by Patricia Cove

With the holidays approaching, it is a natural time to start thinking about gift-giving, and the idea of shopping for those gifts. A lot of us remember a time when purchasing items involved a trip to the main street of town, or a small strip of stores along a highway, or, starting somewhere in the 50’s, going to a place that was commonly known as “the mall.”

A lot has changed over the past 20 years or so. The internet eliminated what many people considered “dreaded” trips to the mall. “Big box” stores offered less expensive options than the more familiar “department stores.” Discounters emerged carrying less expensive “designer” labels, and new chain stores imported garments from India and China, that although trendy, were constructed of synthetic, low-grade materials that would hold up for about four wearings, only to end up in a landfill. Yes, shopping has changed. But there are still many among us who actually enjoy the experience of shopping, the ability to actually touch what you may buy, and the surroundings that create that experience.

It is no secret that malls took a hard hit after the emergence of the internet. Many had to go about the business of reinventing themselves into multiplexes, offering everything from chapels to amusement parks within their walls, which brings me to the real crux of this column. Have you noticed what some malls have done? They have created what is now known as the “Town Center.” Mmmm…

What exactly is a “town center,” you may ask. Well, in short, it is a “recreation” of a Main Street – except, that it isn’t. I have visited many of these town centers. Yes, they have streets, some with crosswalks and stop signs. Yes, there are trees, saplings to be exact, and stores – many stores – that used to be in the mall! But now they are outside, like a real town!

OK, you get where I’m going with this.

I moved to Chestnut Hill 35 years ago. I knew I wanted to live here, because as a child, I would come shopping along Germantown Avenue with my grandmother. I fell in love with this community then. But I did not know why. Now I do.

Not only is this a real town, it has all the real attributes that make it so. It has historic buildings, constructed in a variety of natural materials, and built in a scale that encourages pedestrians. It has an abundance of real character defining features like authentic Belgian Block, mature trees in a variety of species, and sensitive design elements like appropriate street lighting, building massing, and guidelines that provide reference to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards in the redesign of historic buildings within a National Historic District.

There is much attention paid to color and signage, which, if not closely monitored, could easily veer off to that more closely associated with Route 309, than shops within a historic village.

Our Main Street already has what these new town centers are trying to create.

Those retailers are trying something “new.” Which to us, is not new at all, but something we have had all along. It is those enigmatic features, that spoke to me as a child, and that continue to speak to all the people who are moving here today. They may or may not understand exactly why this community is so attractive, but many of us do, and that is why we continue to work so hard to care for and maintain these qualities. We have something those “town centers” will never have – real character, and that is something to cherish.

So as you are planning your holiday shopping this season, think about the experience. You may want to get it done all in one fell swoop, on Amazon. Or you may want to experience a real main street, and the real historic features that our “Main Street” has to offer! See you on the Avenue!

Patricia Cove is principal of Architectural Interiors and Design. She sits on the Development Review Committee, and chairs the Historic District Advisory Committee, which assists home and business owners in new developments, or renovations to existing homes and buildings. She can be reached through her website.