This Is Framingham

Especially when the weather is nice out, I miss having the old Shoppers World around.  All that’s left are these steel beams at Rt. 30 and Speen Street that used to hold the neon sign.  I know some people say it was ratty and ugly (and outdated towards the end) but I think it was really special.
It was so great to just walk around from shop to shop without having to worry about getting mowed down by a car and getting some fresh air at the same time.  Where else could you find a Windsor Button Shop, a House of Zodiac AND see live reindeer all at the same mall? 
I remember going there with my mom and sisters when we were little, shmying around and taking train rides, being a teenager and going to the movies with my friends and working at Joan and Ed’s deli when I was in college.  I feel like Shopper’s World was such a terrific place and now it’s just chain stores and asphalt.  I don’t want to sound like an old lady shaking her cane into the air but, the new shoppers world isn’t even worthy of the name Shoppers World!  They should call it Another blob of generic stores you can find anywhere in America with bland, unoriginal structures and no trains or reindeer”
I know it would be a big sign but they can afford it.
Check out this link  and this link to see some great old shoppers world photos.
Also thanks to Mitch Cohen, here’s a last look at Jordan Marsh before the old girl was torn down.

Feel free to comment about any of your favorite stores or experiences at Shoppers World (the real Shoppers World).

I was on my way home from La Cantina and saw a cardboard box on a curb that read “Atari 2600 w/ games, works FREE”.  Normally there’s never any good free stuff on curbs but this was an amazing find, I couldn’t beleive it!!  I got home, cleaned it up, and in no time I was jumping barrels and eating pellets! 
What a treat that was, thanks fellow framinghamite- who ever you are! 

Last week I had my first visit to a new dentist, Dr. Sharon Chen on Concord Street.
I was so surprised I left a dentist in a good mood. ????? ??   Everyone from the guy at the desk to the assistants were so nice.  Everything in the office is brand new and clean, I was just really impressed. 
Also, the cover for the fluorescent lights above the patient’s chair has a scene of blue sky and kites so you have something pleasant to look at while you get your mouth scraped out. Very nice. 

 This afternoon we decided to try Hometown Hotdogs in Saxonville. 
It wasn’t amazing, but it wasn’t bad either, the fries were pretty good. 
Nothing outrageous, but if you want a hotdog and fries it fits the bill. 

Later my friend and I went to try Mad Willies in Framingham center.
They have a lot of choices of ice cream and toppings. 
They also have a freezer when you walk in to get ice cream cakes and homemade
ice cream cookie sandwiches.  I got chocolate frozen yogurt with marshmallow, which looks kind of soupy and my friend got chocolate brownie something. Of course I couldn’t leave without getting Ethan a treat for home so I got him a sundae with strawberries and fresh whipped cream that they make daily (according to the sign).
The girls at the counter weren’t the friendliest, but I guess scooping ice cream all day in the summer might get them, who knows.