Potomac Mills

Potomac Mills
Potomac Mills logo
The Dining Pavilion at Potomac Mills food court at Neighborhood 4, c. January 2025
LocationWoodbridge, Virginia, United States
Address2700 Potomac Mills Circle
Opening dateSeptember 19, 1985 (September 19, 1985)
Renovated
  • 2008
  • 2024–2025
Previous namesWashington Outlet Mall (planning)
Developer
ManagementSimon Property Group
Owner
ArchitectWah Yee Associates
Stores and services225 (at peak)
Anchor tenants20 (at peak)
Floor area1,540,304 sq ft (143,098.9 m2)
Floors1
Websitewww.simon.com/mall/potomac-mills
Building details
Main entrance in August 2005
General information
StatusOperational
Renovating team
ArchitectsBartlett Hartley & Mulkey Architects
Renovating firmSimon Property Group

Potomac Mills is a super-regional outlet mall located in Woodbridge, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The first Landmark Mills mall developed by the Western Development Corporation (which spun-off as The Mills Corporation in 1994), the company and the mall were acquired by Simon Property Group in April 2007. The mall has its own census-designated place (CDP), called Potomac Mills, Prince William County, Virginia. However, it is not to be confused with another CDP that uses the mall's name, known as Potomac Mills, Westmoreland County, Virginia.

Simon claims it to be the largest outlet mall[1] in Virginia. It has also been claimed to be the top tourist attraction in Virginia,[2][3] but the commonwealth tourism board ranked it as tenth in 2004.[4]

History

1984–1993: Development and opening

Local real estate developer Herbert S. Miller and his firm Western Development Corporation developed Potomac Mills as a prototype for a shopping center which would combine elements of a regional mall with discount retail.[2]Originally called "Washington Outlet Mall" during planning stages, it was not planned to be enclosed until the last minute.[4]

The 130 acres (53 ha) selected for construction were mostly farmland and woods, although it included several homes and businesses. The Prince William Board of Supervisors approved the first of several rezonings for the mall on February 21, 1984, after a fight over the proposed 140 feet (43 m)-tall, 1,260 square feet (117 m2) illuminated sign.[3] Potomac Mills began construction that same year near Opitz Blvd and I-95. The mall was designed by Wah Yee Associates of Michigan,[5] and was a joint venture involving the German-based KanAm Grunderbesitz GmbH, which helped develop and fund the project.[6]

The first phase of the mall opened September 19, 1985. Comprising what are now Neighborhoods 1 and 2, it occupied approximately 650,000 square feet (60,000 m2) and had parking for over 5,500 cars.[2] The second phase, completed in 1986, added another 550,000 square feet (51,000 m2) of retail space in Neighborhood 2 and a movie theater (now AMC Theatres, operating as AMC Potomac Mills 18).[7] The IKEA location at Potomac Mills was one of the company's earliest retail outlets in America, and proved so popular that it eventually required a new, dedicated building adjacent to the primary Potomac Mills complex.[8]

After opening

Influence on other buildings

The success of Potomac Mills led to Western Development Corporation to develop the Landmark Mills portfolio, which included Gurnee Mills in Gurnee, Illinois, Franklin Mills in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and even Arundel Mills in Hanover, Maryland, which is 30-35 minutes away from D.C. Western Development Corporation completed a corporate spin-off to form a public real estate investment trust known as The Mills Corporation in 1994.[9][10]

In February 2007, The Mills Corp.'s portfolio, including Potomac Mills, would be acquired by Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management for $1.64 billion, following the rejection of Brookfield Asset Management's offer, which offered to acquire The Mills Corp. for $1.35 billion. This was because The Mills Corporation was financially struggling by May 2006.[11] The acquisition was completed in April 2007, and The Mills Corporation was rebranded as The Mills: A Simon Company.[12] In May 2008, Simon announced a 50,000 square feet (4,600 m2) expansion featuring new retail and restaurant space. The expansion was scheduled to start in the fall of 2008.[13]

