Virginia's Potomac Mills

The logo of the very first Mills mall. The land that the "superregional specialty center" was built on previously housed an apple processing plant or mill. This probably explains the apple tree motif of the logo and the origin of the Mills mall trademark.
Graphic from http://www.millscorp.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

A circa-1985 rendering of POTOMAC MILLS. When its Phase II stage was completed, in July 1986, the complex stretched for 9 tenths of a mile from end-to-end.
Drawing from the Western Development Corporation

A vintage view of the newly-opened Waccamaw Pottery store at POTOMAC MILLS.

Photo from "Potomac Mills"

Another circa-1985 image shows the original appearance of the mall's Main Entrance. It provides access to the Food Court area.

Photo from "Potomac Mills" 

The Phase I mall (in black) had cost 97 million dollars. Completed in September 1985, it was extended with a Phase II section (in gray). With its completion in 1986, the cost of the shopping center had increased to 225 million dollars. The facility enveloped approximately 1,210,000 leasable square feet, with free parking for 5,500 autos.

In 1993, POTOMAC MILLS completed its Phase III expansion (in gray). The complex now encompassed approximately 1,610,000 leasable square feet and contained 220 shops and services. 

Seattle-based Nordstrom Rack was a Phase II addition to the meandering outlet mall. The store, encompassing 41,000 square feet, opened for business in July 1986.
Photo from https://stores.nordstromrack.com

A circa-2003 directory map shows the shopping center's original nine Neighborhood, east-to-west, configuration. 
Drawing from www.millscorp.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

A directory map from 2006 shows the post-2005 Neighborhood reorganization. Five mall districts now progress from west-to-east. The Neighborhood 1 section of the mall was eventually renamed "Fashion District At Potomac Mills."
Drawing from www.millscorp.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

The Food Court, always in Neighborhood 4, houses sixteen eateries. 
Photo from Wikipedia / "NotReallyHere"

The American Multi-Cinema Potomac Mills 18 is located in today's Neighborhood 1. It replaced an earlier 15-screen multiplex in another section of the mall. The new movie venue opened for business in 2004. An IMAX auditorium was added in 2008.
Photo from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group

The very first Bloomingdale's-The Outlet opened at POTOMAC MILLS in August 2010. The 25,000 square foot store is located in Neighborhood 1.
Photo from www.simon.comn / Simon Property Group

Farther down the West Wing, still within Neighborhood 1, are the Banana Republic Factory Store and Nordstrom Rack mallway entrance.
Photo from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group

An exterior snapshot showing the mall's Main Entrance. It was rebuilt as part of a 2005 face lift renovation...and was remodeled again in 2012.
Photo from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group

In a circa-2011 physical layout, the old Ikea and Waccamaw Pottery stores have been either totally or partially demolished. A new Costco and AMC megaplex have been built. The mall would loose a major tenant when the J.C. Penney Outlet shut down, in July 2011. However, said store eventually re-opened as a conventional J.C. Penney.

POTOMAC MILLS TENANTS 2011:

