Dartmouth Crossing

I really didn’t know what to expect when a friend of in told me to Check out Dartmouth Crossing with it being over an hour bus ride from my house I was very leary of making the trip out I gotta say I am glad I did the only down fall is the stores can be pretty spread out if you don’t have a car be prepared to walk I will definitely visit darthmouth crossing again

Great variety of stores here — something for everyone!
This would be a nice spot for tourists visiting the area for a shopping trip to go. There is a hotel within walking distance of many of the stores.
These are the types of places I love to go to when travelling. It’s nice to park the car (free parking) in one spot and then walk around to visit all of the stores. Very much like the outlet villages in the states
Would love to see an food court here like they have in the US outlets as well.

I think this is one of the nicest shopping districts in the HRM. There’s a lot of shops and entertainment to choose from. It’s has a nice downtown feel in the main stretch of businesses. The buildings are very attractive and this time of year, they have really nice Christmas lights. The amphitheatre which we discovered last night is a really nice area of Dartmouth Crossing and I love all the unique little areas of it. I think as the future goes on it will get even nicer.

Well, it’s better than Bayers Lake.
…
I should probably elaborate on that then, eh? Look, I’m not a fan of these huge sprawling shopping districts. I’d much rather a mall where I can park and walk around. I know, I know, half of these stores wouldn’t fit into your typical mall but I have to think the carbon footprint would be lower.
Not that I’m going to start an environmental rant but form a pure user perspective, it’s frustrating. It’s park, go into store, walk out, drive to next store, park, and repeat.
With all those reservations, Dartmouth Crossing does do better than some other shopping areas. For one thing, there are some sidewalks! And not one, but two, bus routes that service the area! They have also tried to create a «shopping district» within the larger area that focuses on clothing (mostly women’s) in a «Main street» approach which is a nice change of pace.
Areas for improvement: some of the intersections that are four-​way stops should probably be converted to lights. Some of the «newer» sections don’t have crosswalks — get on that.

I take the bus into Dartmouth Crossing for work every weekday and as a transit taker/​pedestrian it’s not a very friendly area. First of all the bus stops are on the main thoroughfares where traffic is at it’s fastest and heaviest, and the bus stops are randomly placed without thought given to crosswalk proximity.
The stores and restaurants are pretty spread out and are mainly big boxes/​chains, but there are a few local spots here and there. The village shops are the nicest part of the Crossing, and here are where you’ll find my favorite spots — Banana Republic Outlet, Sushi Nami, Ela and Swiss Chalet.
The area has even gotten it’s own pub and a large movie theatre (beware the slow concession stand and smelly bathrooms)
While some people love Dartmouth Crossing it’s not for me, and if I wasn’t working here, would only pay a rare visit.

How bad is this? I would rather shop in Bayers Lake than Dartmouth Crossing. And shopping in Bayers Lake is … not a pleasant experience, at least for me.
As a big, big mall fan, I have zero love for these «retail parks» that are sprouting up everywhere. I want to park my car once, walk indoors, and shop from store to store in comfort. The new trend is park, go into a store, come back out, re-​park, go into another store, back out to the car, rinse & repeat. For this reason, I have only been to Dartmouth Crossing a handful of times.
The disappointing thing is, the layout (cutsie «village» feel) gives the false impression you can walk from store to store and not have to repark each time. The reality? This is Nova Scotia. It’s cold six months of the year, raining and/​or windy much of the time and, unless it’s the middle of summer, I have no desire to traipse around outside unless I’m at Point Pleasant Park or something. Not while looking for some cute underwear.
Food-​wise, there are no good restaurants in the area, or at least no place I am willing to dine. The Crossing’s one saving grace is its store selection. There are a few stores here I quite like (although my favourites have been disappearing — I miss you Liz Claiborne & Calvin Klein!) so I am giving a star for them. Plus the «village» area is odd-​cute.
Apparently you can utilize some «complimentary umbrellas» provided by the Crossing. How nice of them! I’ll stick with malls, thanks.

I remember reading about the future of Dartmouth Crossing in the newspaper years ago. Probably 2004 or 2005. There were hypothetical depictions of what it would look like and a rough draft of the layout. It was marvellous.
Fast forward a few years, it was here. Shops and stores, small and large, in a nicely organized shopping community that was clean, easy to navigate and has nearly everything. When I think of Dartmouth Crossing, I think of the big box stores. Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Jack Asters, Empire Theatres. But the heart of Dartmouth Crossing is the two blocks of shops that are lined with sidewalks with parking in the middle. There’s a pavilion in between them, by a small river beside the bridge that connects the two blocks, that is used for live performances — though I’ve never seen anything performed here, the thought of it is nice.
When I think about the walking-​friendly area of Dartmouth Crossing, I think about the possibilities it has but that are missing. I imagine it to be a place that’s great for hangouts for a day of shopping or browsing but also a destination. But other than the clothing and furniture stores, there’s not really anywhere to pass some time other than the small sandwich shop in the middle of one of the blocks or the Starbucks a little bit away. This area could be a haven for recreational activity or even to read a book but it’s missing outdoor seating.
At the risk of turning this into a list of my own suggestions

As far as shopping areas go, this one takes the cake!
The best stores, some great eating, lots of entertainment!
Not a mall per se, because it isn’t one self contained pod of human odours and indoor stuffiness, but a shopping mecca for sure.
So many stores for whatever your needs.
Clothing, shoes, sporting goods, tools and hardware, Walmart (mecca of everything), food, house wares, and entertainment. You need something, you can find it in Dartmouth Crossing.
After the Bayer’s lake fiasco of driving, somewhere some engineer became smart!
Getting into, around and out of Dartmouth Crossing is a breeze, turning lanes everywhere, little strips malls everywhere, box stores, and chains have there own little (large, humongous, gigantic) area.
Not to mention the ten different ways in and out of the park.
Driving through here is bliss, unlike Bayer’s Lake where I’m pretty sure the Devil resides!
Dartmouth Crossing you get an A+++++ in my books!