The Mall in Columbia facts for kids
 |
|
| Location | 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Maryland, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°12′54″N 76°51′40″W / 39.215°N 76.861°W |
| Opening date | 1971 |
| Developer | The Rouse Company |
| Management | Brookfield Properties |
| Owner | Brookfield Properties |
| No. of stores and services | 202 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 6 |
| Total retail floor area | 1,400,000 sq ft (130,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 2 (3 in Macy's) |
| Parking | 7,200 spaces, including 3 parking garages |
| Public transit access |  RTA Central Maryland bus: 401, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 501, 503 |
The Mall in Columbia, also called the Columbia Mall, is a big shopping mall in Columbia, Maryland, United States. It's a popular spot for shopping and fun. The mall has over 200 different stores. You can find major stores like AMC Theatres, Lidl, Main Event Entertainment, Barnes & Noble, JCPenney, Macy's, and Nordstrom. There are also many restaurants, including PF Chang's, Maggiano's Little Italy, and The Cheesecake Factory. The mall is located in the Town Center area and brings in shoppers from all around Maryland.
Contents
The Mall's History and Growth
The Mall in Columbia first opened its doors in 1971. When it started, it had two main department stores: Hochschild Kohn's and Woodward & Lothrop. Over the years, these stores changed. Hochschild Kohn's became Hecht's, and Woodward & Lothrop became JCPenney.
The mall has grown a lot since it first opened. In 1981, a new section was added, bringing in more stores and a Sears department store. This made the mall much bigger.
In the late 1990s, the mall had even more big changes. The Hecht's store (which is now Macy's) added a third floor. New sections were built, and more stores like Lord & Taylor and Nordstrom opened. They also added two new parking garages. The inside of the mall got a fresh new look with new floors, lights, and skylights.
The Mall in Columbia was sold to a company called General Growth Properties in 2004.
Fun Additions Over the Years
In 2005, a Cheesecake Factory restaurant opened near the movie theater. The Hecht's store officially became a Macy's in 2006.
Around Christmas time, the mall used to have a special "Poinsettia Tree" display. It was a big tradition for many people in Columbia. In 2007, the mall managers decided not to put it up, but many residents wanted it back. After people spoke up, the mall brought the popular display back in 2008. The "tree" was unique because of how it was watered. In 2017, the fountain where the tree was placed was removed and replaced with flat flooring.
In 2013, the outdoor area of the mall, called "The Plaza," started to get bigger. New stores and restaurants were added.
In 2018, a large Main Event Entertainment center opened at the mall. It has 22 bowling lanes and lots of virtual reality video games. Also in 2018, the Sears store closed. A German supermarket called Lidl took its place.
In 2020, Lord & Taylor closed its store. By 2023, the mall announced new stores like Warby Parker, Under Armour, and Showcase.
Important Dates for the Mall
- 1971: The Mall in Columbia opens in August.
- 1981: A new section with a food court and Sears is added.
- 1998: Lord & Taylor opens, along with two new parking garages.
- 1999: A new section with 40 stores, a third parking garage, and Nordstrom is added.
- 2000: L.L. Bean opens outside the mall.
- 2003: AMC Theatres opens a 14-screen movie theater.
- 2013: L.L. Bean closes, making way for an outdoor plaza expansion.
- 2014: A large outdoor expansion, "The Plaza at The Mall in Columbia," opens.
- 2017: The center court fountain is removed.
- 2018: Main Event Entertainment opens, and Sears closes.
- 2019: The food court fountain is replaced with plants, and a glass elevator is installed.
- 2020: Lord & Taylor closes.
- 2021: Lidl opens in the old Sears space.
Main Stores at the Mall Today
- JCPenney (since 1996)
- Nordstrom (since 1999)
- AMC Theatres (since 2003)
- Macy's (since 2006)
- Main Event Entertainment (since 2018)
- Lidl (since 2021)
Stores That Used to Be Here
- Woodward & Lothrop (1971–1995, now JCPenney)
- Hochschild-Kohn (1971–1974)
- Hecht's (1975–2006, now Macy's)
- Sears (1981–2018)
- Lord & Taylor (1998–2020)
