Dulles Town Center
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedDulles Town Center is a two-level enclosed regional shopping mall in Sterling, Virginia, serving the wider Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Dulles Town Center is a large enclosed shopping mall in Sterling, Loudoun County, Virginia, approximately five miles north of Washington Dulles International Airport. With about 1.4 million square feet of gross leasable area, it is the only enclosed shopping center in Loudoun County and functions as a regional retail and entertainment destination rather than a narrowly defined single-store brand. Its customer catchment extends across Loudoun, Fairfax, Clarke, and Frederick counties in Virginia and into Jefferson County, West Virginia. The project originated in the late 1980s, when Loudoun County approved the jurisdiction's first regional mall. Lerner Enterprises and Cigna were associated with the original development venture, and the project was initially proposed under the name Windmill Regional Shopping Center. Economic conditions and development delays postponed construction for several years. Building work eventually began in 1996, and the first phase opened in November 1998 with Hecht's and Lord & Taylor as its initial department-store anchors. JCPenney and Sears followed in 1999, and the formal grand opening took place in August of that year. The mall expanded in 2002 with a new wing anchored by Nordstrom and connected by a two-level retail corridor. Other additions and redevelopments broadened the property beyond traditional department-store shopping. LA Fitness occupied part of a former anchor-pad site in 2004, Dick's Sporting Goods took the remainder in 2006, and a Regal Cinemas multiplex later replaced an office building attached to the Sears wing. Hecht's was converted to Macy's in 2006 following the acquisition of May Department Stores. Like many U.S. regional malls, Dulles Town Center experienced anchor turnover during the 2010s and 2020s. Nordstrom announced its departure in 2017, Lord & Taylor closed its location during the chain's nationwide liquidation in 2020, and Sears announced the closure of its store in 2021. The property responded through tenant diversification, proposed mixed-use development, smaller-format occupants, discount retail, furniture, fitness, and entertainment uses. Centennial announced plans in 2020 for additional retail, a hotel, apartments, a high-end grocery tenant, and public green space; the developer later announced additional tenants in 2022. In December 2023, Virginia Property Investments acquired the mall for a reported $46 million. Subsequent plans and tenant changes emphasized adaptive reuse of former anchor spaces. Portions of the former Lord & Taylor and Sears buildings were subdivided for new occupants, including furniture, discount retail, billiards and bowling, and trampoline-park concepts. A planned DTC Expo & Event Center is intended to convert a substantial portion of former anchor space into a venue for trade shows, exhibitions, conventions, concerts, corporate events, and community gatherings. Patrick's Elegant Living also announced plans to occupy space formerly used by Nordstrom. These changes position Dulles Town Center as a mixed retail, dining, leisure, and event destination while it continues to operate as an enclosed shopping mall.
History
Dulles Town Center was conceived as Loudoun County's first regional enclosed shopping mall. County officials approved the project in December 1987, with Lerner Enterprises and Cigna connected to the original development venture. The proposed name was Windmill Regional Shopping Center, but the project was renamed Dulles Town Center the following year. A nationwide recession delayed progress, preventing the originally anticipated construction schedule and 1996 opening. Construction ultimately began in 1996, with completion initially expected in spring 1998. Further delays moved the opening to November 1998. Hecht's and Lord & Taylor became the first anchor stores and opened on November 18, 1998. JCPenney and Sears followed in late spring 1999, and the mall held its official grand opening on August 12, 1999. The completed property became a major retail center for the rapidly growing Northern Virginia suburbs around Washington Dulles International Airport. A significant expansion arrived in 2002, adding Nordstrom as an anchor and creating a two-level access corridor containing additional stores. Plans for an Edwards Cinema on an adjoining vacant anchor pad did not develop as originally proposed. Instead, LA Fitness opened on part of the site in 2004 and Dick's Sporting Goods opened on the remainder in 2006. An office structure connected to the Sears wing was later removed and replaced by a Regal Cinemas multiplex. In 2006, Hecht's was rebranded as Macy's after the acquisition of May Department Stores. The mall's later history reflects the restructuring of the traditional department-store sector. Nordstrom announced its departure in June 2017. Lord & Taylor was included in the chain's nationwide store closures announced in 2020, during the economic disruption associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Sears announced the closure of its anchor in February 2021. These departures left substantial spaces requiring new uses and encouraged a shift toward flexible subdivision, entertainment, furniture, discount retail, and event-oriented occupancy. Centennial, the mall development firm, announced a broad redevelopment concept in November 2020. The proposal included new retail, a hotel, apartments, a premium grocery retailer, and green space. In November 2022, Centennial reported nine new tenants, including seasonal pop-up operators. In December 2023, Virginia Property Investments purchased the property for a reported $46 million. After the acquisition, former anchor spaces were progressively divided and repositioned. Campos Furniture occupied the upper level of the former Lord & Taylor building in 2023, while Black Friday Daily Deals opened on the lower level in 2024. LA Fitness closed its anchor location in October 2024. The former Sears building was prepared for entertainment uses, including 810 Billiards & Bowling on the lower level in 2025 and Sky Zone Trampoline Park on the upper level in 2026. Campos Furniture later announced its closure, and the planned DTC Expo & Event Center was announced for the former furniture and discount-retail areas. The proposed two-story, approximately 120,000-square-foot venue is intended for trade shows, exhibitions, conventions, concerts, corporate functions, and community events, with an expected opening in the second quarter of 2026. Patrick's Elegant Living also announced plans to begin using the former Nordstrom space for furniture retail, with a longer-term plan to expand across both floors.