2b bebe / 5-7-9 Outlet / Abercrombie & Fitch Outlet / Aeropostale / Against All Odds / Akoo - Social Music Television / American Eagle Outfitters / Ann Taylor Factory Store / Art Plus / As Seen On TV / A T & T / A T & T Mobility / Auntie Anne's Pretzels 1 / Auntie Anne's Pretzels 2 / Bailey, Banks & Biddle Jewelers / Bakers Shoes / Banana Republic Factory Store / Bath & Body Works / BCBG Maxazria Factory Outlet / Bello / Blooming Beauty Supply & Salon / Bloomingdale's-The Outlet / Body Central / Books-A-Million / Bose electronics / Brooks Brothers Factory Store / Bubbles / Build-A-Bear Workshop / Burger King / Burlington Coat Factory / Burlington Shoes / Calvin Klein / Carter's / Catherine's Plus Sizes / Charlotte Russe Outlet / Christine's Bistro / Cinnabon / Claire's Boutique accessories / Clarks Bostonian Outlet / Coach Factory / Cole Haan Clearance Store / Corning Corelle Revere Factory Outlet / Cosmetics Company Store / CR Jewelers Diamond Outlet  / Crazy 8 / Crocs Shoes / Deep Sea Cosmetics / Designer Fragrance & Cosmetics Company - Lancome / Designer Suit Factory / Diamond Concepts / Disney Store Outlet / DKNY Company Store / Dress Barn Outlet / Earrings World / Easy Spirit Outlet / Ecko Unlimited / Esprit / Eyebrow Designer 21 / F & M Furniture / Factory Brand Shoes / Fancy Q / Fashion Time (kiosk) / Finish Line / Five Below / Foot Locker / Footaction USA / Foreign Currency Exchange (kiosk) / Fossil Company Store / Fragrance Outlet / GameStop / Gap Outlet  / Glamour Nails / GNC / Gold & Silver / Group USA The Clothing Company  / Guess? Factory Store / Gymboree Outlet / H & M apparel / Healthwise / Helzberg Diamonds / Hollister Outlet / Hot Topic / Hour Eyes / Ikea (outparcel) / J. Crew - Crewcuts Factory / J.C. Penney Outlet / Jasmine Bubble Tea / Jockey Outlet  / Johnston & Murphy Factory Store / Jones New York Outlet / Journeys Shoes / Juicy Couture / Justice / Kasper / Kenneth Cole / Kenneth Cole Outlet Store / Kids' Land / Kirkland's Outlet / Kitchen Collection / Lacoste Outlet / Lane Bryant Outlet / Last Call Neiman Marcus / L'eggs Hanes Bali Playtex Factory Outlet / Lego Outlet / LensCrafters / Levi's Outlet Store / Lids For Less / Lotus Express / Luggage Center / Luggage Center Express / Maidenform Outlet / Marshalls - HomeGoods / MasterCuts / Maxstudio.com Outlet / Michael Kors  / Modell's Sporting Goods / Motherhood Maternity Outlet / Movado Company Store / Nail Trix / Naturalizer Outlet / Nautica Factory Store / Nike Factory Store / Nine West Outlet / Nordstrom Rack / Oakley Vault / Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse / Old Navy Outlet / OPT Massage / Orange Julius / OshKosh B'Gosh Outlet / Pacific Sunwear Outlet / Papaya / Payless ShoeSource / PCC Wireless / Pegasus Computer Center / Perfumania / Perry Ellis Outlet / Piercing Pagoda 1 (kiosk) / Piercing Pagoda 2 (kiosk) / Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store / Potomac Custom Tailoring / Potomac Mills 18 & IMAX / Premier Fine Jewelry Direct / ProActiv cosmetics / Poma / Quiksilver / Rack Room Shoes / Radio Shack / Rita's Ice / Robert Wayne Footwear / Rockport Outlet / Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory / Ross - Simons Jewelry Outlet / Saks OFF 5TH Avenue Outlet / Samsonite Factory Outlet / Sears Appliance Outlet / Simply Spa'Riffik / Skechers Outlet / Sky Jewelry / Sleep Number by Select Comfort / Spencer Gifts / Spirit Halloween / Stride Rite - Keds - Sperry Outlet  / Subway / Sunglass Hut / Talbots / The Children's Place Outlet / The Jewel Box / The Pro Image Outlet / Things Remembered / Tilly's / Timberland Outlet / T.J. Maxx / Tommy Bahama's / Tommy Hilfiger Company Store  / Top of The Line Cosmetics & Fragrances (kiosk) / Torrid Plus Size / Toys 'A' Million / True Religion / Tumi / Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt / Ultra Diamonds & Gold Outlet / Under Armour Factory House / Uniform City / Vans Outlet / Verizon Fios / Victoria's Secret lingerie / Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen / Vitamin World / Vonage / Washington Redskins Official Store / We Buy Gold / Wilsons Leather Outlet / Wireless World / World Accents / XXI Forever apparel / Yankee Candle Company / Yogen Fruz / Your Cell Verizon Wireless / Zales The Diamond Store Outlet / Zumiez apparel

FOOD COURT:

Baja Bistro / Candy World / Cajun Street Cafe & Grille / Haagen Dazs - NY Pretzel / Ice Tea Union of USA / Jerry's Subs & Pizza / McDonald's hamburgers / Mrs. Fields Cookies - TCBY frozen yogurt / Nori Japan / Petra Mediterranean Grill / Quizno's Classic Subs / Sbarro the Italian Eatery / Starbucks Coffee / Steak & Chicken Compero / Texas BBQ Factory 

