Longtime customers, walkers bid farewell to Springfield’s Eastfield Mall

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - This weekend, one of the longest running shopping malls in western Massachusetts is closing its doors for good and on Friday, some people in the community decided to take some time and walk around for one final time.

Wall units are coming down, store gates are shutting, and final items are getting packed away. The Eastfield Mall in Springfield is closing for good in a matter of hours and those who have walked around the mall for decades are soaking it all in.

“You see a lot of people, the same people going for a walk along the mall and go shopping. I look at this and I’m sad,” said Suzanne Nelson of Hampden.

Some of the mallgoers who were getting in their final strolls on Friday shared special memories with Western Mass News.

“We do line dancing. One time, we had a flash mob dancing on the food court,” said Louis and Mei Lee of Springfield.

“This is where I met my husband 55 years ago…I met my husband at the food court,” Nelson added.

We also caught up with customers like Monique Youmans, who was getting a haircut at Rapid Cuts, which is moving to Indian Orchard after this location closes. The one word she would describe the mall was fantastic.

“It just was bliss just being able to go into different stores, see different people from different areas, like Wilbraham, Longmeadow, Springfield, all over. It’s multifaceted, so you kind of see people from everywhere,” Youmans explained.

There is also one specific store Youmans will remember the most.

“Eblens is closing. There’s not going to be anymore Eblens in this space and also in the Holyoke Mall, so I will probably miss it the most just because they had great service as well,” Youmans said.

There were also some final thoughts from longtime walkers Louis and Mei Lee.

“We will remember forever. We have good memories for this mall,” Louis and Mei Lee explained.

A new strip mall will take the Eastfield Mall’s place in an estimated two and a half years. While many will make new memories there, the ones that they made here will be cherished forever.

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