The Gallery at Market East

When you live in downtown Philadelphia, and you're craving a cinnamon-sugar pretzel, Bourbon Chicken samples and a new pair of sneakers, who says you need to travel to King of Prussia, Plymouth Meeting or Cherry Hill for the mall. Directly in our own downtown one can find all these mall features at The Gallery at Market East.

Originally opened in 1977 as part of a redevelopment project, the mall has become a fixture on Market Street. The mall's central location makes access relatively easy. There are a number of bus lines which have stops just outside its doors and the mall is located on top of Septa's Market East Station. I see car-free alternatives as being one of the main factors to the mall's success. The Gallery offers mall shopping to many who don't have their own transportation and I can only assume this to be one of the selling-points when the mall was in its planning stages.

For the first eight-months after I graduated from college, I worked in a mall so I didn't think The Gallery would surprise me. I mean, I think when you've seen one mall you've seen them all. Suffice to say, I was surprised during my stroll through the urban mall. The standard players were visible: Footlocker, Borders, the Food Court, Wet Seal, music stores as well as jewelers. This is pretty much standard fare for the mall. What did surprise me was the produce market, fresh seafood market and butcher shop on the ground floor. When was the last time you saw a fresh produce store in your local mall? In this type of setting, I have never known of a place where I can buy cds, sneakers and a half-pound of salmon. I’m still haven’t fully processed my thoughts on the markets.

Walking through The Gallery made me consider the place of urban malls. How successful are they and what is their necessity? Should these dens of consumerism be the cornerstone of redevelopment? I see the growth of urban malls as being another layer in the push for renewed interest in our cities. You can’t bring people into the city without giving them a place to buy their goods. Also, what effect do urban malls have on independently owned shops? All these points deserve significant consideration.

As of right now, it seems the urban mall is here to stay. With the presence of other malls such as, The Manhattan Mall, Newport Center Mall, The Shops at Columbus Circle and Atlantic Terminal Mall offering easy access fostering greater economic growth, it’s just a reality with which we have to contend. It isn’t just the suburbanites who should have the pleasure of listening to Muzak.

Disclaimer:  I hoped to have pictures of the inside in this post but post-9/11 security does not allow photography of the interior.