Mills Malls

Sawgrass Mills

Gurnee Mills

Arundel Mills

St. Louis Mills

These Mills malls followed the POTOMAC property. In order of their completion, these malls were SAWGRASS MILLS {west of Fort Lauderdale}, GURNEE MILLS {in the northern hinterlands of Chicago}, ARUNDEL MILLS {on the southern outskirts of Baltimore} and ST. LOUIS MILLS {northwest of  the Gateway City}. Note: ST. LOUIS MILLS, an unsuccessful venture, was sold out of the Mills portfolio in 2012.
Photo 1 from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group
Photo 2 from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group
Photo 3 from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group
Photo 4 from Wikipedia / "Dwaynep2011"

Graphic from the Simon Property Group

Scroll forward to see a list of past and present Mills-brand Malls. These shopping hubs were completed between the fall of 1985 and fall of 2009. Two Canadian properties are included.

MILLS MALLS (2022):

1. POTOMAC MILLS -September 1985 / 1,610,000 leasable square feet / 225 stores / Prince William County, VA

2. FRANKLIN MILLS -May 1989, PHILADELPHIA MILLS -September 2014 / 1,776,000 leasable square feet / 140 stores /  Philadelphia, PA

3. SAWGRASS MILLS -October 1990 / 3,062,000 leasable square feet / 350 stores / Sunrise, FL

4. GURNEE MILLS -August 1991 / 1,936,000 leasable square feet / 205 stores / Gurnee, IL

5. ONTARIO MILLS -November 1996 / 1,367,000 leasable square feet / 207 stores / Ontario, CA

6. GRAPEVINE MILLS -October 1997 / 1,781,000 leasable square feet / 201 stores / Grapevine, TX

7. ARIZONA MILLS -November 1997 / 1,238,000 leasable square feet / 200 stores / Tempe, AZ

8. CONCORD MILLS -September 1999 / 1,345,000 leasable square feet / 203 stores / Concord, NC

9. KATY MILLS -October 1999 / 1,790,000 leasable square feet / 179 stores / Katy, TX

10. OPRY MILLS -May 2000 / 1,154,000 leasable square feet / 210 stores / Nashville, TN

11. ARUNDEL MILLS -November 2000 / 1,556,000 leasable square feet / 225 stores / Anne Arundel County, MD

12. DISCOVER MILLS -November 2001, SUGARLOAF MILLS -October 2012 / 1,200,000 leasable square feet / 200 stores / Gwinnett County, GA

13. COLORADO MILLS -November 2002 / 1,411,000 leasable square feet / 91 stores / Jefferson County, CO

14. ST. LOUIS MILLS -November 2003, ST. LOUIS OUTLET MALL -October 2012,  POWERPlex STL -September 2020 / 1,911,600 leasable square feet / 200 stores  / St. Louis County, MO $

15. FOREST FAIR MALL -July 1988, CINCINNATI MILLS -August 2004, CINCINNATI MALL -March 2009, FOREST FAIR VILLAGE -March 2012 / 1,436,000 leasable square feet / 3 stores  / Forest Park and Fairfield, OH #

16. VAUGHAN MILLS -November 2004 / 1,274,000 leasable square feet / 245 stores / Vaughan, ON [Canada] *

17. THE GALLERIA AT PITTSBURGH MILLS -July 2005 / 2,100,000 leasable square feet / 155 stores / Allegheny County, PA +

18. CROSSIRON MILLS -August 2009 / 1,178,000 leasable square feet / 206 stores / Rocky View County, AL [Canada] *


* Sold to Ivanhoe Cambridge, August 2006
+ Sold to Zamias Services, Incorporated in December 2006
# Sold to Whichard Realty in December 2008
$ Sold to The Woodmont Company in October 2012

Remainder sold to Simon Property Group / Farallon Capital Management in April 2007


Note: The list above does not include two Mills-owned outlet malls in California; THE BLOCK AT ORANGE (1998) and GREAT MALL (acquired in 2003). Although Mills-owned, these complexes have never operated under the (quote-unquote) "Mills" moniker. 

Properties in blue have articles on THE SHOPPING MALL MUSEUM SITE.

