Concord Mall in Wilmington, DE, Has Changed — See How

Location, Layout, and Leasing Power

Concord Mall sits just north of Wilmington, Delaware, in the unincorporated area known as Brandywine Hundred.

It’s one mile south of the Pennsylvania state line, wedged between dense suburbs and a highway strip of big-box stores.

Drivers heading down U.S. Route 202 see the mall’s marquee on the right—Macy’s, Boscov’s, H&M. The signs are the same, but the landscape has shifted.

This part of the Concord Pike corridor draws out-of-state shoppers. Delaware doesn’t charge sales tax, and that’s always been part of the pitch.

You’ll see Pennsylvania plates in the parking lot. Sometimes, New Jersey, too.

The location has helped the mall outlast others its size.

The structure itself covers more than 800,000 square feet. That number once meant something different. In the 1990s, 95 stores filled the property.

Foot traffic was strong, and leasing was competitive. As of early 2025, around 40 tenants were still open.

A few big names remain—Macy’s occupies 150,000 square feet, and Boscov’s is slightly larger at 175,000.

There’s a 52,000-square-foot Macy’s Home and a 20,000-square-foot H&M near the front entrance.

The old Sears building—175,000 square feet—has been empty since April 2020.

The dining options have remained the same. Chick-fil-A, Auntie Anne’s, China Express, and Cafe Riviera all operate in the food court.

Cafe Riviera nearly closed in 2020 but stayed after a lease dispute with the new landlord, Namdar Realty Group.

Namdar took over in January of that year after Allied Properties sold the property.

The adjacent strip mall is outside the main building and houses Sprouts Farmers Market, Best Buy, and Ulta Beauty.

These stores weren’t part of the original plan, but they’ve helped fill some gaps.

For visitors looking for things to do in Wilmington, Delaware, Concord Mall still makes the list—though it’s a shorter list now.

Groundbreaking to Grand Opening — The Retail Rollout (1965–1969)

The plans started in 1963. Developers wanted to call it Devonshire Square.

They were unsure if it would be an open-air plaza or something enclosed. That version never broke ground, but the idea didn’t go away.

By 1965, Allied Stores introduced a new concept. They built a 120,000-square-foot Almart, a standalone discount store with a restaurant called the Fife and Drum.

It opened on March 17, 1966. The building had hand-painted murals. At the time, it stood alone on 57 acres of empty land.

In March 1968, the Rubenstein Company began construction on an enclosed mall that would connect to Almart.

Evantash and Friedman, an architecture firm based in Philadelphia, designed the mall, which would cover 157,000 square feet and hold 29 stores.

Next door, a strip shopping center with a Pathmark and a movie theater was planned. The total cost was $950,000.

The grand opening came on March 11, 1969. The News Journal called it the first enclosed mall in New Castle County.

Traffic outside on Route 202 was already heavy. Local papers mentioned the added congestion and the lack of public transit.

On day one, there were 25 stores and two restaurants. Inside, there were fountains, benches, and even live shrubs.

Woolworth had the largest footprint—30,000 square feet—and ran a Harvest House restaurant in the back.

Other opening tenants included Thrift Drug and Kennard’s.

The mall’s interior centerpiece was a tall “summer house” with a two-faced clock.

It sat in a round planter near the center. Concord Mall offered shoppers something new: a climate-controlled, all-in-one shopping experience.

Downtown Wilmington was only six miles south, but it suddenly felt far away.

Lease Expansions and Anchor Moves (1970–1979)

The 1970s brought more than shoppers. Developers were still building. On February 11, 1970, Concord Mall Cinema opened in a separate building at the north end.

Budco Theatres ran it—850 seats, all with rocking chairs. Later that year, a 60,000-square-foot office building opened nearby. Eventually, it connected to the mall through a side corridor.

By late 1971, the Rubenstein Company announced a major expansion. A new wing would double the mall’s length.

At the end of the new corridor, a two-level Pomeroy’s would open, stretching 180,000 square feet.

Construction added 35 smaller stores and a new court with a fountain. Waldenbooks, Spencer Gifts, GNC, and Friendly’s Restaurant were part of the new lineup.

This phase brought the mall’s leasable area up to 650,000 square feet.

