Quoted Text

Loss of the Rotterdam outlet is the third Friendly's casualty in Schenectady County within the last few years. The national chain shut down Friendly's at St. James Square in Niskayuna and closed another restaurant on Nott Terrace in downtown Schenectady.

Don't forget that there was also one many years ago that was replaced by the Hess station at the corner of Curry Road and Helderberg Ave, also.

The Friendly's Restaurant located at the intersection of Route 50 and Van Buren Road in Glenville remains open.  I used to visit there
as a child, though my family preferred the locally owned business Flavorland that has been out of business for several decades.

Quoted from Kevin March

Don't forget that there was also one many years ago that was replaced by the Hess station at the corner of Curry Road and Helderberg Ave, also.

The Friendly's at Altamont and Helderberg was closed when Friendly's bought out Flavorland  and combined
operations at the old Flavorland restaurant on Altamont Ave (in front of Wal-Mart).

By the way, the Friendly's in Saint James Square was also a former Flavorland Restaurant.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

The Friendly's at Altamont and Helderberg was closed when Friendly's bought out Flavorland  and combined
operations at the old Flavorland restaurant on Altamont Ave (in front of Wal-Mart).

By the way, the Friendly's in Saint James Square was also a former Flavorland Restaurant.

Well, I apologize, I always knew both of them (for many years) as Friendly's.

Quoted from bumblethru

there is hardly nothing left in the food court!!

Perhaps the plex can propose a nice gin mill!!!

Give the sheeple what they want {hic-hic}. Another tappy! To compete with the RIDA's joint. If there was any type of "renaissance" going on the Friendly's one block from Union College would have been snapped up by some eager entrepreneur. It still sits vacant with no takers. High City taxes have destroyed the private sector. And the DEMS want "only" another 6% next year. This will lead to more vacant property, more boarded up retail and less tax revenue.

Rotterdam Square Mall is 22 years old --- long overdue for a face lift.    By industry standards, it should have
had a make over about 10 years ago.
My opinion is that Rotterdam Square Mall has been poorly managed ... has 3 very weak anchor stores.
Macy's is hanging on by a thread ---   Sear's and K-Mart will eventually close at least one of those stores as
the two "nameplates" are now owned by the same company.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Rotterdam Square Mall is 22 years old --- long overdue for a face lift.    By industry standards, it should have
had a make over about 10 years ago.
My opinion is that Rotterdam Square Mall has been poorly managed ... has 3 very weak anchor stores.
Macy's is hanging on by a thread ---   Sear's and K-Mart will eventually close at least one of those stores as
the two "nameplates" are now owned by the same company.

Just one correction, and something I would like to add.  While it doesn't make much difference, it's actually 23 years, not 22.  

...and Curry Road Shopping Center still stands as empty as it was on the day the mall
opened (and it's main chain store (K-Mart) essentially closed)

8,432 days ago.

  

Quoted from Kevin March

Just one correction, and something I would like to add.  While it doesn't make much difference, it's actually 23 years, not 22.  

...and Curry Road Shopping Center still stands as empty as it was on the day the mall
opened (and it's main chain store (K-Mart) essentially closed)

8,432 days ago.

  

...but who's counting???

I seem to remember it opening in September of 1988 -- because that was the year that I bought some
property along Lake Ontario near Watertown ... and was living up there.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

I seem to remember it opening in September of 1988 -- because that was the year that I bought some
property along Lake Ontario near Watertown ... and was living up there.

Nope, sorry, it was November 1, 1987.

To clarify.  I know the mall opened on 11/1/1987.  I don't know the specific date K-Mart in Curry Road Shopping Plaza closed, but I use the opening date of the mall as the key date, since it signified a "no-turning back" date of sorts.  It could have closed some time during '88, but I don't specifically remember.  I do remember going shopping there as a kid, though.

Quoted from Kevin March

To clarify.  I know the mall opened on 11/1/1987.  I don't know the specific date K-Mart in Curry Road Shopping Plaza closed, but I use the opening date of the mall as the key date, since it signified a "no-turning back" date of sorts.  It could have closed some time during '88, but I don't specifically remember.  I do remember going shopping there as a kid, though.

Then maybe it was the Hess' Department Store that opened in 1988 ....  for some reason ... I remember
either them or one of the other department stores opening around the end of summer 1988.

Quoted Text

ROTTERDAM
Friendly’s closures part of changes afoot for eatery chain
BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter

    Friendly’s has closed its restaurant at the Rotterdam Square mall after the parent company apparently decided against renewing its lease.
    The popular chain eatery that once bustled during the holiday shopping season abruptly closed last month after its lease expired. A spokeswoman with the Massachusetts-based Friendly Ice Cream Corp. said the company also closed a location in Crossgates Mall in Guilderland but insists the closures are part of a new marketing strategy the company plans to unveil next week.
    “Friendly’s enjoys strong brand loyalty in the Capital Region,” company spokesman Maura Tobias said in a written statement. “We are in the midst of making signifi cant, exciting changes in the Capital Region and look forward to sharing these developments with our valued guests in the near future.”
    Friendly’s closed its Nott Terrace restaurant in April 2009 after 24 years. The site, opposite Union Graduate College, has remained vacant since.
    In February, Friendly’s closed a company-owned restaurant in Niskayuna’s St. James Square with little public notice. Friendly’s had operated at the 3,700-square-foot Nott Street East location for at least 30 years but decided not to renew their lease.
    At Rotterdam Square, the closed restaurant adds yet another space to the mall’s stock of vacancies. Some retailers have complained that the mall seems the emptiest that it’s ever been in the past decade. .................>>>>..................>>>>...............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01203&AppName=1

can't wait to hear these "new marketing strategy the company plans to unveil next week"

I hear rumors that Friendly's is going to create a new chain of restaurants geared towards the Right Wing
Fringe crowd  ---- the restaurants will be named  MAD COW

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

I hear rumors that Friendly's is going to create a new chain of restaurants geared towards the Right Wing
Fringe crowd  ---- the restaurants will be named  MAD COW

And a complementary leftie restaurant called Government Teet