The latest thing in 2016 is the Sophisticated Courtyard that has been built on the mall's south side. This area features four sit-down restaurants. Over on the east end, Saks Off Fifth has moved to a new location beside Costco. Its old store, in the Northeast Wing, was supposed to have re-opened as a Christmas Tree Shops. Instead, a prototype store known as and That was installed in the space.



POTOMAC MILLS
Opitz Boulevard and Potomac Mills Road
Prince William County, Virginia

Washington, D.C.'s Western Development Corporation was formed in 1967. In 1984, they entered into a joint venture with the German KanAm Grunderbesitz GmbH and built POTOMAC MILLS, the first of an eventual eighteen Mills-brand shopping centers.

The original "superregional specialty center" was constructed on 143 acres, which was previously occupied by an apple processing plant. The site was situated 22 miles southwest of the United States Capitol, in an unincorporated section of suburban Prince William County, Virginia.

POTOMAC MILLS was designed by Michigan's Wah Yee Associates. The Phase I structure encompassed 650,000 leasable square feet, with its first operational stores opening on September 12, 1985. These included Linens 'n Things, Lamp Factory Outlet, Just For Kids Outlet, Hamrick's and a 1-level (150,000 square foot), Myrtle Beach-based Waccamaw Pottery.

An official dedication, held on September 19, 1985, brought additional stores and services, such as Benetton Outlet, Books-A-Million, Park Street Cafeteria, Waxie Maxie's Records, Record World, Sears Outlet, Raleigh's Outlet, the Elvis Presley Museum and a 14-bay Food Court.

The single-level center was built in a spartan -or minimalist- fashion. Ceilings over shopping concourses had exposed steel beams, heating and cooling ductwork and lighting fixtures. Storefronts in the warehouse-like interior were painted in muted pastel shades. 

Eight overhead "Mills TV" screens broadcast commercials for the various mall stores and services. There was also a state-of-the-art -for 1985- network of nine touch-screen terminals. These featured 3-D computer-generated graphics which guided shoppers through the meandering mall.

The Mills mall concept, novel in the mid-1980s, dispensed with traditional mid-to-upper tier department store anchors in favor of a blending of factory-owned and operated discount outlets, specialty retailers and service-type shops. 

Phase II at POTOMAC MILLS consisted of 550,000 leasable square feet and was officially dedicated on July 21, 1986. The addition encompassed a single level and brought the mall's gross leasable area up to 1,210,000 square feet. 170 stores and services were in operation, and the mall stretched for .9 of a mile from end-to-end.

A 1-level (150,000 square foot) Ikea became the first operational Phase II store, on April 17, 1986. It was followed by a Cohoes Specialty Store, Elm Tree Hallmark, Friendly Restaurant, Kemp Mill Records, a (41,000 square foot) Nordstrom Rack and American Multi-Cinema Potomac Mills 10. The original mall was divided into nine numbered "Neighborhoods", beginning with Neighborhood 1 on the east and ending with Neighborhood 9 on the west.

In the vicinity of POTOMAC MILLS were SPRINGFIELD MALL (1975) {14.2 miles northwest, in Fairfax County}, SPOTSYLVANIA MALL (1980) {27 miles southwest, in Spotsylvania County} and MANASSAS MALL (1996) {14.2 miles northwest, also in Prince William County}.

A Phase III  expansion of POTOMAC MILLS had been announced in September 1990, which was to add 700,000 square feet. However, the owners, Western Development and KanAm, were embroiled in a legal battle over control of the Mills mall portfolio, which now consisted of three properties. Moreover, there was difficulty in securing financing for the addition.

Problems were eventually worked out and ground was broken on March 25, 1993. The size of the single-level expansion had been scaled down to 400,000 square feet. It was to add a (112,600 square foot) J.C. Penney Outlet Store, (61,700 square foot) Marshalls Superstore, (38,200 square foot) Saks Off Fifth Avenue Outlet and (32,300 square foot) Spiegel Outlet. A fourth junior anchor, originally planned as a Phar-Mor Drug, opened as an (80,300 square foot) Burlington Coat Factory.

