Hi there, and
thanks for visiting!
I'm the guy who made this site.
Allow me to explain why...
Why am I so obsessed with the Galleria?
I grew up in Bridgewater and spent a lot of time at the Galleria.
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It was where my friends and I had our first taste of independence, choosing our own clothes and our own dinner. It was a social place; we ran into friends, shared meals and movies, and people-watched from the second-floor railings.
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It was where I sent my first text message, screamed at my first R-rated horror movie, had my first date, and both earned and spent my first paycheck.
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In short, the Galleria was a second home!
Why did I create this site?
I've always been fascinated by shopping centers. Growing up in New England, we didn't have many new buildings, so the Galleria always seemed so modern, so exciting, so Californian. This photo, taken by Peter Vanderwarker, really captures my memory of it.
Neon! Mirrored ceilings! Skylights! Palm trees!
Fast forward to college, where I studied commercial architecture. My career goal was to design shopping centers and retail stores.
That goal didn't quite pan out (thanks, Amazon!), but in school I developed a love for archival research. I began researching buildings that had a personal meaning to me, including the Galleria.
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Over time, I've shared some of these materials with friends, and they've encouraged me to share these materials with others. I hope you enjoy the site!
Where does all the content come from?
Most of the news clippings came from the Boston Globe, which is fully digitized, and the Taunton Gazette, which is on microfilm at the Taunton Public Library. I owe a huge thanks to the staff at the Taunton Public Library, who located and scanned many of the pages for me.
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Historical leasing plans and directories came from the management company's website. I've periodically downloaded them over the years.
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Many of the recent photos are my own, mixed with some I've found on Flickr, Facebook, and Yelp. The photos from 2006 are from Labelscar, a blog about shopping malls. The photos from the 1990s are from newspapers and Peter Vanderwarker, the architectural photographer who worked with the Galleria's architects.
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I did my best to cite the source of every photo, but please reach out to me if I missed one!
Can I add my own Galleria photos and stories?
Yes, please! I intend this to be a living record, and there are many photos I don't have, particularly for store interiors and restaurants. If you'd like to share photos, stories, or other memorabilia, please shoot me an email.