Supercharger - Auburn MA

[mitch672]

Agreed. We travel from NY to NH a lot and we usually stop at Charlton for the bathroom, food and gas.

While we do take I-290, the overall ambiance of the Pike rest stop would be nicer for a 20+ minute charge.

The NH I-93 rest stop supercharger location is great.

Tesla tried to put the SuperCharger at the Charlton rest stop, or any rest stops on the Mass Pike. You can blame the Commonwealth of MA for this decision, they don't want to put EV infrastructure that is proprietary to one manufacturer at public locations... It was, and still is a stupid decision, since Tesla is still the only long distance EV mfr out their.

 

[Snow Drift]

I can't wait to make our first Supercharger stop on the way up to NH. Hopefully the Simon upgrades at the mall will be finished by 2019.

Movie theater plan at Auburn Mall moves forward
Cinema, restaurant may be coming to Auburn Mall

 

[Pollux]

Yes, @Pollux, I can see how you've avoided that DC/Boston range anxiety by moving to DC

'nother Boston->DC road trip coming up in a week and a half!

 

[robby]

Tesla tried to put the SuperCharger at the Charlton rest stop, or any rest stops on the Mass Pike. You can blame the Commonwealth of MA for this decision, they don't want to put EV infrastructure that is proprietary to one manufacturer at public locations... It was, and still is a stupid decision, since Tesla is still the only long distance EV mfr out their.

Not to mention they've opened their patents and said any other manufacturer is welcome to join the network.

 

[The_Mike]

Stopped here with the wife coming home from our South Jersey to Boston trip. It's a little off the beaten path, but does have eight superchargers stalls - all of which were empty save ours on a Monday morning at 10:30. Mall is adjacent with stores and bathrooms, at least during business hours. They have a small food court with a Subway.

 

[PhatCat]

Stopped here today on the way from NY to NH. Four other Teslas charging but did manage to get a non-shared port.

I'd like to thank the posters above for the recommendation of Golden Pizza just outside the mall. It's a real hole-in-the wall in an old train station...just my kind of place. Although there are no tables, the friendly staff had no trouble with the two us sitting in the chairs for those waiting (no one else there at the time) and using a third chair as our table. Large pepperoni pie and two drinks for $15. It was possibly the best thin crust pizza I've had.

They said they get a lot of business from Tesla folks who hop over and grab a pizza. We should throw our business to this locally owned shop.

 

[Snow Drift]

They should upgrade their chairs for Tesla business!

 

[Nikxice]

Golden Pizza, just a few walls and a pizza oven. Family joke, my wife once referred to it as 'The Golden Dragon', so that name has since stuck with us. Still, could be a top ten nominee for best pizza place within a hundred yards of a Tesla SC. Our teenage son goes for the small cheese, I think it's under 5 bucks.

Upgrading those customer waiting chairs could be inviting trouble. Not sure, but I don't recall seeing a restroom available for the public. Start chipping away at that old train station charm and there's the possibility the MA restaurant cops will begin to clamp down on em'.

 

[EdA]

Golden Pizza, just a few walls and a pizza oven. Family joke, my wife once referred to it as 'The Golden Dragon', so that name has since stuck with us. Still, could be a top ten nominee for best pizza place within a hundred yards of a Tesla SC. Our teenage son goes for the small cheese, I think it's under 5 bucks.

Upgrading those customer waiting chairs could be inviting trouble. Not sure, but I don't recall seeing a restroom available for the public. Start chipping away at that old train station charm and there's the possibility the MA restaurant cops will begin to clamp down on em'.

There is no parking at the restaurant and they are not zoned for eat-in, only take out.
In nice weather you can walk around the pond across the street from the SC and eat on picnic
tables by the library in view of the rockets in honor of liquid propellent pioneer Robert Goddard.
Goddard Rocket Launching Site - Wikipedia

You can actually see the tips of the rockets from your car while supercharging.

 

[Nikxice]

Ed, good info for anyone passing through on a nice day. Those first liquid-fueled rockets were quite primitive, yet paved the way for the future of spaceflight. It's not quite the same as the rocket garden down at the KSC, but worth the stroll over, especially if you've got kids. I cropped my avatar. In the fall and winter you can also view the base of the larger rocket.

 

[Snow Drift]

Looks like the movie theatre might not happen, free standing restaurant by chargers still a go!

November 2016: Auburn Mall ditches theater for medical center

Here is an older article that talked about the restaurant being near the chargers. (also mentions movie theatre)

March 2016: Planning Board OKs theater, restaurant at Auburn Mall

 

[David29]

We stopped at Auburn on this past Friday night (10/13) and again on Sunday afternoon (10/15) on our way to and from a weekend event in Southbridge. I was not surprised that there was only one other Tesla there when we arrived on Friday night, but was astonished to see 5 other cars (all Model Ss, one from CA) when we arrived on Sunday! One of the other drivers commented that she had been there another time when all the stalls were full. So perhaps that means this site is being well-utilized.
It is unfortunate, though, that the Auburn Mall is so pitiful at the moment, especially for food choices. (We did get a decent pannini sandwich at the Hershey's Food place on Friday night, but I would not recommend the food court as a dining location, for sure! Horribly noisy with only a handful of people in it ,for one thing....
But grateful for the superchargers, the bathrooms, and what food there is. We had had to use this stop a number of times.

 

[HankLloydRight]

It's not saying much, but I've found the Subway inside the mall to be the best (relative) food option there.

I've heard the pizza place across the street is good, but there's nowhere to sit down and eat.

 

[David29]

It's not saying much, but I've found the Subway inside the mall to be the best (relative) food option there.

I've heard the pizza place across the street is good, but there's nowhere to sit down and eat.

We had gotten food from Subway in the past, too. The Subway was closed when we were there on Friday night. There was no sign indicating if it was just not open that night (seems unlikely on Friday night) or if it has been closed permanently. I did not notice if it was open on Sunday. The food at Hershey's was better than we expected, though. Not just ice cream, we learned.

 

[chjch]

It's not saying much, but I've found the Subway inside the mall to be the best (relative) food option there.

I've heard the pizza place across the street is good, but there's nowhere to sit down and eat.

We almost stopped to top off on the way home from Albany and were going to go to that pizza place. I could smell the barn and wanted to get home, so I pushed on down 146 instead.

 

[HankLloydRight]

The food at Hershey's was better than we expected, though. Not just ice cream, we learned.

Glad you had a good experience there. We tried it once, and got microwaved reheated chicken sandwich which was horrid. Even the fries were bad. I may try the mexican place next time if Subway is closed or shut down.

 

[Snow Drift]

Any update on the renovations to the mall?

 

[David29]

Any update on the renovations to the mall?

It looks as if there will be a medical office opening up next year, in the end closest to the food court. But we did not wander very far from the food court and bathrooms, so we did not notice any other activity underway on renovations. Any idea what is planned?

 

[Snow Drift]

It looks as if there will be a medical office opening up next year, in the end closest to the food court. But we did not wander very far from the food court and bathrooms, so we did not notice any other activity underway on renovations. Any idea what is planned?

Auburn Mall ditches theater for medical center

In addition to the medical center, additional retail and restaurants.

 

[shadowinstallz]

I've taken the walk down to arbys or the outback steakhouse for dining. Not too bad of a walk.