Last of the lost footage or Route 9
November 7th, 2007As I’ve mentioned these stills were taken from a video camera in a moving car and these screen shots were, believe it or not, the best I could get from this tape. The reason I’m posting these is because I’ve had a few requests from people who would like to see them and even through the blurriness, I found these to evoke crystal clear images in my head of how these places really looked, it’s funny how the brain works with what it gets. So hopefully someone can also get some enjoyment from these shots.Â
Classic dome of Jordan Marsh
The Jordan Marsh Car Care Center
Caldor (and CVS to the far right)
This one I think is the worst picture but I would have totally forgot about the Mr. Donut on route 9 if I hadn’t seen this.
The hotel that was where Trader Joe’s is now.
 Also, even though it’s not Framingham I could’t resist posting some of Natick.Â
Sears with it’s multiple flags
Side entrance of the mall next to Anderson-Little
Of course the legendary York’s Steak house.
Star Market where the Container Store is now.
Thats it really for Route 9 footage. I owe you Mitch : )
Wow! So many places I had totally forgotten about. The hotel where Staples/Trader Joes is now, Mr. Donut, Jordan Marsh Car Care (what were they thinking?!?!
).
York Steak House! My fiancee’s grandfather actually was the founder of York Steak House. He lives in Florida now. Every time people tell him how much they loved and now miss York it brings a big smile to his face.
Comment by Michael — November 7, 2007 @ 1:46 am
Michael, next time you talk to your (soon to be) grandfather-in-law add another compliment from me.
My parents would take my sisters and I to York’s and after we finshed our jello cubes or pudding, we would kick off an evening of shmying around the mall. I still remember this “greeter” lady with short white hair and a silk scarf around her neck at the beginning of the line, who I think gave the plastic numbers to put on the tray too. York’s was great!
Comment by michelle — November 7, 2007 @ 2:13 am
wow, what great images! looking at the old natick mall makes me long for simpler times. when signs had detatchable lettering, the mall had a dome on it and route 9 was somewhat navegable.
thanks also for the picture of herbie’s yesterday, i used to work there!
york’s was also a favorite of my grandparents and me. i remember their dinner rolls, they were so round and shiny. i don’t know why cafeteria-style dining seemed like such a treat but to the the young me it was the height of sophistication.
Comment by jacki — November 7, 2007 @ 9:32 am
Wasn’t Anderson-Little the place that had “SWEATER EXPLOSIONS!” advertised in their jingles?
Comment by Rob — November 7, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
All I can say is wow. Too many memories to even list, it makes me smile but it also makes me long for the past when Framingham was a much different place.
Thanks for all these pictures Michelle (and Mitch).
Comment by mike — November 7, 2007 @ 1:58 pm
Great pictures of places that only exist in our memories. When I was in junior high school, my friends and I would walk to the North or South football games at Bowditch Field. The games were always on Saturday afternoon. On the walk back, we would always stop at Mister Donut for cocoa and a doughnut. Great place.
The hotel and restaurant were the Maridor and the Fonda del Corro.
Comment by JT — November 7, 2007 @ 2:31 pm
mmmm, loved york steak house as a youth. Ate at the one in Hanover (I think its an uno’s now).
Comment by stp — November 7, 2007 @ 3:25 pm
Thanks guys for all the positive comments/memories of York. I will definitely pass them along to my future grandfather in-law.
York was really an innovative concept for it’s day. Before York a restaurant in a mall was a rarity and food courts did not exist. I think that’s part of what made going to York such a special experience.
I also miss Victoria Station by the way. They had the biggest salad bar I’ve ever seen and all you can eat beef ribs. Yum!
Comment by Michael — November 8, 2007 @ 2:34 am
Hey, I’m glad everyone’s having a good time with the images. Michelle did a great job finding these stills in the dizzying movie!
Funny how York was such a part of childhood memories - mine too! I remember the long hallway in, with signs “only 15 minutes to a delicious meal” or something along those lines. Good stuff. I associate the taste of grilled onions with York, must have been a side I liked.
I was bummed the Maridor didn’t make it to the video (a truck crossed paths with the camera at that moment). That’s where my Bar Mitzvah party was. I’m sure it’s on some old super-8 home movies, which I’m slowly copying to video (so far nothing interesting of Framingham).
I thought about the old Natick Mall when going through the massive new expansion in September. My father and I both noted how the expansion alone was larger than the old mall in whole. And that was a decently-sized mall for its day.
Comment by Mitch Cohen — November 9, 2007 @ 2:11 am
I remember one of my friends had his Bar Mitzvah reception at Duca’s which was next to the Maridor. It was where Walgreens is now. He accidentally lit his aunt’s hair on fire during the candle lighting part of the festivities.
I still see Bob Duca every once in a while.
Comment by Michael — November 9, 2007 @ 4:03 am
Maybe it would be worth converting some of those videos to digital format, for posting on YouTube? Just a thought! Some instructions on doing so here:
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=813
Comment by Sharon — November 11, 2007 @ 2:18 pm
I love looking at the old photos and the “old” Framingham. I loved York Steak House. For 99 cents you could get one of their tasty rolls, a small steakburger, fries. It was sooo good. I actually miss the old mall. Heck, I miss the old feel of Framingham. You guys do a great job with the old pics and the website. Keep up the great work
Comment by AnnMarie — November 12, 2007 @ 8:11 pm
I love the pictures. I’ve lived out of state since 1995 and I practically cry every year when visiting family to see the soulless vanilla shopping wasteland that the Golden triangle has become. Shoppers World is now a crying shame! I mean, the golden triangle since the 1950s was always a retail attraction, but there was so much more decades ago. There was a lot of entertainment, night clubs, and cocktail lounges. You could make a night (a late night) of it right here in suburbia. Now it’s nothing but entirely forgettable stores (except maybe for Walter Dyer is Leather). Oh yeah, and traffic. Soul-sucking, rage inducing traffic.
I really appreciate your site, as well as framingham.wordpress and Natick Dave’s natick.wordpress sites. The work you do is to be commended and I thank all of you for putting so much effort into it. Coming to your sites is like visiting home and chatting with the friends I grew up with.
Comment by nostalgio — December 9, 2007 @ 4:11 am
York Steak House … free soda refills and a Boston cream pie that only a kid could love!
I think I read somewhere that Shopper’s World was the first outdoor mall in the U.S. Used to be a great place to visit at Christmastime, with the lights, music and reindeer you could feed.
Good memories. Thanks.
Comment by Dave — February 17, 2008 @ 10:46 pm
Do you have any more shots of the old Natick Star Market?? I worked there from 1989 until it close at the end of 1994. Miss those old times! Your web page is great! I grew up an lived for 30 years right behind the Framingham Mall so all these old Framingham-Natick Rte 9 pics bring back so many memories!
Comment by Locutus — February 23, 2008 @ 3:23 am
Ha, how did I know Mitch might show up here. Great vid Herbie!
Comment by Cheryl — February 26, 2008 @ 5:09 am