Westfield Montgomery

Westfield Montgomery is an upscale enclosed shopping mall in Bethesda, Maryland, serving suburban Montgomery County and the wider Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The property was originally known as Montgomery Mall and opened in March 1968 as a joint venture between The May Department Stores Company and Strouse, Greenberg & Co. Its original tenant mix comprised three department-store anchors—Hecht's, Garfinckel's, and Sears—alongside 58 smaller shops. The original visual identity reportedly used an owl-shaped letter M, reflecting the mall's early Montgomery Mall name. The center expanded during the 1970s as suburban retail demand grew. A mid-1970s project added a 155,000-square-foot Woodward & Lothrop department store and approximately 60,000 square feet of space for 40 additional retailers. A much more substantial renovation was completed in October 1991. That project replaced flooring, introduced brass railings and a glass elevator, and removed fountains to create room for additional kiosks and seating. It also expanded the property with a Crate & Barrel wing and brought Nordstrom to the mall. Nordstrom's arrival made the location the chain's first store in Maryland and its third in the Washington metropolitan area. The reopening was marked by a concert from Tony Bennett. The mall's department-store portfolio changed as the U.S. retail industry consolidated. Following Federated Department Stores' 2005 acquisition of The May Department Stores Company, the Hecht's location was converted to Macy's in 2006. The center's current anchor lineup is Macy's, Macy's Home, and Nordstrom. Its tenant offering also includes specialty retail, restaurants, a second-level Boulevard Cafes food court, and entertainment uses. The property has a 16-screen cinema. The cinema opened in 2014 under the Arclight Cinemas banner, closed in April 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was subsequently taken over by AMC Theatres, which announced a reopening in March 2022. Montgomery County approved a 360,000-square-foot expansion plan in September 2007. Once incorporated, the development increased the complex to more than 1.5 million square feet, placing it among the largest shopping malls in the Washington area. The mall also gained improved public-transport access when a new transit center replaced the former facility on May 1, 2016. Westfield Montgomery has also been associated with two serious criminal incidents reported in historical accounts. In 1976, fugitive William Bradford Bishop purchased a hammer and a gas can at the mall in connection with the killing and burning of his family. On May 6, 2016, former federal police officer Eulalio Tordil shot three people in the mall parking lot, killing one victim. These events are historical incidents connected to the property rather than elements of its commercial positioning. The mall's later redevelopment planning reflects the continuing adaptation of large enclosed retail centers. In June 2018, Westfield announced that Sears would close and that the former department-store space would be repurposed for smaller stores and an open-air mixed-use center. The available reference material states that demolition of the former Sears building was planned to begin in 2026. Westfield Montgomery therefore combines traditional department-store retail, dining and entertainment with planned mixed-use redevelopment, while continuing to operate as a major regional destination in Bethesda.

Westfield Montgomery, formerly Montgomery Mall, is a large upscale shopping center in Bethesda, Maryland. It was developed in the late 1960s as a joint venture between The May Department Stores Company and Strouse, Greenberg & Co. The building was based on a design by John Graham, Jr. and Ward and Hall. When it opened in March 1968, the mall contained three department-store anchors—Hecht's, Garfinckel's, and Sears—and 58 smaller stores, including a Bond Stores outlet. The property expanded in the mid-1970s with the addition of a 155,000-square-foot Woodward & Lothrop department store and roughly 60,000 square feet of retail area for 40 stores. A major renovation completed in October 1991 modernized the interior with new flooring, brass railings, and a glass elevator. Fountains were removed to make space for more kiosks and seating. The project also added an expansion wing containing Crate & Barrel and Nordstrom. Nordstrom's arrival represented the chain's first Maryland store and its third in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The reopening was accompanied by a Tony Bennett concert. The mall's anchor identity changed after Federated Department Stores acquired The May Department Stores Company in 2005. Hecht's was converted to Macy's in 2006. The center later operated with Macy's, Macy's Home, and Nordstrom as its principal anchors. Its amenities include the Boulevard Cafes food court on the second level and a 16-screen cinema. The cinema opened as Arclight Cinemas in 2014, closed in April 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was subsequently taken over by AMC Theatres, which announced a reopening in March 2022. Montgomery County approved a 360,000-square-foot expansion in September 2007. The completed development brought the property to more than 1.5 million square feet, making it one of the largest malls in the Washington area. A new transit center opened on May 1, 2016, replacing the prior mall transit facility. Historical accounts also record serious incidents at the property. On March 1, 1976, fugitive William Bradford Bishop purchased a ball-peen hammer and a gas can at the mall in connection with the murder and burning of his family. On May 6, 2016, Eulalio Tordil shot three people in the parking lot, killing one. In June 2018, Westfield announced plans to close Sears and redevelop the former anchor space with smaller stores and an open-air mixed-use center. The available reference material says demolition of the former Sears building was planned to begin in 2026. The mall is operated within the Westfield portfolio of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and continues to combine department stores, specialty retail, dining, and entertainment.

