Worcester Common
Outlets
100 Front Street
Worcester
1-888-GET-IN-ON-IT
Looking
for an early start on Holiday shopping
without breaking the bank? How about that
$495 DKNY outfit for $179? Or maybe you
would like to update your dining room
with just the right touch? For the
discerning shopper, bargains abound at
Worcester Common Outlets, an urban mall
which contains about 90 stores around an
airy, attractive enclosed atrium. On a
recent excursion, we perused the mall's
many delights for a pleasant (and
economical) afternoon. The atrium (about
the same size as the Cambridgeside
Galleria) is carpeted and decorated with
balloons and banners, making it easy on
the eyes -- and on the feet!
The Location
Downtown Worcester (the second-largest
city in Massachusetts) is a metropolis on
the move. Only 42 miles west of Boston,
its downtown is marked by busy
construction sites and newly-renovated
mill buildings. It boasts a world-class
art museum and several top-notch
colleges. It has train service to and
from Boston via the MBTA.
Unfortunately, the train is
commuter-oriented, and the schedule makes
it difficult to do the trip to the outlet
by rail unless you commit to an overnight
trip.
The Stores
Worcester Common, which is in the heart
of downtown Worcester, has four anchor
stores: Media Play (electronics); The
Sports Authority; Saks Fifth Avenue
Clearinghouse; and BB and Beyond (home
furnishings). The big stores are fine for
browsing (and we do spend a lot of our
money in them) but we recommend you focus
on the many fashion and housewares
outlets instead. Each has exciting
displays, snappy music and shelves full
of tempting merchandise!
Be warned: each store has
its own approach toward the word
"outlet." Some offer very few
leftovers from their high-priced lines
(in limited size and color ranges), while
others have rack after rack of returns
and/or slightly damaged goods (sold as
is). Most stores offer something in the
middle: good stuff and good selections.
While the majority of the shops at
Worcester Common fall into either the
clothing or housewares category, there
are also a few jewelry, gift and drug
stores, as well as a food court and
specialty shops.
Other stores include Tommy
Hilfiger, Nautica, and Aldo Shoes.
Best Bets
For housewares, we found that Mikasa and
Dansk have good selections at excellent
prices. BB and Beyond had everything you
could ever want for the bed and bath, but
the prices didn't seem to be discounted
at all.
Apparel stores are mostly
geared toward women and include
specialties like shoes, lingerie and
outerwear. There are almost a dozen
stores offering children's apparel, and a
couple of menswear stores as well. We
loved the prices at Nine West and Jockey,
but will hold out for deeper discounting
at Jones New York Factory Finale Store
and Ann Taylor.
For hours and other
information, visit the Worcester Common
Outlets web site.
How to Get There
Take the Mass Pike west (I-90, a toll
road) to Route 290 east. Take Exit 16 and
follow the signs for the mall. Watch for
the special "mall parking only"
lane that takes you right to the garage.
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