- 2023
Property sold to Virginia Property Investments
[1]Virginia Property Investments acquired the mall for a reported $46 million.
- 2017
Nordstrom announces departure
[1]Nordstrom announced the closure of its Dulles Town Center store.
- 2006
Hecht's becomes Macy's
[1]The Hecht's anchor was converted to Macy's following May Department Stores' acquisition.
- 2002
Nordstrom expansion wing opens
[1]An additional wing opened with Nordstrom and a two-level retail connection.
- 1999
Grand opening completed
[1]JCPenney and Sears opened in late spring, followed by the official grand opening on August 12.
- 1998
Initial opening
[1]Hecht's and Lord & Taylor opened on November 18, establishing the mall's first anchor lineup.
- 1996
Construction begins
[1]Construction began after several years of recession-related and planning delays.
- 1988
Project renamed Dulles Town Center
[1]The development abandoned its proposed Windmill Regional Shopping Center name and adopted Dulles Town Center.
- 1987
Regional mall approved
[1]Loudoun County approved the first regional shopping mall proposed for the jurisdiction, associated with Lerner Enterprises and Cigna.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping, dining, entertainment, and community-events destination serving Northern Virginia and nearby West Virginia markets.
Department store · 2006
Macy's
Macy's is the successor to the mall's original Hecht's anchor. It provides broad department-store merchandise, including apparel, accessories, beauty products, home goods, and seasonal offerings.
Department store · 1999
JCPenney
JCPenney has been an anchor tenant since the mall's opening period in 1999. Its assortment traditionally spans family apparel, footwear, beauty, home products, and related services.
Sporting goods · 2006
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods occupies part of a former anchor-pad site and adds sporting equipment, athletic apparel, footwear, and outdoor products to the mall's tenant mix.
Events and entertainment · 2026
DTC Expo & Event Center
The planned DTC Expo & Event Center is intended as a large, two-story venue for trade shows, exhibitions, conventions, concerts, corporate functions, and community gatherings. It represents a proposed conversion of former anchor-space areas into an events-oriented use.
Entertainment · 2025
810 Billiards & Bowling
810 Billiards & Bowling occupies the lower level of the former Sears anchor and adds recreational entertainment, including billiards and bowling, to the mall's repositioned tenant mix.
Family entertainment · 2026
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Sky Zone Trampoline Park is planned for the upper level of the former Sears building, extending the mall's strategy of using former department-store space for active and family-oriented entertainment.
Controversies
2023
Shooting during a social-media prank
On April 2, 2023, content creator Tanner Cook was shot in the stomach while recording a prank video at Dulles Town Center for the Classified Goons channel. The accused shooter, Alan Colie, was arrested and later found not guilty of aggravated malicious wounding.
Brand decisions
2023
Acquisition by Virginia Property InvestmentsM&ABackground
Dulles Town Center had experienced major anchor departures and required repositioning of large vacant spaces.
Action taken
Virginia Property Investments purchased the mall in December 2023.
Aftermath
Later plans emphasized subdividing former anchor buildings and adding furniture, discount retail, recreation, and event uses.
Purchase price. $46 million (December 2023 acquisition)
2020
Proposed mixed-use redevelopmentStrategyBackground
The mall faced the broader structural pressures affecting enclosed shopping centers and needed new uses to complement conventional retail.
Action taken
Centennial announced a concept involving additional retail, a hotel, apartments, a high-end grocery retailer, and green space.
Aftermath
The property subsequently pursued tenant diversification and the reuse of former anchor spaces, although the source does not establish that every element of the original concept was completed.
Sources2 sources
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