The Business of Building Washington Square Mall
On May 3, 1972, Winmar Pacific, Inc. announced plans for what would soon be the largest shopping mall in Oregon.
The Seattle-based developer, which was acquired by Safeco Insurance in 1967, laid out a bold vision: 130 acres dedicated to retail, with 1,000,000 sq ft of shopping space in an L-shaped design.
The project took shape along Oregon Route 217 in an unincorporated area between Tigard and Beaverton known as Progress.
At the time, the land sat outside any city limits, making future annexation a certainty.
The first retail activity at Washington Square was Meier & Frank, which opened on August 16, 1973.
The department store, a fixture in the Pacific Northwest since 1857, took on a prime anchor position.
In November, Sears and Lipman’s followed, expanding the retail footprint just before the holiday shopping season.
By the summer of 1974, two more major names—Liberty House and Nordstrom—had launched their stores, filling out the first phase of the mall.
The official grand opening took place on February 21, 1974.
With a mix of national chains and local retailers, the mall brought a new kind of commercial hub to the Portland metro area.
Washington Square’s location played a big role in its early growth.
The mall, located between Beaverton and Tigard, benefits from easy freeway access, making it a convenient stop for shoppers across Washington County.
As the Portland suburbs expanded, the demand for major retail spaces like this one grew even more.
With the rise of suburban shopping centers, the concept of things to do in Tigard, OR, changed dramatically—Washington Square was now a central part of the city’s commercial identity.
Retail Shifts and Corporate Expansion
In April 1978, Liberty House, which had occupied space on the mall’s north side, was taken over by Frederick & Nelson (F&N).
This change was part of a larger shakeup—one that would continue over the next few years.
In 1979, F&N acquired Lipman’s and decided to relocate to the mall.
The newly merged retailer moved from the space it had occupied for only a year to the larger footprint left behind by Lipman’s on the west side of the mall.
With that transition, another brand stepped in to fill the gap.
Mervyn’s, a California-based department store, took over the vacated Liberty House space and opened its 80,000-square-foot store in October of that year.
The 1980s brought more than just new retailers—it also triggered a legal battle over the land itself.
In 1986, the cities of Beaverton, Tigard, and Portland all fought to annex the unincorporated area where Washington Square sat.
The mall’s growing economic power made it a prime target for municipal expansion.
In the end, Tigard won the dispute, incorporating Washington Square along with nearby properties, including Lincoln Center and the Embassy Suites Hotel.
That decision gave the city direct control over future development and tax revenue from the mall.
Retailer turnover continued into the early 1990s. After struggling with declining sales, Frederick & Nelson declared bankruptcy, closing its Washington Square location in January 1991.
The vacant space didn’t sit empty for long—Nordstrom stepped in, demolishing the old F&N store and constructing a larger, more modern replacement.
The new Nordstrom opened in 1994, offering a fresh shopping experience and reinforcing the mall’s reputation as a fashion destination.
At the same time, the former Nordstrom space was repurposed for new retail shops and a food court, further expanding the mall’s appeal.
By the mid-1990s, Washington Square had solidified its status as one of the highest-performing malls in the country.
Its sales per square foot ranked in the top 10% of malls nationwide, drawing attention from investors and retailers seeking strong market placement.
New Owners, Bigger Investments
In December 1998, Washington Square changed hands.
Safeco, the Seattle-based insurance company that had controlled the property for decades, sold the mall to a partnership between The Macerich Company and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP).
At the time, Washington Square was one of the most productive malls on the West Coast, with sales approaching $500 per square foot.
The new owners had big plans to keep that momentum going. Macerich, a real estate investment trust (REIT), took over management and set out to modernize the property.
A major expansion project kicked off in 2005, adding 100,000 square feet of retail space.
This addition brought in 30 new stores, including Sephora, The Cheesecake Factory, Williams Sonoma, and Godiva Chocolatier.
The expansion also introduced two new parking structures, making room for more shoppers as the mall’s popularity continued to grow.
Not every store kept up with the changes. Mervyn’s, which had occupied a key spot in the mall since 1979, closed in November 2005.
The company had been struggling nationwide, and its Washington Square location was no exception.
Instead of letting the space sit idle, the mall took ownership of the property and revamped it.
After extensive renovations, Dick’s Sporting Goods opened there in March 2008, bringing an entirely different kind of retail experience to the mix.
In February 2011, Swedish fashion retailer H&M opened a store at Washington Square, marking its second location in Oregon.
The mall continued to attract international names and high-traffic retailers, maintaining its dominant position in the regional shopping scene.
Even as new stores arrived, longtime tenants faced industry-wide challenges.
In 2015, Sears Holdings spun off 235 of its properties—including the Sears store at Washington Square—into a real estate investment trust called Seritage Growth Properties.
The move signaled financial troubles for the brand, and by October 2018, Sears announced it would close its Washington Square location as part of its nationwide bankruptcy filing.
Retail Layout and Shopping Experience
Washington Square has four anchors: Macy’s, JCPenney, Nordstrom, and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
It also features more than 170 specialty shops and restaurants, offering a mix of high-end brands, mid-tier retailers, and everyday essentials.
Most of the shopping complex sits on a single level, making it easy to navigate.
However, some sections extend beyond that. The anchor stores have multiple floors, and the food court is located on the second level.
The 2005 expansion was even built with the possibility of adding a second story in the future.
Some stores are housed in an adjacent outdoor plaza called “Square Too,” which adds to the mall’s footprint.
Beyond retail, Washington Square provides amenities that cater to both locals and visitors.
Parking remains a priority, with 6,700 spaces spread across surface lots and multi-level garages.
TriMet operates the Washington Square Transit Center, making public transportation an option for those who prefer to skip the hassle of parking.
Inside, the mall offers seating areas, a children’s play zone, and a variety of food options, ranging from fast casual to sit-down dining.
The combination of retail, dining, and accessibility helps Washington Square maintain steady foot traffic year-round.
In January 2025, new plans emerged to redevelop the long-vacant Sears space, which closed in 2018.
The new development will feature Dick’s House of Sports, a concept store offering interactive activities like climbing walls and batting cages.
Additionally, future phases include constructing a five-story hotel and residential units on the former Sears auto shop site.