The Pomeroy’s opened on October 6, 1972. It was a traditional department store—much different from Almart, though Allied Stores owned both.

The location had a candy counter and an on-site restaurant. At the time, it was the largest store in Delaware.

By 1974, Concord Mall had 70 tenants. Pennsylvania shoppers came across the state line in droves.

Delaware didn’t have sales tax or Sunday retail restrictions. Those blue laws still applied in Pennsylvania, so people drove south for weekend errands.

The retail climate changed fast, and the mall was in the right spot to benefit. No other enclosed malls existed in the area yet, and traffic along Route 202 kept climbing.

For years, the mall stayed busy without needing major reinvention.

Turnover, Renovations, and Real Estate Shifts (1980–1989)

By 1980, anchor stores started to change hands. Allied Stores had sold Almart to Montgomery Ward a year earlier.

At Concord Mall, the Almart was converted into Jefferson Ward, a newer discount chain under the Ward umbrella.

The renovation wrapped in mid-1981. At the same time, Budco turned the cinema into a twin-screen layout to keep up with demand. Strawbridge & Clothier came in two years later.

In April 1982, they announced plans for a new location—right in front of the mall’s center entrance, cutting into the front parking lot and facing U.S. 202.

The construction pushed out Kennard’s, a local department store that had been there since opening day.

The dispute went public. Kennard’s said it tried to downsize, but the mall wouldn’t negotiate. The developer, Mark Rubenstein, said bluntly: “We’d like them out.”

The new Strawbridge’s opened on August 11, 1983. It cost $10 million to build and covered 150,000 square feet.

The Baltimore firm RTKL designed it with floor-to-ceiling glass, making the most of natural light. It didn’t look like anything else at the mall.

In 1984, the Rubenstein Company sold the entire property to JMB Realty of Chicago for $31.6 million.

The following year, Jefferson Ward was absorbed into Bradlees. That store kept the same footprint and opened in early 1986.

Pomeroy’s closed in January 1987. That fall, Boscov’s picked up the space and fully renovated it, making Concord their second store in Delaware.

That same year, JMB floated a plan to add a second floor. It would’ve included a food court, but they pulled back.

By 1988, instead of building up, the owners proposed an interior remodel. Even that fell through.

Bradlees’ parent company announced in 1988 that it was leaving the region. By mid-1989, the Concord location had closed.

Leasing Obstacles and Design Changes (1990–1999)

In early 1990, Sears made a move. The company announced it would leave downtown Wilmington and build a new store at Concord Mall.

They planned to demolish the former Bradlees and start from scratch. The final layout would cover 175,000 square feet over two floors.

JMB saw the moment as a chance to expand. Their proposal called for a second floor, two new anchors, and four parking garages.

State police raised concerns—especially about safety inside the garages. Neighbors worried about traffic and lighting. The planning department rejected the application five times, starting in August 1991.

One version widened the buffer between the mall and nearby homes. It still didn’t pass.

Even without the second floor, the new Sears opened on September 22, 1992.

Cope Linder Associates of Philadelphia handled the design. The $10 million building stood 43 feet tall to allow for future expansion.

The interior followed a newer Sears prototype—open, bright, and built for flexibility.

In 1993, the mall became the first in Delaware to ban smoking indoors. Student volunteers handed out gum and flyers to shoppers caught with cigarettes.

JMB moved ahead with a $10 million renovation in early 1994. Cope Linder designed this, too. Skylights, glass ceilings, marble floors, and redesigned entrances were installed.

A new fountain and clock tower enhanced the center court. By that holiday season, the mall had 96 stores.

In 1995, Strawbridge’s opened a Home Furnishings store in the old office building.

The layout featured a three-story atrium. Designers kept the style consistent with the rest of the renovation.

Woolworth’s tested a new layout in 1996, with brighter lights and wider aisles. They also dropped slow-selling items and removed the restaurant.

However, it wasn’t enough. In July 1997, the chain closed all its U.S. stores.

Allied Retail Properties bought the mall in 1998 for $80 million. That fall, Barnes & Noble opened where Pathmark used to be.

AMC closed the twin-screen theater in March 1999. Their lease expired, and they didn’t renew.

