Towson Place

Towson Place is an open-air shopping center in Towson, Maryland, United States. The property began operations on August 23, 1962, as Eudowood Plaza, a conventional open-air mall developed by the supermarket operator Food Fair on land formerly associated with Eudowood Sanatorium. Its original anchor tenants included Food Fair, Montgomery Ward, and Woolworth. The center later added a Best Products store in 1976, including a highly distinctive building designed by the architectural and environmental design firm SITE with a large tilted masonry facade. The property changed hands and formats several times. Bramalea Limited acquired the center in 1981 and invested approximately $9 million in enclosing its concourses and repositioning it toward discount-oriented retail. During this period, the mall was renamed Towson Marketplace, and Woolworth was replaced by Marshalls. The repositioning did not fully resolve the center's leasing and visibility problems. By the middle of the 1990s, Towson Marketplace had weak occupancy, and its limited visibility from nearby Joppa Road was a continuing challenge. After ownership changed again, Talisman proposed a major demolition and redevelopment program in 1995. Most inline tenants had left by the end of that year, leaving a small group of large-format retailers. The former Best Products building was demolished in 1996 to enable construction of a Target store. During 1997 and 1998, most of the earlier mall structure was removed and replaced with a power-center layout. The redeveloped property brought in a mixture of national discount, home, apparel, sporting-goods, and specialty retailers, including PetSmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Super Fresh, Sports Authority, TJ Maxx, Michaels, and the existing Marshalls, along with Montgomery Ward and Toys "R" Us at different points in the property's evolution. The center continued to experience tenant turnover as national chains changed strategy or entered bankruptcy. Montgomery Ward left after its parent chain ceased operations in 2001. Walmart subsequently occupied the former Montgomery Ward space, retaining its unusual two-level configuration with escalators. Other changes included the replacement of Today's Man and later DSW and Filene's Basement arrangements in a two-story portion of the center. Kimco Realty acquired Towson Place in February 2004 and has managed the property since then. Towson Place's later tenant changes reflect broader shifts in American retail. Filene's Basement's former space became a Havertys furniture store in 2012. Super Fresh closed in 2012 and was replaced by Weis Markets in 2013. Sports Authority left after its 2016 bankruptcy, with Burlington taking the space in 2018. Toys "R" Us closed its United States stores on June 29, 2018, and Ollie's Bargain Outlet opened in the former Toys "R" Us location in 2019. DSW also relocated in 2019. Bed Bath & Beyond closed its Towson Place store on July 30, 2023, during the chain's nationwide liquidation. Walmart was announced for closure in March 2024 because of underperformance, with the store scheduled to close on April 5, 2024. The center remains an active multi-tenant retail property, with its tenant mix anchored by value, grocery, apparel, home, pet, and specialty retailers.

Towson Place opened on August 23, 1962, as Eudowood Plaza, an open-air shopping center built on land previously associated with Eudowood Sanatorium. Food Fair developed the center and operated one of its principal anchor stores. Montgomery Ward and Woolworth were also original anchors, giving the property a mix of supermarket, department-store, and variety-store retail. In 1976, Best Products joined the center. Its building was notable for a dramatic tilted masonry facade created as part of SITE's experimental design work for the retailer. In 1981, Bramalea Limited acquired Eudowood Plaza and invested approximately $9 million in enclosing its concourses and repositioning the property around discount retail. The project coincided with the change of name to Towson Marketplace; Woolworth was replaced by Marshalls. The enclosed-mall format failed to produce sustained leasing strength. During the 1990s, the property had poor occupancy and limited visibility from Joppa Road. Bramalea sold the center in 1991, and by December 1995 it was controlled by Talisman. Talisman proposed removing most of the existing structure. By the end of 1995, nearly all inline tenants had departed, leaving Marshalls, Toys "R" Us, Montgomery Ward, Best Products, and Herman's World of Sporting Goods. Best Products was demolished in 1996 to make room for Target. Between 1997 and 1998, most of the prior mall was demolished and the site was rebuilt as a power center. The new format included PetSmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Super Fresh, Sports Authority, TJ Maxx, and Michaels, together with several existing or incoming large-format stores. This redevelopment created the physical and commercial basis for the modern Towson Place identity. Montgomery Ward closed in 2001 when the chain ceased operations. Its former space was later occupied by Walmart, which retained a two-story layout and escalators inherited from the department-store configuration. A separate two-story section changed tenants repeatedly: Today's Man occupied the lower level and DSW the upper level; after Today's Man closed, DSW moved downstairs in 2004 and Filene's Basement opened upstairs as its first Maryland location. Kimco Realty bought Towson Place in February 2004 and became the property's manager. Subsequent tenant changes followed national retail failures and repositioning. Filene's Basement closed and was replaced by Havertys in 2012. Super Fresh closed in 2012, with Weis Markets entering the space in 2013. Sports Authority departed after its bankruptcy in 2016, and Burlington replaced it in 2018. The center continued to adapt after the collapse of major chains. Toys "R" Us closed its United States stores, including its Towson Place location, on June 29, 2018. Ollie's Bargain Outlet opened in that space in 2019, while DSW also relocated that year. Bed Bath & Beyond closed its store on July 30, 2023, as part of the retailer's nationwide bankruptcy-related liquidation. Walmart's closure was announced on March 6, 2024, with the store scheduled to cease operations on April 5 because of underperformance. Towson Place remains an active open-air retail center whose tenant base emphasizes value retail, grocery, home goods, furniture, apparel, pet supplies, and specialty merchandise.