• 2022

  AMC assumes cinema lease

  [1]Westfield Montgomeryen.wikipedia.org

  AMC Theatres takes over the former Arclight cinema lease and announces a reopening.

• 2018

  Sears redevelopment announced

  [1]Westfield Montgomeryen.wikipedia.org

  Westfield announces plans to replace the Sears space with smaller stores and an open-air mixed-use center.

• 2016

  New transit center opens

  [1]Westfield Montgomeryen.wikipedia.org

  The mall's new transit center replaces the previous facility on May 1.

• 2014

  Arclight cinema opens

  [1]Westfield Montgomeryen.wikipedia.org

  A 16-screen Arclight Cinemas theater begins operating at the mall.

• 2007

  Expansion approved

  [1]Westfield Montgomeryen.wikipedia.org

  Montgomery County approves a plan adding approximately 360,000 square feet.

• 2006

  Hecht's is converted to Macy's

  [1]Westfield Montgomeryen.wikipedia.org

  The Hecht's department store becomes Macy's after its parent company is acquired by Federated Department Stores.

• 1991

  Major renovation completed

  [1]Westfield Montgomeryen.wikipedia.org

  Interior modernization is completed, with new retail areas including Nordstrom and Crate & Barrel.

• 1975

  Mid-1970s expansion

  [1]Westfield Montgomeryen.wikipedia.org

  The property adds Woodward & Lothrop and new space for approximately 40 retailers.

• 1968

  Montgomery Mall opens

  [1]Westfield Montgomeryen.wikipedia.org

  The mall opens in March with Hecht's, Garfinckel's, Sears, and 58 smaller shops.

Upscale regional shopping and entertainment center serving Bethesda, Montgomery County, and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

• Retail · 1968

  Department-store retail

  The mall's principal anchors are Macy's, Macy's Home, and Nordstrom. Together they provide broad assortments spanning fashion, accessories, beauty, home merchandise, and other department-store categories.

• Retail · 1968

  Specialty retail

  Westfield Montgomery supplements its anchor stores with smaller specialty shops and retail units. The center's history includes a Crate & Barrel expansion wing, while its redevelopment plans have emphasized adding or replacing smaller-format stores.

• Food and beverage

  Dining and food court

  Dining is represented by restaurants and the second-level Boulevard Cafes food court. The food-and-beverage offer forms part of the mall's regional-destination positioning alongside shopping and entertainment.

• Entertainment · 2014

  Cinema entertainment

  The property has a 16-screen cinema. It operated under Arclight Cinemas from 2014 until its 2021 closure and later transitioned to AMC Theatres, which announced a reopening in 2022.

• 2022

  Cinema operator transition from Arclight to AMCM&A

  Background

  The Arclight Cinemas location closed in April 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  Action taken

  AMC Theatres acquired the cinema lease and announced that the 16-screen venue would reopen.

  Aftermath

  The mall retained a major cinema attraction under a new operator.

  Source

• 2018

  Sears space redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  Westfield announced that the Sears anchor would close as part of a broader repositioning of the mall.

  Action taken

  The former Sears building was designated for replacement by smaller stores and an open-air mixed-use center, with demolition planned for 2026 according to the available reference.

  Aftermath

  The plan indicated a shift from a traditional department-store anchor model toward a more diversified mixed-use retail environment.

  Source

• 2007

  Expansion of the regional shopping centerStrategy

  Background

  Montgomery County approved a plan to add approximately 360,000 square feet to the property.

  Action taken

  The mall expanded its retail and associated development footprint to more than 1.5 million square feet.

  Aftermath

  The expanded center became one of the largest shopping malls in the Washington metropolitan area.

  Source

1. 1Westfield Montgomeryen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official Westfield Montgomery websitewestfield.com