Retail Mix, Real Estate Deals, and Market Stability (2000–2019)

The new millennium brought a quieter stretch for Concord Mall. After the 1994 renovation and Barnes & Noble’s arrival in 1998, the mall settled into a period of stability.

Best Buy and Ulta Beauty moved into the old AMC space in 2000, joining the strip center out front.

The interior lineup stayed mostly intact through the decade.

H&M arrived in 2002. Their 20,000-square-foot store took over most of the old Woolworth’s footprint. Fast fashion was gaining traction, and the Swedish brand brought younger shoppers into the mall.

The space sat right near the main court, visible from the central fountain installed during the last renovation.

In 2005, Federated Department Stores purchased May Department Stores, the parent of Strawbridge’s.

The merger reshaped department store ownership across the region. At Concord, the change meant rebranding.

In 2006, Strawbridge’s became Macy’s. Their separate Home Furnishings space—built in the mid-’90s—was renamed Macy’s Home.

The layouts didn’t change much, but the signage did.

By 2016, Concord Mall reported 76 occupied retail units. Nine spaces were vacant. Tenants included national chains—Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret, Foot Locker—and local names.

The food court still had a steady lineup: Auntie Anne’s, China Express, and Cafe Riviera held down the usual spots. Leasing turnover had slowed.

The first big shift came in 2019. Barnes & Noble announced it was leaving.

The store had operated for over 20 years, but the company had downsized and relocated to a smaller spot nearby at Concord Square.

The mall didn’t leave the space empty for long. Sprouts Farmers Market opened there on March 11, 2020.

Vacancy Rates, Viral Photos, and Lease Uncertainty (2020–2025)

In January 2020, Allied Properties sold Concord Mall to Namdar Realty Group. Namdar specializes in distressed retail properties—malls with aging infrastructure and falling occupancy.

The sale came as the mall’s vacancy rate hit 30%, three times higher than the national average.

Sears closed in April 2020. The store, which was 175,000 square feet, two levels, and open since 1992, was one of the largest tenants on site.

Its departure left a gap, both in square footage and foot traffic. The pandemic didn’t help.

Lockdowns and a shift to online shopping pushed more small stores out. Some shuttered quietly, and others posted farewell signs.

Cafe Riviera almost didn’t make it. The restaurant has operated inside the mall since 1981. In October 2020, owners said they were closing after talks with Namdar fell apart.

But the public response was strong. Supporters rallied on social media, and within weeks, the restaurant signed a new lease.

In 2022, an unused Burger King inside the mall went viral. A maintenance worker posted a photo online showing the dining area still intact behind a partition wall.

It had closed in 2009. Tables, menu boards, and even ketchup dispensers remained. Nothing had been touched.

Bonefish Grill lasted longer than most sit-down options. It opened in 2014 and stayed in business until February 23, 2024, when Bloomin’ Brands announced a wave of closures. The Concord location was among them.

As of early 2025, Concord Mall holds around 40 tenants. The Sears wing is still empty.

H&M and Macy’s continue to anchor the core, and the adjacent strip center—Best Buy, Ulta, Sprouts—brings in a little outside traffic.

Leasing remains uneven. Retailers come and go. Most are local or low-rent national brands. The food court still serves. But the days of full occupancy feel further away.

Crime Scenes

It was supposed to be a weekend draw. In May 2024, a traveling carnival was set up outside Concord Mall, aiming to bring families back to the property.

On Saturday night, gunfire broke out in the parking lot. Sixteen-year-old teen was shot and killed. Another teen, 17, was wounded but survived.

Police said the shooting began as a fight. The event shut down early, and the rest of the carnival was canceled.

The parking lot, once used for midnight doorbusters and back-to-school sales, was marked off with yellow tape by morning.

State troopers offered a $5,000 reward for information. By summer, the case was still open.

Mall security presence increased, but foot traffic slowed. Other planned events in the region were also canceled in the weeks that followed.

New problems surfaced inside. In September 2024, a loss prevention officer at Macy’s tried to stop a suspected shoplifter.

The woman fought back, hinted that she had a gun, and fled before police arrived.

Surveillance images were released. Investigators asked for help identifying her.

These moments didn’t make headlines beyond the region, but inside the mall, they landed hard.

In the span of five months, a fatal shooting and an armed theft reshaped how people viewed the space—and whether they still wanted to spend time there.