A gala grand opening was held September 30, 1993. The Flying Elvises (featured in the "Honeymoon In Vegas" motion picture) parachuted into the mall parking lot. Among the fifty stores dedicated that day were A Touch of Cashmere, Corning Revere Factory Outlet and The Virginia Peddler.

Western Development converted into a publicly-owned Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) in 1994, with the official name of the concern becoming the Mills Corporation. Also in 1994, the multiplex at POTOMAC MILLS was expanded with five auditoriums. The Cohoes store had been shuttered in May 1988. It re-opened as a Woodward & Lothrop ["low-thrup"] Clearance Center. This closed in late 1995.

Ikea relocated out of the mall proper, into a 1-level (300,000 square foot) freestanding store, on November 28, 2001. Mall tenants at this time included T.J. Maxx, Sports Authority and an L.L. Bean Factory Store. The east anchor, by now operating as a Waccamaw's HomePlace, was shuttered in June 2001. 62,000 square feet of its space became a Van's Skatepark, which was promoted as the largest such facility in the world.

Half of the old Ikea space was demolished in early 2003. A new cinematic venue, the American Multi-Cinema Potomac Mills 18, was built. It showed its first features in 2004 (an IMAX auditorium was added in July 2008). The remaining Ikea area was sectioned into two stores; Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse and Last Call From Neiman Marcus; the latter opening on March 6, 2009.

Meanwhile, Toronto's Brookfield Asset Management had submitted an offer to buy the Mills property portfolio in January 2007. The Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group and San Francisco-based Farallon Capital Management formed a joint venture and submitted a larger bid in February. The Simon-Farallon offer was accepted, with the sale concluding in April 2007.

The Waccamaw's-Van's Skatepark at POTOMAC MILLS was knocked down in mid-2006 and replaced by a 1-level (152,000 square foot) Costco, which made its debut in May 2007. The nation's first Bloomingdale's-The Outlet opened, at POTOMAC MILLS, on August 20, 2010.

A fifth expansion of POTOMAC MILLS had been announced in May 2008. It was to add 50,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space that would extend eastward from the vicinity of the Last Call Neiman Marcus and AMC megaplex. The project was delayed by The Great Recession, but plans resurfaced in January 2011.
 
The expansion got underway in May 2012. This would entail a complete renovation of the mall's exterior, using a river stone and decorative wood motif. Four sit-down restaurants would eventually be built in a so-called "Sophisticated Courtyard." This area would be adjacent to the main mall entrance, on the south-facing front of the complex.

The Cheesecake Factory became the first bistro to open, on November 7, 2012, followed by Bahama Breeze, on January 23, 2013. The dedication of Bobby's Burger Palace followed soon after. The last of the new Sophisticated Courtyard restaurants, Matchbox American Kitchen, welcomed first diners on January 28, 2016. 

The 2010s POTOMAC MILLS renovation included the relocation of the Saks Off Fifth Avenue Outlet, a mall tenant since 1993. The Costco wing was also gutted, with a new (30,000 square foot) Saks store created. It opened for business on October 3, 2013. 

The previous Saks location, at the northeast corner of the mall, was originally going to be retenanted by Christmas Tree Shops. This plan was abandoned in favor of a prototype outlet store called and That (a new operative of Bed, Bath & Beyond-Christmas Tree Shops). This store began business in the spring of 2014. With its dedication, POTOMAC MILLS encompassed approximately 1,610,000 leasable square feet and housed 225 stores and services.

Sources:

The Washington Post
The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, Virginia)

The Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia)

http://www.mills.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

Prince William County tax assessor website
http://www.westdev.com / Western Development Corporation
http://www.simon.com / Simon Property Group

"Potomac Mills" article on Wikipedia 

San Francisco's 280 Metro Center

One of America's first power center-type complexes was built in the southern environs of San Francisco. Named after the adjacent Interstate 280 expressway, 280 METRO CENTER initially housed thirty-four stores and services. 

Graphic from http://www.terranomicsdevelopment.com

Tenants in the open-air shopping hub opened for business between November 1986 and December 1987. 

Photo from http://www.terranomicsdevelopment.com

A 280 METRO montage features trademarks of stores and entertainment venues that have operated in the facility. These date between the years 1986 and 2004. 

