Picture a one-day street fair in 1971 drawing 15,000 people to what would become the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington. The idea here goes back to 1958, part of urban renewal discussions, and after an experimental one-day street fair in the summer of 1971 that drew about 15,000 people, the mall was built in 1980–81 to a design by Carr, Lynch Associates of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Today it encompasses about 86 storefronts and is managed by the Church Street Marketplace Commission.
Major retailers include five national chain stores alongside local shops of clothing, home-wares, books, and other goods, and the marketplace is home to dozens of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. It’s also a cultural stage: festivals take place here throughout the year, events such as the South End Art Hop appear on its calendar, and public galleries like The Firehouse Gallery present work for the public. The American Planning Association named the Church Street Marketplace one of America’s “Great Public Spaces” for 2008.
Notice the shops, galleries, and restaurants lining Church Street between Main and Pearl Streets.