What's Happening

Five Things You Need to Know Today: April 7

A family concert, a food drive and a flower/garden show.

1. Family Discovery Series Concert. The New Philharmonia Orchestra will present another Family Discovery Series concert this afternoon at 3 p.m. Today's program will feature Nathaniel Stookey’s "The Composer is Dead", from the “whodunit?” book by Lemony Snicket. The concert will run roughly one hour and will include the New Phil's acclaimed New Phil Instrument Petting Zoo at the end of the show. The concert will be held at the First Baptist Church in Newton. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and $10 for students. 2. Newton Open Studios. The annual Newton Spring Open Studios will continue today at 60 "pop-up" art exhibits throughout the city. Roughly 180 Newton artists will be on display at these exhibits, which will be open from …

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Three New 'Fashion Forward' Stores Coming to Newton's Mall at Chestnut Hill

New clothing and shoe stories will be jumping in to the retail mix.

One week after announcing two new restaurants, the Mall at Chestnut Hill unveiled this week three new "fashion forward" stores that will be opening up in the mall over the next few months.  The new stores include women's clothing store Madewell, women's active wear store lucy and luxury shoe store LUXE810 by DSW, according to a press release issued Tuesday. "The addition of these fashionable and trendy store options further strengthens our reputation as the premier, high-end shopping destination in this area,” Senior Vice President of Leasing at Simon Property Group Cindy Kernan said in the press release. “These stores are coming at the perfect time as we prepare for the busy spring and summer shopping seasons,” she added. Looking for more…

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Two New Restaurants Coming to Newton's Mall at Chestnut Hill

The mall recently saw the exit of Bernard's and Charley's.

Just a few weeks after losing Charley's Saloon and Bernard's, the Mall at Chestnut Hill announced yesterday two new eateries will be moving into the vacated restaurant spaces. Besito and Tokyo Japanese Steak House will both open in the mall this summer, according to a press release issued Wednesday.  "These are unique restaurants for the area and our shoppers are sure to love the experience and dining atmosphere at both,” Simon Property Group Senior Vice President of Leasing Cindy Kernan said in the press release. Besito will be moving into the first floor space formerly occupied by Charley's Saloon, which abruptly closed last month after decades in Chestnut Hill. According to the Besito website, the Mexican-style restaurant has three …

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Charley's in Chestnut Hill Closes its Doors

The Newton restaurant was located in the Mall at Chestnut Hill.

After years as a tenant in the Mall at Chestnut Hill, Charley's Restaurant has closed its doors.  The Newton restaurant informed customers of its closure with a message on its website: To our guests: We regret to inform you that Charley's Chestnut Hill has closed permanently. We truly appreciate and value your patronage through the years. For members of our preferred guest program and for those who have gift cards, both will continue to be accepted at all of our Joe's American Bar & Grill locations as well as Abe & Louie's, Atlantic Fish and Coach Grill of Wayland.  If you have any questions, please call 800-424-2753 or email us at: customerservice@tavistockrestaurants.com Charley's was run by San Francisco-based Tavistock Restaurants, …

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New Children's Store to Open in Newton's Mall at Chestnut Hill

The store is moving from the Atrium Mall, which will be closing all its stores by the end of this month.

As the retail life of the Atrium Mall comes to an end, another former Atrium store has decided to move across Route 9 and set up shop in the Mall at Chestnut Hill.  Children's store Janie and Jack will be joining the second level of the Mall at Chestnut Hill and is slated to open at the end of January, according to a press release issued this morning.  The children's store offers "distinctive, finely crafted clothing and accessories" for kids in sizes preemie to 6 (preemie to 12 online), the press release said.  “The addition of another popular children’s clothing and accessory option continues our reputation as the premier, high-end shopping destination in the area," Simon Property Group Senior Vice President of Leasing Cindy Kernan said …

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Mall at Chestnut Hill Looking to Add Restaurants

The owners of the mall are also seeking permits to some of the exterior features of the mall and add outdoor dining options.

Mall at Chestnut Hill Seeking Permits to Add Restaurants

Owners of the 40-year old space are hoping to upgrade its exterior and add up to 795 new restaurant seats.

Lately, Route 9 in Newton has been a busy area of retail expansion, renovation and new construction. Now, it looks as though the Mall at Chestnut Hill is hoping to join in on the commercial corridor upgrade. According to Planning Department memos on the city's website, the Mall at Chestnut Hill is seeking permits to add additional restaurants as well as upgrade the building's façade.  The Board of Aldermen's Land Use Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on this proposal tonight, Nov. 13. The meeting will be held in the Aldermanic Chamber at City Hall and starts at 7 p.m. The documents indicate the owner of the mall, WMACH, Inc., is looking for special permits that would allow them to add up to 23,300 square feet of restaurant …

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Police Log: Man with Gun Approaches Woman at Newton Mall

According to police reports, no one was harmed in the incident.

Newton police responded to the Mall at Chestnut Hill Thursday evening (Oct. 18) after a woman reported that she had been confronted by a man with a gun. According to reports, the woman had just finished dinner at the mall and walked up to the northwest part of the parking lot to have a cigarette. As she stepped away from her car, she heard rustling and saw a man step out of the nearby bushes. The man, who had one hand behind his back, told the woman, "I got to tell you something." As he made that statement, the man revealed a "medium/large" black handgun, but did not point it at the woman.  The woman yelled at the man to "get out of here" and she ran southwest towards the Towers at Chestnut Hill. She then got back into her vehicle and …

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Two New Stores to Set Up Shop in the Mall at Chestnut Hill

Two other existing shops will also be moving to new locations in the mall.

While the Atrium Mall may be struggling with keeping stores open, the nearby Mall at Chestnut Hill is welcoming two new stores this fall.  According to a press release issued yesterday, Stuart Weitzman and Soft Surroundings will be joining the mall's line of shops later this year.  Stuart Weitzman carries designer shoes and handbags for women while Soft Surroundings offers a variety of women's clothes, home decor, beauty products and jewelry.  “These brands coming to the mall in 2012 represent what our Mall at Chestnut Hill shoppers really want,” Simon Property Group Senior Vice President of Leasing Cindy Kernan said in the press release. “We are proud to further strengthen our position as the premier, high-end shopping destination in the …

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Wendy Schapiro

9:34 pm on Saturday, May 12, 2012

Amy, that is WONDERFUL news- I love that place!!! But I must confess that I, too, prefer the "Natick Collection" to the Mall at Chestnut Hill. There are more shops in Natick, a greater variety of eateries, a great deal more parking and far, far fewer empty storefronts.   more ›

Despite Economic Climate, Newton Malls Prep for Tax-Free Weekend

Many Newton retailers are ready for the crowds this weekend, but will they come?

In years past, a tax-free weekend in Massachusetts meant mobs of people and packed parking lots filled with shoppers ready to save money. But with the current economic climate, will crowds this year fill the stores to save their 6.25 percent? "No one is really sure how this weekend will play out," said David Fleming, the corporate marketing director for WS Development, owners of the Chestnut Hill Shopping Center. "We expect it to be a good one, but we're not sure with the recent economic news." Fleming explained that stores with higher-end merchandise are likely to see more customers, such as the upscale houseware store Portobello Road. Just next door at Eyespot, the boutique eyewear store will be offering tax-free deals on some unique …

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