Our first 280 METRO site plan depicts the power plaza as it stood in 1988. At the time, it was anchored by Home Depot, Nordstrom Rack, Marshalls, a Federated Superstore and United Artists 6-plex. The complex covered approximately 228,000 leasable square feet. Its parking area provided spaces for 1,400 autos.

280 METRO CENTER TENANTS 1988:

FEDERATED SUPERSTORE (home electronics) / HOME DEPOT / MARSHALLS / NORDSTROM RACK / 39 Minute Photo / Andy's Annex / Athletic Shoe Factory / Beauty Store & More / Body Express / Burger King (outparcel) / Clothestime / Diamond Center / Dimensions in Fashions / Famous Footwear / $5 Dollar Clothing Store / Herman's World of Sporting Goods / Jil's Cafe / Men's Wearhouse / New York Fabrics / Ortho Mattress & Furniture / Paper Image Cards & Gifts / Penguin's Place Frozen Yogurt / Pier 1 Imports / Pierra Accessories / Precision Lens Crafters & Eye Exam 2000 / Shoe Works / Stacks & Stacks / The Bedroom / The Wherehouse (music & video) / UA the Movies (6 screens) / Van Huesen Factory Store / Welcome Home (housewares) / Well Pet / Za-zoue Accessories   

Marshalls, a charter 280 METRO tenant, set up shop in a 32,000 square foot space. The store, the largest in the shopping center proper, is in operation to this very day.

Photo from http://www.280metrocenter.com

Nordstrom Rack, occupying 30,800 square feet, maintained a 280 METRO store for 30 years.

Photo from http://www.280metrocenter.com

We now switch to an interior view; this of The Wherehouse, which was a pre-recorded music and video rental emporium. The store, covering 14,300 square feet, was eventually rebranded as a Magnolia Hi-Fi operation.

Photo from http://jerryjoaia.50webs.com/ Jerry Johannessen

One of three inaugural Old Navy stores opened at 280 METRO CENTER in March 1994. The 13,200 square foot unit was dedicated along with operations in San Leandro and Pittsburg, California

Photo from http://www.280metrocenter.com

Vancouver's Park Royal Centre  

Vancouvermmmmmmmmm

The name of the complex was officially changed to 280 METRO MALL in March of the year 2000. 

Photo from http://www.loopnet.com

A circa-2002 site plan of 280 METRO MALL includes a new Home Depot store and parking garage. These were completed in 1995. The original Home Depot re-opened, as the Home Depot Pro store depicted here, in 1998. 

280 METRO MALL TENANTS 2002:

BED, BATH & BEYOND / HOME DEPOT / HOME DEPOT PRO / MARSHALLS / NORDSTROM RACK / Anna's Linens / Avenue / Barnes & Noble (with Starbucks Coffee) / Bath & Body Works / Beauty Store One / Burger King (outparcel) / First Step Shoes / GNC / Honey Baked Ham / KYUN Home Accents / Jennifer Convertibles / Jo-Ann Fabrics / Lens Crafters / Men's Wearhouse / Mikasa Home Store / Shoe Depot / Old Navy / Pac Bell PCS Store / Pier 1 Imports / Rave Girl ladies' wear / SAS Shoes / The Wherehouse / UA Metro Center (6 screens) / Wok Inn

A new owner reinstated the shopping hub's original name in 2003. The United Artists (UA) multiplex, which was a 1987 charter tenant, closed for good in October. It was quickly demolished and replaced by Best Buy. This store, which opened in mid-2004, was one of a few Best Buy operations with a rooftop parking deck.

Photo from http://www.smisteelproduct.com

In 2017, 280 METRO CENTER achieved its 30th year in business. A vacant spot on the west end was assumed by Office Depot in August 2012. Bed Bath & Beyond, which had moved into the Federated Superstore space in April 2000, was replaced by Ross Dress For Less in October 2016. 

280 METRO CENTER
Junipero Serra and Colma Boulevards
Colma, California

One of America's first power center-type shopping hubs was built by a joint venture of Burlingame, California-based Terranomics Development and San Francisco-based Rawson, Blum & Leon Properties.

The head of the Terranomics company, Merritt Sher, began developing so-called "promotional centers" in 1970. These followed the basic strip shopping center format, with tenants such as Bed, Bath & Beyond, Toys "R" Us and Wall Paper To Go.

