Frederick Towne Mall opened in 1972 on U.S. Route 40, a part of town later known as the Golden Mile. The mall covered more than 600,000 square feet and had a partial second floor used by service tenants.
The original anchors were JCPenney, Montgomery Ward, and Eyerly's. The mall was located on the west side of Frederick, serving nearby neighborhoods and attracting shoppers from across the county.
Over time, as more reports of crime and economic changes occurred, fewer people visited the mall. Wards closed in 2001. Boscov's took over the old JCPenney in 2003. Home Depot moved into the Wards' footprint in 2004. The interior mall shut down in 2013.
Six years later, the site was renamed District 40 and began converting into an entertainment complex.
Planning and Opening of Frederick Towne Mall (1970-1975)
In 1970, developers confirmed plans for a new enclosed shopping mall on U.S. Route 40 in Frederick.
Early plans called for 350,000 to 400,000 square feet, but later changes increased the size to over 630,000 square feet.
The plan included a partially reserved second level for service providers.
Construction progressed quickly, with an intended opening date set for April 1971; however, most of the mall came online in 1972.
The mall was built on the west side of town, in an area where new retail spaces were still being added.
Montgomery Ward was named as the first anchor, planned to open in the fall of 1971.
JCPenney and Eyerly's followed, giving the property three full-line department stores before the rest of the mall opened.
Smaller stores opened nearby, including McCrory's, Peoples Drug, Thom McAn, RadioShack, Kay Jewelers, and Waldenbooks.
The layout consisted of a single indoor corridor, anchors at each end, and a large parking lot surrounding the mall.
The mall's interior featured tile floors, planters, and drop ceilings, which were standard for chain stores at the time.
On weekends, many people used the entrance by Montgomery Ward.
The bus stop along Route 40 brought in steady traffic from other parts of town.
Retail Competition and Neighborhood Shift (1976-1995)
Francis Scott Key Mall opened in 1978 on the other side of Frederick, closer to newer housing and through roads.
It brought in national chains that had not previously opened stores on the Golden Mile.
Retailers that had been steady presences at Frederick Towne Mall started considering relocation.
Some moved outright. Others opened second locations and watched which site performed better.
At the same time, nearby apartments and housing complexes around Frederick Towne Mall became denser and more affordable.
Changing conditions in the area drew new groups of shoppers to the mall, and news reports began to mention more crime incidents, including theft and parking lot break-ins.
Parents became less likely to allow their teenagers to have unsupervised visits.
By the late 1980s, some stores had reduced hours or deployed extra security staff on the floor.
The mall always retained some activity, and large national retailers such as Kay Jewelers and General Nutrition Centers stayed open.
The food court continued to have steady lunch traffic. But longtime employees and shoppers started referring to it in the past tense.
Some of the tilework near the entrance began to show signs of cracking.
On slow afternoons, the mall was so quiet that sounds seemed to travel from one end of the building to the other.
Anchor Closures and Failed Renovation Plans (1996-2011)
JCPenney closed its store at Frederick Towne Mall in 1996 and moved to the Francis Scott Key Mall.
Another anchor, Montgomery Ward shut its doors in 2001 after the chain filed for bankruptcy.
In 2003, Boscov's moved into the space vacated by JCPenney and continued to operate there.
The former Wards space was filled soon after it closed. In 2004, The Home Depot opened in its place.
The entrance to Home Depot faced outside and was not connected to the mall's interior, so it operated more like a separate store than part of the mall.
Foot traffic inside the mall continued to decline. Gentlemen's Choice, the last original tenant from 1972, left in 2005.
By that time, many storefronts were either closed or had their windows covered.
Mall management floated the idea of a full redevelopment during this period.
Plans for mixed-use redevelopment appeared in public records, but no actual building took place.
Bon-Ton and its furniture gallery were announced for closure in November 2010, with the shutdown taking place in January 2011.
Afterward, none of the mall's original anchor stores remained.
Property Sale and Rebranding as District 40 (2014-2019)
In 2014, a year after the mall interior closed, police arrested three men who had broken in by forcing a door.
The space was empty but still wired for alarms. No damage was reported beyond the entry point, and nothing was stolen.
The mall stayed sealed after that, with only Boscov's and Home Depot remaining open.
Plans for a Walmart had already stalled. In 2016, the company canceled its proposal for a 155,000-square-foot store on the site.
That same year, the owners considered a sale. In November, the mall property was listed for auction with a starting bid of $2.5 million.
The auction took place over three days in December. On February 24, 2017, the site was sold to a private investment group.
In November 2019, the new owners announced the property would be rebranded as District 40.
A press release stated that the site might feature entertainment tenants, including go-karts, bowling, a trampoline park, restaurants, and an arcade.
There was no demolition, but the planning phase went forward.
Warehouse Cinemas and New Tenants (2020-2025)
District 40 signed its first major tenant in 2020. Warehouse Cinemas opened in the former Hoyts Cinemas 10 building, which had been closed for years.
It operated as a dine-in movie theater with bar service, stadium seating, and a full renovation of the interior.
The building itself was retained, but the exterior and signs were updated.
That summer, Taj Mahal restaurant opened in the former Ground Round space, adding another occupied unit to the property.
In the years that followed, other lease was announced.
Spinners Pinball Arcade is currently under construction at District 40, occupying more than 25,000 square feet near Warehouse Cinemas.
The plans include a sensory retreat room, a space for youth programs, party rooms, and a tournament arena.
The lease was completed and announced to the public in June 2024.
Construction was still underway as of July 2025, with equipment and work on the inside visible in recent photos.
The arcade is not yet open, but it posts monthly updates.
No official opening date has been set, but comments from Spinners and local sources suggest it may open in mid-to-late 2025.
The unit is intended to serve as one of the primary draws in the entertainment-focused redevelopment.
🌻