Deal-Making and Dirt Work — How Potomac Mills Was Built to Sell
Before there were parking lots and anchor stores, the land off Interstate 95 between Woodbridge and Dale City, Virginia, was mostly fields and trees.
A few houses and some businesses stood near the highway—nothing big. But in 1984, that started to change. Herbert S. Miller, head of Western Development Corporation, had an idea.
He wanted to build something different: a shopping center that combined the buzz of a regional mall with the savings of outlet stores.
The working name was “Washington Outlet Mall.” It wasn’t going to be enclosed at first.
That part came later when the concept shifted toward keeping customers inside longer.
To make it happen, Miller’s team needed approval to rezone 130 acres.
They went to the Prince William Board of Supervisors on February 21, 1984. What held things up wasn’t the size of the mall—it was the sign.
A 140-foot illuminated billboard, 1,260 square feet wide, designed to pull drivers off the interstate.
Some people hated it. Arguments dragged on until the board gave the green light.
Construction moved quickly. Potomac Mills officially opened on September 19, 1985. The first phase, which took up about 650,000 square feet, is now known as neighborhoods 1 and 2.
The site had space for over 5,500 cars. That fall, visitors shopped at early tenants like IKEA, Sears Outlet, and Cohoes Fashions.
They were chasing factory prices in a space that looked more like a modern mall than a warehouse district.
By the early ’90s, Potomac Mills had turned Woodbridge into a shopping destination—one that still appears on lists of things to do near Washington, D.C.
Square Footage and Storefronts — The Growth Spurt Years
By the time shoppers settled into the first wave of outlets at Potomac Mills, expansion was already on the table.
The second phase opened in 1986—less than a year after the grand opening. This new section brought the total retail space to over 1.2 million square feet.
It included a movie theater, which would eventually become the AMC Potomac Mills 18, and enough retail frontage to stretch across multiple city blocks.
The third phase, which added another 400,000 square feet, began in 1993. Marshalls, JCPenney Outlet, and Burlington Coat Factory took anchor spots.
Waccamaw Pottery also filled a large footprint. Each of these names brought in price-conscious customers and bulk buyers, people looking for deals on everything from cookware to coats.
The goal was clear: more stores, more shoppers, longer visits.
Some tenants didn’t last. Cohoes Fashions was out by 1987—its space went to Woodward & Lothrop, which opened an outlet store.
Others, like IKEA, thrived. That store got so busy it had to move into a separate building nearby. At the time, it was one of IKEA’s earliest U.S. locations.
Real estate developers kept pace with demand. Parking lots widened, access roads adjusted, and new signage went up along I-95 to attract traffic from outside.
The mall was becoming known across the region, especially among tourists looking for outlet savings without heading to New Jersey or Pennsylvania.
By the end of the ’90s, Potomac Mills had changed how people thought about suburban shopping.
It wasn’t a strip mall. It wasn’t a department store hub.
It was a hybrid—part outlet, part mall, part entertainment zone—with leases held by national chains looking to anchor their discount strategy in Northern Virginia.
Zones and Anchors — Inside the Mall’s Retail Design
Potomac Mills isn’t arranged like a typical shopping mall. It’s broken into five neighborhoods, each with its own cluster of tenants.
The layout follows a winding corridor design—there is no central atrium or traditional food court tucked in a corner.
Instead, stores line a looping path that guides visitors past both big-box outlets and smaller specialty shops.
The tenant list changes often, but some names stick around. As of 2025, major players include Nordstrom Rack, JCPenney, Costco, TJ Maxx, Marshalls & HomeGoods, and Burlington.
IKEA still draws steady traffic. There’s also a Bloomingdale’s Outlet, The Children’s Place, Camille La Vie, XXI Forever, H&M, Books-A-Million, and Nike Clearance Store.
At one end sits Round1 Bowling & Amusement—arcades, lanes, and karaoke. Right next to it, the 18-screen AMC theater still pulls weekend crowds.
The leasing strategy focuses on volume. Potomac Mills houses over 200 retailers.
Instead of filling every space with luxury brands, management focuses on high-turnover tenants—the kind of stores that move inventory fast—off-price, clearance, and direct-from-manufacturer goods.
The design reflects that. Storefronts are compact, interiors are functional, and signage is built for quick scanning.
Shoppers aren’t here for window displays—they’re here to buy.
Food vendors line high-traffic zones, selling pretzels, pizza, and bubble tea. The mall doesn’t emphasize atmosphere, but it delivers on foot traffic.
Leaseholders count on it. The model works: it keeps people moving, keeps them spending, and offers enough anchor brands to get them through the door.
Wear and Repair — Operating a Mall Through Setbacks
Big malls don’t just grow—they break, bend, and get patched up again. Potomac Mills has dealt with its share of cracks.
One of the most visible problems started up high. The mall’s giant roadside sign—140 feet tall and lit like a highway beacon—ran into trouble twice.
In 2011, strong winds caused damage. The sign stayed up but needed structural work.
Then, in February 2018, a storm pushed things further. Steel supports bent, and the entire structure tilted toward I-95. Drivers noticed.
The county also took action. Officials shut down lanes while crews moved in, and the sign came down before it fell.
That wasn’t the end. In March 2019, a new version of the sign went up, this time with a different design—a lower profile with the same purpose.
Visibility still matters when you’re competing with strip centers and standalone big-box stores right off the exit.
Inside the mall, turnover picked up in the 2020s. The pandemic hit retailers hard.
Some names didn’t come back, and others never got the chance. On April 24, 2023, buybuyBaby confirmed it would close its Potomac Mills store.
The company was folding across the board. Just a few weeks later, on May 9, andThat joined the list. That one came down as part of a 10-store closure nationwide.
The mall didn’t shut down—not even close—but it flexed. Stores closed, others opened, and AMC kept showing movies. Round1 kept hosting birthday parties.
Customers kept coming, just maybe not as many, or as often, or for the same reasons.
Foot Traffic and Forecasts — What Comes Next for Potomac Mills
As of March 2025, Potomac Mills remains open seven days a week. The mall still draws crowds, though patterns have shifted.
Some come for one store, one deal, and leave. But they’re still coming.
Simon Property Group, which took over in 2007, has kept Potomac Mills on its active list.
New tenants are still signing on. Primark, the UK-based discount fashion chain, is one of them. In April 2025, it will open a 32,000-square-foot store here—its second location in Virginia.
That move is part of a bigger plan: 60 new U.S. stores by 2026. Primark’s footprint means something. It tells other retailers the traffic is still there.
This isn’t Primark’s first try in Virginia. They opened at Tysons Corner and then crossed into Maryland with Arundel Mills. Both stores pulled lines early on.
The Dale City move is different—it is anchored in an outlet setting, surrounded by discount pricing and high-volume turnover.
In early 2025, Slick City Action Park will open inside Potomac Mills, just down the corridor from Visionworks in Neighborhood 5.
This will be the brand’s first East Coast location and its fifth overall.
The pitch is simple: no water, no tubes, just high-speed indoor slides built for kids, teens, and adults who want movement without a pool.
Potomac Mills isn’t closing. It’s adjusting. It always has. Sales cycles change. Foot traffic slows, then rises again.
The names on the doors change, but the rent keeps getting paid—and the parking lot fills up, especially on Saturdays.
