is that it’s one of those malls out there that has never really received it’s fair share of facade renovation. The framework harkens back to the early 1980‘s, having maybe received some minor spiffs over the years, has generally unchanged it’s look throughout. Wood-trimmed borders on the upper levels, neon pastel lighting, various geodesic-dome skylights, tan-colored faux pebble floor tiling, and space-aged (wood-trimmed) foliage pots are some of the mall‘s Bill Cosby-sweater-centric-era looks which still roar on today. This mall has a mixed design of the [80’s] times along with some plenty bizarre elements but not without an overall insipid, and bland look heavily centered around uninspired decor.

Macy's, formerly Filene's, originally G.Fox.


One of the few Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream shops exists in the bustling Holyoke Mall.

Unfortunately, photography at the Holyoke Mall is sought as something of a con, unlike most shopping malls, is enforced more than most visited. Most of which, whom I’ve talked, have been shot down trying to snag any pictures of the mall inside and out. The mall is typically heavily patrolled by security checkpoints inside and out, mainly because of Springfield’s troubled urban violence (Hartford, Conn. radio station WTIC 1080 radio program "Urban Voices" have reported the mall as being a breeding ground for gang activity) and Holyoke area colleges have called for reinforcement of general checkpoints for security, especially on high-traffic weekends. There has also recently been a movement to repeal a new 18+ curfew policy which restricts those under 18 not being escorted by parental authority in an effort to reduce terrorism inflicted upon shoppers by unsavory gang-related activity.

A typical corridor of the upper-level at Holyoke Mall.


Various seating is offered throughout the mall, with wooden emphasis on everything except comfort.

Supposedly, they don’t take kindly to any behavior which doesn’t involve strictly commerce here. My own story of shooting condemnation goes back to around the time I just got my [DSC-T7] camera, reporting on the closure of Toys R Us back in February 2006.

Former Toys "R" Us (1995-2006)

Unfortunately, the 87 store closing and/or conversions into the more profitable Babies R Us (hurray for 300,000,000 U.S. citizens!) announcement earlier this year hit the Holyoke Mall location (which took a dive nationwide when most stores repositioned the layout of merchandise shortly after 2000). Some other anchors in this mammoth’s history include sister-store Kids R Us, Service Merchandise, Filene’s Basement (which most recently moved out) and once talks of a Lechmere. If you’re brave enough, you might even be able to spot (and photograph) a label scar or two from the mall's history on the mall’s aged exterior rippled concrete walls.

February 10, 2006 - Toys "R" Us readies clearance for closure.

April 14, 2006 - Toys "R" Us stripped away of identity in the process of transforming into Babies R Us.




February 10, 2006 - A turning point for Holyoke Mall, the attraction sign, soon to lose Filene's Basement, Toys R Us (misspelled as "Toy's R Us"), and Filene's into Macy's.


April 14, 2006 - Updated attract signage with more store forecasts.

I see a return to Holyoke Mall in the near future, where I will try for more [challenging] shots (the few I took just recently led a security vehicle to almost catch me). Here's to surviving a photo shoot when all the mall's security seemingly disappeared after 9PM.

Nicholas DiMaio reporting, avoiding security, returning from wood-trimmed fantasy and endless "Customer Service..." signage!

New Comers In Newington

The last year has seen a load of change along the Newington side of the Berlin Turnpike. Many sites along the traffic flowing Routes (US) 5 and (CT) 15; both historic and long-troubled vacancies will see a brigher, prospective near future. Some of those historic sites; including one Hartford Drive-In theater, totaled for housing and now, across the street at one of Connecticut’s oldest McDonald’s restaurants which will finally undergo a much needed renovation plan. The project includes building a new super-sized restaurant on it’s former site and the one of a neighboring years vacated Dunkin’ Donuts, which will include a Playplace, a staple attraction at most restaurant and something this particular location hadn’t featured before.

McDonald's future site has a long way to go but the outcome will apprechiate the ever-changing Turnpike.


A former Dunkin' Donuts; long vacant, now demolished, will soon host a larger, more suitable McDonald's for today's generation.


May 4, 2006 - The Hartford Drive-In, even in it's vacancy, was a monument of Hartford county's history along the Berlin Turnpike.


July 5, 2006 - The end of the Hartford Drive-In, the end of an era, and history along the Berlin Turnpike.


July 5, 2006 - The last hurrah for the Hartford Drive-In.

The Newington Fair

Another site which will see future traffic is the troubled site of the former Caldor department store on the Berlin line along the Turnpike, in the Newington Fair shopping plaza. Newington Fair never really gained footing and throughout the years has seen next to nothing but struggle apart from various other plazas along the Berlin Turnpike.

Caldor, built as one of the original store's locations in 1994, saw a closing after the entire chain folded in 1999. After seven long years, Stew Leonard’s, a local fresh farm market owner, will build his fourth Connecticut store along the mighty Berlin Turnpike which is slated to open in Spring 2007. After both Caldor and Service Merchandise went out of business (Service Merchandise actually still fronting on the web), the Newington Fair has been kept on life support by the somewhat struggling Toys R Us, which has held up very well in lieu of various plaza anchor vacancies including the Stickley, Audi & Co. furniture store which took the place of Service Merchandise in it‘s 2002 closure. Beginning next year, the Newington Fair will have it’s revival with Stew Leonard’s, and plan to revitalize the plaza including alternate access routes, repaved lot, and a prospect to relocate Sam’s Club onto the wasteland lot beside Caldor which will restore order to a long troubled, and undeveloped shopping center.