• 2024

  Walmart closure is announced

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Walmart announced on March 6 that its Towson Place store would close on April 5 because of underperformance.

• 2023

  Bed Bath & Beyond closes

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  The Bed Bath & Beyond store closed on July 30 during the retailer's nationwide bankruptcy-related liquidation.

• 2019

  Ollie's Bargain Outlet opens

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Ollie's Bargain Outlet entered the former Toys R Us space after the toy retailer's 2018 closure.

• 2018

  Burlington replaces Sports Authority

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Burlington opened in the former Sports Authority location.

• 2016

  Sports Authority exits

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Sports Authority closed after its bankruptcy, creating space later occupied by Burlington.

• 2013

  Weis Markets replaces Super Fresh

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Following Super Fresh's 2012 departure, Weis Markets opened in the space a year later.

• 2012

  Havertys replaces Filene's Basement

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Filene's Basement closed and its former space was subsequently occupied by Havertys.

• 2004

  Kimco Realty acquires the property

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Kimco Realty purchased Towson Place in February and has managed the center since the acquisition.

• 2001

  Montgomery Ward closes

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Montgomery Ward vacated its location after the retail chain went out of business.

• 1998

  Power-center redevelopment is completed

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Most of the former mall was demolished and replaced with a large-format retail layout associated with the Towson Place identity.

• 1996

  Best Products building is demolished for Target

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  The former Best Products structure was removed to allow construction of a Target store.

• 1981

  Bramalea renovates and renames the center

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  After acquiring the property, Bramalea invested approximately $9 million to enclose the concourses and reposition the mall as Towson Marketplace.

• 1976

  Best Products is added

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Best Products joined the center in a building later noted for its unusual SITE-designed tilted masonry facade.

• 1962

  Eudowood Plaza opens

  [1]Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org

  The original open-air shopping center opened on August 23 with Food Fair, Montgomery Ward, and Woolworth as principal anchors.

A value-oriented, open-air power center serving Towson and surrounding Baltimore County communities through a concentration of national discount, grocery, home-furnishing, apparel, pet, and specialty retailers.

• Shopping center · 1962

  Retail shopping center

  Towson Place is a large-format open-air retail property rather than a manufacturer of products. Its tenant mix has included national retailers selling groceries, discount general merchandise, apparel, furniture, household goods, pet supplies, arts and crafts products, and other specialty categories. Major named tenants include Target, Weis Markets, Marshalls, Burlington, Ollie's Bargain Outlet, PetSmart, Michaels, TJ Maxx, and Havertys.

• 2024

  Walmart closureOther

  Background

  Walmart determined that the Towson Place store was underperforming.

  Action taken

  The company announced on March 6, 2024, that the store would close on April 5.

  Aftermath

  The closure ended Walmart's tenancy in the former Montgomery Ward space; a replacement is not identified in the supplied reference.

  Source

• 2023

  Bed Bath & Beyond tenant exitOther

  Background

  Bed Bath & Beyond announced a nationwide store-closing program during its bankruptcy proceedings.

  Action taken

  The Towson Place store closed on July 30, 2023.

  Aftermath

  The closure removed a major home-goods tenant from the center; a replacement is not identified in the supplied reference.

  Source

• 2018

  Replacement of Sports Authority with BurlingtonOther

  Background

  Sports Authority closed its Towson Place store after the chain entered bankruptcy.

  Action taken

  Burlington took over the former Sports Authority location in 2018.

  Aftermath

  The change preserved a value-oriented large-format retail use at the center.

  Source

• 2004

  Kimco Realty acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Towson Place had passed through several owners following the unsuccessful enclosed-mall repositioning.

  Action taken

  Kimco Realty purchased the center in February 2004 and assumed its management.

  Aftermath

  Kimco Realty became the continuing manager and owner identified with the property's later operations.

  Source

• 1998

  Conversion from enclosed mall to power centerStrategy

  Background

  The enclosed Towson Marketplace had poor tenancy and limited visibility from nearby Joppa Road.

  Action taken

  Most of the existing structure was demolished and replaced with a power-center format featuring large-format retailers.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment established the current Towson Place format and attracted retailers across discount, grocery, home, apparel, pet, and specialty categories.

  Source

• 1981

  Enclosure and discount-retail repositioningStrategy

  Background

  Bramalea Limited acquired the open-air center and sought to improve its commercial performance through a major renovation.

  Action taken

  The concourses were enclosed, discount-oriented retailers were added, and the property was renamed Towson Marketplace.

  Aftermath

  The renovation did not prevent later occupancy and visibility problems, leading to a more extensive redevelopment in the late 1990s.

  Renovation investment. $9 million (1981)

  Source

1. 1Towson Placeen.wikipedia.org