Westfield Wheaton
Encyclopedia
Westfield Wheaton is a two-level enclosed shopping mall
in Wheaton, Maryland
. It is owned by The Westfield Group
.
and Montgomery Ward
as anchors.
It was considered to be the first regional mall in the Washington, D.C.
, area, and was the largest until Tysons Corner Center
opened in 1968. Wheaton Plaza was the site of the 1975 disappearance of the Lyon Sisters
, whose case was never solved. The mall was enclosed in 1981 and a new wing, anchored by Hecht's
, was built in 1987.
In 2005, the service tunnel beneath the mall was converted to retail space, and Macy's
opened a new store, shortly before Macy's owner Federated Department Stores
purchased Hecht's owner May Department Stores
. The Hecht's store was closed after the May-Federated merger. Temporary anchor IFL Furniture took over the Hecht's location in 2006, and closed in March 2008. DSW Shoe Warehouse opened in the mall in November 2008. In 2010, Costco
announced that it would build a new store on the site of the vacant Hecht's; the Costco is expected to open in 2013.
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in Wheaton, Maryland
Wheaton, Maryland
Wheaton is an unincorporated, urbanized area in Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, north of Washington, D.C., northwest of Silver Spring. Wheaton takes its name from Frank Wheaton , a career officer in the United States Army and volunteer from Rhode Island in the Union Army who rose to the rank of...
. It is owned by The Westfield Group
The Westfield Group
The Westfield Group is an Australian shopping centre group undertaking ownership, development, design, construction, funds/asset management, property management, leasing and marketing activities...
.
History
Wheaton Plaza opened on February 5, 1960, as a single-level, open-air mall, with Woodward & LothropWoodward & Lothrop
Woodward & Lothrop was a department store chain headquartered in Washington, D.C. Woodward & Lothrop was Washington, D.C.'s first department store, opening in 1887. Woodies, as it was often nicknamed, maintained stores in the Mid-Atlantic United States...
and Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
as anchors.
It was considered to be the first regional mall in the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, area, and was the largest until Tysons Corner Center
Tysons Corner Center
Tysons Corner Center, located in the Tysons Corner unincorporated area in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States , opened to the public in 1968, becoming one of the first fully enclosed, climate-controlled shopping centers in the Washington Metropolitan Area...
opened in 1968. Wheaton Plaza was the site of the 1975 disappearance of the Lyon Sisters
Lyon Sisters
Katherine Mary Lyon , and Sheila Mary Lyon were two sisters who disappeared without a trace during a trip to a local mall in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., in 1975. Known colloquially as The Lyon Sisters, their case resulted in one of the largest police investigations in the Washington, D.C.,...
, whose case was never solved. The mall was enclosed in 1981 and a new wing, anchored by Hecht's
Hecht's
Hecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States....
, was built in 1987.
In 2005, the service tunnel beneath the mall was converted to retail space, and Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
opened a new store, shortly before Macy's owner Federated Department Stores
Federated Department Stores
Macy's, Inc. is a department store holding company and owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores. Macy's Inc.'s stores specialize mostly in retail clothing, jewelery, watches, dinnerware, and furniture....
purchased Hecht's owner May Department Stores
May Department Stores
The May Department Stores Company was a national department store chain in the United States, founded in 1877 by David May. The company ceased to exist in 2005 when it was merged with Federated Department Stores, Inc . Prior to the merger it was headquartered in Downtown St. Louis, Missouri...
. The Hecht's store was closed after the May-Federated merger. Temporary anchor IFL Furniture took over the Hecht's location in 2006, and closed in March 2008. DSW Shoe Warehouse opened in the mall in November 2008. In 2010, Costco
Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
announced that it would build a new store on the site of the vacant Hecht's; the Costco is expected to open in 2013.
Further reading
- "It's Wheaton's Turn Now; 40 Years Past Its Prime, Downtown Is Set to Catch Up With Silver Spring," The Washington Post, May 24, 2003