The notorious former Caldor in an early destruction phase (July 1, 2006).

Caldor in it's vacant form; earlier this year (March 29, 2006).


Former Caldor in it's mid-destruction phase (September 25, 2006).


The "C" of Caldor signage, now gone.

Also seeing a new adoption will be the former site of newly built Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Coffee which is to become Newington-branch CitiBank after only a few years of operation. Stores in Milford and Uncasville (Mohegan Sun Casino) still exist.

The short-lived Krispy Kreme of the Berlin Turnpike which opened in late 2002, as well as Connecticut's third store, soon to be a CitiBank.

I'm sad to see this McDonald's go, as it was one of my favorites in the Hartford area, but will be even sadder to see the Unionville one which is happening sometime soon (or never).

McDonald's photos taken October 7, 2006.
All photography credit, editing: Nicholas M. DiMaio (XISMZERO).
Photo editing: Picasa.

Two New Targets

Big box retailer Target will open two new store locations in Connecticut on October 8, 2006 which include Windsor and Waterbury. The distinct discount department store chain, which has a few nearby locations in Manchester (along I-84, beside Buckland Hills [Mall]) and Enfield (along I-91, inside Enfield Square [Mall]) will celebrate the opening of two brand new stores this Sunday which seem to eclipse other Connecticut locations in size and store design; especially the Windsor store. A few weeks ago, passing through Windsor, I captured some shots of the store nearly ready for business. Having come from the site of a Big Kmart on Kennedy Road in Windsor, Target will surely succeed in it's all-new infrastructure.

A new Target store set to have a grand opening on Sunday, October 8 in Windsor, Connecticut.


Target of Windsor offers one of the most grand-scale designs of all the Connecticut locations.

While I haven't made the time to travel upwards near Waterbury, I visited the site May of this year as it was in the skeletal stage of construction. Built on the former site of a years vacant Bradlees department store, following their 2000 closure, and adjacent to a somewhat time-warped plaza anchored by a brown Super Stop & Shop, the advent of Target might see an onward movement as well as improving Waterbury's retail landscape along Chase Avenue.

May 4, 2006 - A banner announcing Target's coming October 8 in Waterbury, Connecticut along Chase Avenue.


May 4, 2006 - The early stages of Target in Waterbury, Connecticut


May 4, 2006 - Vestige of the former Bradlees which exists no more. This long outdated pilon has also been replaced by it's new Target identity since.


May 4, 2006 - While the building is no more, Bradlees final hurrah in the form of this spent road pilon no longer vacantly fits the scope of drivers along Chase Avenue.

Seeing my recent [lack of] camera problems, it appears I'll be unable to document the opening days of either store, which I had hoped. I might be up there, especially if they'll consider giving away some opening day goodies...

Death of a Camera

This weekend, while in New Hampshire, my camera has delved deeper into damage. It can now be declared, as in the movie Back to the Future Part III, past the "Windmill".

Back in August, while Renee and I went to Syracuse for The Great North Adventure, I had dropped my camera on our way out of the hotel room. No more than a minute later, not thinking anything of dropping it, I flipped it on and saw nothing but a white wall of imagery on the LCD. After that, I assumed the camera was broken. Finished. Beyond repair.

On the way home that day, we stopped at a Ritz Camera store for some B-grade answers inquiring about possible repair costs. Turns out the camera would cost, and you'll like this Sony-sanctioned robbery, almost the price of a new camera to repair at around $250 according to Ritz repair cost catalog. The DSC-T7, is, also one of the few Sony digital cameras which costs far above the quality it delievers while costing almost doubled the repair costs of other Sony cameras. Distraught, as if I had lost a member of the family I believed there was no hope. When I got home, I decided to take it inside and fool with it some. After smaking it around, the camera took a radical turn.

It magically operated as if the last half of the day never happened. It was like a black cat floating in blue sky.

Days and weeks pass and just from recreational use I'm just noticing little things that just don't operate properly. Just this weekend, at Target, the camera is dropped yet again (after a few times before it). It's done. Now, the camera is playing a wildcard game and if you tilt it a certain way, it goes all pyscho-delic on you. You can still manage to squeeze out a perfectly fine image, but the camera is certifiably damaged.

A neo-"psycho"-delic Renee produced by my now damaged DSC-T7.

After some shaking, the image is clear; nonetheless unpredictable.

While the camera has certainly served me well through thousands of mixed bag of pictures, I've read too much into Sony's steeply-priced electronics apart from my personal history with mediocre Sony quality. I won't blame Sony for my dropping my camera numerous times, and remarkably, surviving quite well through those many times, but I think it's time to look elsewhere.

I'm on the path to getting a new camera, decidedly, moving to the realm of Canon and their acclaimed products. I've done plenty of research and I'm pretty set on getting a Canon Powershot SD600.

Do you know the exact problem with the wronged image here? If you do, lay down a comment and maybe you'll get a Watermelon Blow Pop.