The Business of Building Dulles Town Center
Dulles Town Center Mall didn’t come together overnight. The idea for Loudoun County’s first enclosed regional shopping mall took root in the late 1980s.
In December 1987, county officials approved a massive retail project originally called Windmill Regional Shopping Center.
The name didn’t stick—by the following year, the project had been renamed Dulles Town Center. This title better reflected its ambitious goal of becoming a retail and commercial hub in Northern Virginia.
Lerner Enterprises spearheaded the project in partnership with Cigna, an unusual collaboration between a real estate firm and an insurance giant.
The developers planned a two-level enclosed mall, something Loudoun County had never seen before. But turning that vision into reality wasn’t easy.
The early 1990s recession stalled large-scale retail developments across the country, and Dulles Town Center was no exception.
For several years, construction remained on hold while developers waited for the economy to stabilize.
By spring 1994, Lerner and Cigna were ready to move forward. The original plan called for a 1996 grand opening, but delays pushed construction even further.
Work finally began in 1996, with an updated target completion date of spring 1998. However, even that deadline came and went.
The first stores inside Dulles Town Center opened on November 18, 1998, when Hecht’s and Lord & Taylor became the mall’s first anchor tenants.
The entire shopping center took nearly another year to be ready. JCPenney and Sears launched in late spring 1999, and on August 12, 1999, the mall held its official grand opening.
At 1.4 million square feet, Dulles Town Center was the largest enclosed mall in Loudoun County. Its central location—just five miles north of Washington Dulles International Airport—helped it draw visitors from a wide area.
With four major department stores and dozens of national retailers, it quickly became a key shopping destination.
Though it took more than a decade from concept to completion, Dulles Town Center marked a turning point in the county’s retail landscape.
Its opening gave Loudoun shoppers their major mall, reducing the need to travel to Tysons Corner Center or Fair Oaks Mall.
However, retail trends have changed over the years, bringing both expansion and challenges to the mall’s future.
Growth and Retail Expansion
By the early 2000s, retailers saw the potential, and expansion plans started taking shape.
The first major addition came in 2002 when Nordstrom joined as a fifth anchor store. This expansion included a new wing featuring a two-level corridor with a mix of specialty stores.
The upscale department store attracted a different kind of shopper—one who was looking for luxury brands and high-end service.
Around the same time, an Edwards Cinema was proposed for the mall’s adjoining area, though that plan never materialized.
Instead, LA Fitness later took its place, giving the shopping center its first major fitness tenant.
Retailers weren’t the only ones making changes. An office building was added near the Sears wing, signaling a push for more mixed-use development.
That space was eventually demolished to make way for a Regal Cinemas multiplex, which brought entertainment options directly inside the mall.
Meanwhile, Dick’s Sporting Goods relocated within the center, further adjusting the mix of stores to keep up with shifting consumer trends.
Dining was also a major focus. The mall’s large food court—located on the upper level—offered a variety of quick-service options.
Outside the main building, several pad sites attracted national restaurant chains, providing more sit-down dining choices.
One of the biggest draws became The Cheesecake Factory, which opened at the front entrance, setting itself apart from the fast-casual options inside.
By the mid-2000s, Dulles Town Center had carved out its place in the region’s retail landscape.
The mall wasn’t just a shopping spot—it had become a full-scale commercial hub, drawing people from Fairfax, Clarke, and Frederick counties, as well as Jefferson County, West Virginia.
The next challenge would be keeping up with a changing retail market.
Retail Challenges and Anchor Closures
Change came quickly in the 2010s, and Dulles Town Center felt the effects.
Department stores, once the backbone of enclosed malls, faced growing competition from online retailers. Foot traffic declined, and stores started to rethink their brick-and-mortar strategies.
The first major loss came on June 30, 2017, when Nordstrom announced it was closing its location.
The upscale retailer had been part of the mall for 15 years, but shifting consumer habits made the store less viable. This left a major vacancy in one of the mall’s largest spaces.
Retail struggles intensified in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated store closures across the country.
That August, Lord & Taylor announced it would shut down all locations nationwide, including the Dulles Town Center store that had been there since 1998.
Less than a year later, on February 2, 2021, Sears confirmed it would also close permanently. The loss of three major anchors in less than four years put pressure on the mall to find new ways to attract shoppers.
In response, the mall’s ownership began adjusting its leasing strategy. Instead of replacing department stores with similar retailers, they started bringing in entertainment and non-traditional tenants.
At the same time, smaller stores and temporary holiday pop-ups were introduced to keep vacant spaces from sitting empty.
New Ownership and Redevelopment Plans
In November 2020, Centennial, a commercial real estate firm specializing in mall redevelopment, announced plans to transform the property.
Their vision included adding residential units, a hotel, a high-end grocery store, new retail space, and green areas.
The goal was to move away from a traditional mall format and create a mixed-use development that could attract shoppers, residents, and visitors.
In November 2022, Centennial introduced nine new tenants, including a mix of permanent and temporary pop-up retailers.
While some businesses occupied smaller storefronts, others took over former anchor spaces. Meanwhile, discussions about the mall’s long-term future continued.
In December 2023, the property changed hands when Virginia Property Investments, led by Srinivas Chavali, purchased Dulles Town Center for $46 million.
This sale marked a new chapter for the mall, shifting ownership from Centennial to a local firm with interests in real estate development.
New Tenants and Shifting Retail Trends
By 2024, Dulles Town Center had started bringing in non-traditional tenants to fill former anchor store spaces.
The most noticeable additions included entertainment venues, discount retail, and furniture showrooms, moving away from the mall’s original department store model.
810 Billiards & Bowling: Announced in early 2024, this entertainment complex took over a large portion of the former Sears space.
The venue, expected to open in early 2025, includes bowling lanes, axe-throwing, virtual golf, billiards, an arcade, laser tag, and a restaurant.
Sky Zone: Located directly above 810 Billiards & Bowling, this trampoline park will become one of the largest in the country. It replaces another section of the former Sears space, adding an active entertainment option to the mall.
Black Friday Daily Deals: This store, opened on December 1, 2024, is in a smaller storefront. It offers discounted items in a bin-style shopping format, with prices dropping each day until inventory is replenished.
Campos Furniture: In December 2023, Campos Furniture opened on the upper level of the former Lord & Taylor space. It sells living room sets, mattresses, and home décor.
As 2025 begins, the mall stands at a crossroads, balancing redevelopment efforts with the need to maintain a steady stream of tenants and visitors.
While the shift toward entertainment and non-traditional retail is clear, the full impact of these changes remains to be seen.
we’re regulars there and have seen the changes over the years, good to see that it’s holding up, with the new venues. Looking forward to the new ‘Billiard& Bowling ‘.
Seeing the mall adapt and introduce attractions like ‘Billiard & Bowling’ is promising. It should provide more entertainment choices for visitors. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Loudoun County Virtually killed this mall by making Data Centers built on the open land facing RT 28 they should have Zoned residential and built luxury Apartments or Town Houses like one Loudoun so that Dulles Town Center could get Busy and become a success. But it seems they are sold out to Data Centers only.
Balancing commercial and residential zoning can significantly impact local businesses. Thank you for sharing your perspective. Perhaps there’s still an opportunity for such developments in the future.