Store changes and redesign

Interior view, c. January 2025

The JCPenney Outlet Store closed permanently in July 2011, and was converted into a traditional department store in October 2011, as JCPenney announced that it would sell its outlet division to SB Capital Group to focus on its core retail operations and online businesses. Potomac Mills was one of the two JCPenney Outlet locations selected for renovation into a department store; the other store was the Franklin Mills location. All other JCPenney Outlet Store locations were converted into JC's 5 Star Outlets (until the end of 2013), or just closed entirely.[14][15] In March 2012, Simon Property Group acquired full control of the property by buying out Farallon's stake in 26 Landmark Mills malls for $1.5 billion.[16]

The Potomac Mills apple tree sign was damaged by high winds in 2011, and again in March 2018. The second incident bent and stressed its steel support poles, causing it to tilt precariously over Interstate 95, and forced the sign's dismantling.[17] Near the end of March 2019, a new sign was unveiled, featuring an updated design.[18] In October 2024, Simon Property Group announced that Potomac Mills' food court would be renovated into a "food pavilion" branded as the Dining Pavilion at Potomac Mills. The renovation would add contemporary flooring and lighting, a new white-and-gray color palette, charging stations, and new seating.[19] The architect for the renovation was Bartlett Hartley & Mulkey (BHM).[20]

Potomac Mills celebrated its 40th anniversary in September 2025.

See also

  • Clarksburg Premium Outlets

References

  1. ^ "Center Information", Potomac Mills website, Simon Property Group, retrieved June 4, 2021
  2. ^ a b c "Project Information: Potomac Mills", Western Development Corporation website, February 13, 2012, archived from the original on February 3, 2012, retrieved June 4, 2021
  3. ^ a b Snyder, Roger (April 10, 2019). "At Potomac Mills, the sign(s) of our times". Prince William Times. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Flagg, Michael (October 7, 2004), At 19, Potomac Mills Mall 'Is What It Is', retrieved June 4, 2021
  5. ^ "TOO MUCH FOR POTOMAC MILLS?". The Washington Post. June 24, 1996. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  6. ^ "KanAm - History". www.kanam.de. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
  7. ^ Pugh, Kari (September 17, 2025). "From Flying Elvises to discount fashion, Potomac Mills celebrates 40 years". INSIDENOVA.COM. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  8. ^ "Destination Design: Potomac Mills and Ikea". The Washington Post. August 21, 2013. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  9. ^ "Company History". The Mills Corporation. Archived from the original on November 14, 2006. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
  10. ^ "Mills Shifts Focus to Traditional Malls". International Council of Shopping Centers. Archived from the original on February 20, 2006. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
  11. ^ "Mills to be acquired by Simon and Farallon for $25.25 each". CBNC. February 16, 2007. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  12. ^ "Simon, Farallon bid $1.56 billion for Mills". Reuters. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
  13. ^ MIKE, LOUIS LLOVIO/TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF (May 17, 2008). "Potomac Mills mall unveils plans for expansion, new stores". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  14. ^ "Potomac Mills JCPenney Outlet closing". WashingtonExaminar. May 16, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  15. ^ "JCPenney Co. 2 retail outlet conversions". RRStar.
  16. ^ "Simon Property Group announces two strategic acquisitions". Simon Investors.
  17. ^ Cook, Gina (March 4, 2018). "Leaning Potomac Mills Mall Sign Taken Down". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  18. ^ Staff Reports (March 31, 2019). "'Reimagined' Potomac Mills sign nears completion". Prince William Times. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  19. ^ STAFF, INSIDENOVA (October 30, 2024). "Potomac Mills mall plans to transform food court into 'food pavilion'". INSIDENOVA.COM. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  20. ^ "Potomac Mills: Dining Pavilion and Restroom Renovation". Bartlett Hartley & Mulkey. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
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