All updates from the month of March 2007 are listed below.

Tiffany & Co. to open in Natick Collection expansion
Written by Justin on March 20, 2007 at 5:20PM

• Hot on the heels of the Apple Store revelation, it became public earlier today that Tiffany & Co. will be a tenant as part of the Natick Collection's expansion that will open in September. The 5,300 sq. ft. store will, according to a press release, offer "an array of renowned TIFFANY & CO. collections, such as the jeweler’s celebrated diamonds, including engagement rings, and jewels of ultimate glamour in platinum and eighteen-karat gold settings; rare and lustrous pearls; the signature designs of Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso, Jean Schlumberger, and the artful twists and curves of Frank Gehry; watches; accessories; china and crystal gifts."
• More at http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070320005435&newsLang=en and http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2007/03/tiffany_will_op.html.
  

Apple Store headed to Natick Collection
Written by Justin on March 20, 2007 at 2:57PM

• A Framingham/Natick Retail reader sent in the news from ifoAppleStore.com, a website that tracks the openings of Apple Stores across the world, that there will indeed be such a store at the Natick Collection. From the information available, it is a bit unclear as to whether the store will be in the upscale expansion or in the existing mall space: given the relatively elegant feel (for a computer store) of the company's stores, it wouldn't be a surprise to see it in the new section. It should be open by the holidays if it goes into the existing mall, or on September 7th if it is in the expansion.
• (by the way, this opening was predicted by Beyond Retail in 2005: http://beyond.framinghamnatickretail.com/2005/07/another-prediction-for-natick-mall.html)
  

Don't worry, we're still here
Written by Justin on March 18, 2007 at 4:04PM

• There haven't been any updates lately, as there hasn't really been anything going on. Here are some of the highlights since the beginning of the month:
• Macy's opened its doors in Chestnut Hill on March 8th in the building that formerly housed the women's Bloomingdale's store. While the Macy's lacks junior's, children's, and home departments, it focuses on more upscale brands than a typical Macy's carries and features a full spa and salon. However, it remains unseen hoiw an upscale Macy's can make itself distinct while being across the street from the real "upscale Macy's", the men's and women's Bloomingdale's stores. They think that they can draw customers from Boston to Natick, but it seems a bit more likely that we'll take Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus instead. More at http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2007/03/02/is_middle_market_macys_ready_to_go_uptown/.
  
• Can Framingham sue Natick users (including the Collection) of its sewage system if there is no hard proof? The Boston Globe has more at http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/03/11/town_is_chasing_sewer_fee/.
• Speaking of the Collection, the metalic covering of the Neiman Marcus building is finally going up. Renderings of the covering are here at FraminghamNatickRetail.com, we'll try to add some photos soon. And the name "Collection" is slowly working it's way into local culture... very slowly. A recent "Speak Out" section in the MetroWest Daily News remarked that the perfect name to replace the Natick Redmen would be the Natick Collectors, in honor of the mall.
• Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty, owner of Shopper's World, has picked up a third Massachusetts property. In addition to Shopper's and the Gateway Center in Revere, DDR is now the proud owner of the Riverdale Shops in West Springfield. The company acquired Riverdale as part of its acquisition of Illinois-based Inland Retail Real Estate Trust.
  
• That's all for now, check back as news happens.
  

JCPenney opens at Natick Collection
Written by Justin on March 4, 2007 at 6:21PM

• The long-awaited three-story JCPenney anchor opened today at the Natick Collection with six other stores around the country. The MetroWest Daily News features interviews with store personnel setting up the store. Today was the "soft opening" for the store; a ceremony on Friday morning will mark the store's official opening.
• More information is at http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/business/x282802144.
  

Could "Good Time Emporium" take over the Sam's Club space?
Written by Justin on March 1, 2007 at 5:59PM

• Dan Hayes, owner of Somerville's "Good Time Emporium", is looking to move the business to Natick.
• The move comes as Hayes' Somerville landlord intends to raze the existing property to construct the Somerville IKEA that has been in the planning for many years. Hayes and attorney Paul Galvani met informally with the Natick Planning Board. Good Time offers an arcade, go karts, laser tag, bumper cars, batting cages, bowling lanes, a sports bar, concert hall, and billiards room, according to a recent article in the MetroWest Daily News. Chairman Julian Munnich did not appear impressed with the announcement, hoping for a high tax revenue hotel on the site. But Patrick Reffett, director of community development in Natick, appeared very open to such a concept as nothing similar exists in the area.
• Find out more at http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/homepage/x144053373 and http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/homepage/x1269109749.
  

CompUSA to close over 120 locations nationwide; Framingham included
Written by Justin on March 1, 2007 at 5:50PM

• The Framingham CompUSA will be put out of its misery by May 31st, as the company prepares to close 126 stores and exit markets including Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas/Fort Worth. The chain, at one time a pioneer in sales of home computers, has lost its foothold as amateurs flock to stores like Best Buy and Circuit City, while computer experts have abandoned CompUSA's limited offerings for stores with massive selection such as Micro Center (which has a location in Cambridge).
  
• The Boston Globe has more at http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2007/02/compusa_to_clos.html. Also, an article at CEPro.com mentions the closure at the Framingham store in-depth.
  

JCPenney prepares for Natick Collection opening
Written by Justin on March 1, 2007 at 5:40PM

• The official grand opening of the new JCPenney store at the Natick Collection is set for March 9th at 8:45am.
• The store, which is located in the former Macy's building and has been in the planning for nearly a year, will cover nearly 200,000 sq. ft. and offer an optical center, a portrait center, custom decorating services, a full-service salon, and an in-store Sephora boutique. At the grand opening ceremony, JCPenney will contribute a grant to the Boys & Girls Club of MetroWest.
• In addition, the new parking deck located to the north of the JCPenney store will add 1950 spaces to the mall's parking when it opens on March 4.
  
• There's more information on the opening at http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070226005762&newsLang=en.