As some of these specialty chains expanded from regional to national focus, and the size of their individual stores grew, a new name began to be heard..."power retailer," "category killer" or "big box store". A new type of community-class complex emerged. Instead of being anchored by large department stores or a supermarket, it would include several "power retailers" as its main draw. 

One such complex was Greater San Francisco's 280 METRO CENTER. The open-air facility was designed by San Francisco's Jacques de Brer. It was situated on 6.4 acres, located 8.2 miles southwest of San Francisco's Union Square, in the West Bay suburb of Colma. Sandwiched between the Woodlawn and Greenlawn Cemeteries, the 280 METRO site contained the Junipero Serra Landfill between 1958 and 1983.

280 METRO CENTER encompassed 1 level and approximately 213,500 leasable square feet. Its major anchors were a 1-level (32,000 square foot) Marshalls and 1-level (89,000 square foot) Home Depot. The first inline stores opened for business on November 16, 1986. These included Fashion Gal, Welcome Home (linens & window coverings), Dimensions In Fashions and The Wherehouse (recoded music & video rental).

New York Fabrics welcomed first shoppers in January 1987. A Federated (home electronics) Superstore was dedicated on February 27th. An official center-wide grand opening was held on April 25th. The freestanding United Artists the MOVIES multiplex showed its first features on June 12, 1987. The grand opening of Nordstrom Rack took place on August 13th. One of the final charter tenants, Herman's World of Sporting Goods, began business on December 4 of the same year  

The nearest shopping complex in the 280 METRO trade area was the fully-enclosed SERRAMONTE CENTER (1969) {.1 mile southwest, in Daly City}.

280 METRO CENTER is noteworthy for housing one of the very first Old Navy Clothing Company stores. The (13,100 square foot) unit, one of three inaugural locations, was dedicated on March 11, 1994.

The original Home Depot at 280 METRO CENTER was replaced with a 1-level (100,000 square foot) store. Built as a southern outparcel, it began business in 1995. The original building sat vacant (and still leased by the company) until it was repurposed as a Home Depot Pro store. This newly-created format, marketed specifically to contractors and other building industry professionals, was dedicated April 30, 1998.

Terranomics sold the shopping center to San Franscisco-based RREEF Asset Management in 1997. In June 2003, a joint venture of New Hyde Park, New York-based Kimco Realty and a subsidiary of New York City-based Blackstone Real Estate Partners acquired the property.

The United Artists 6-plex was shuttered on October 19, 2003. The building was knocked down and replaced by a (45,000 square foot) Best Buy, which opened for business in mid-2004. Several changes took place at 280 METRO CENTER during the twenty-tens. Office Depot set up shop in a vacant Magnolia Hi-Fi spot in August 2012. Ross Dress For Less assumed a vacated Bed Bath & Beyond space, and opened on October 8 2016.

Meanwhile, Kimco Realty bought out its joint venture colleague in September 2014. Kimco assumed total ownership and control of thirty-nine properties, including 280 METRO CENTER. Nordstrom Rack, which had maintained a 280 METRO store since 1987, relocated to SERRAMONTE CENTER in September 2017. The vacant 280 METRO space was retenanted, by Ashley Home Furniture, in November 2019.

Sources:

The San Francisco Examiner

http://www.terranomicsdevelopment.com
http://www.280metrocenter.com
http://www.gapinc.com
http://rebusinessonline.com
http://www.kimcorealty.com
http://www.cinematreasures.org

http://www.cinematour.com
San Mateo County property tax assessor website

Memphis' The Shops of Saddle Creek

The lifestyle center, as we know it, came into being in suburban Memphis, Tennessee, under the auspices of the tony THE SHOPS OF SADDLE CREEK.
Graphic from Poag & Thomason Development Company

The original lifestyle center was promoted as a small-scale alternative to the enormous -"impersonal"- shopping mall. 

Photo from http://www.linkousconstruction.com (Linkous Contruction Company)

According to its developers, THE SHOPS OF SADDLE CREEK defined this new genre of shopping center with its understated elegance and lush landscaping.

Photo from http://www.linkousconstruction.com (Linkous Contruction Company)

In a circa-1987 site plan, we see the original, first-phase, retail facility. It encompassed a modest 84,000 leasable square feet and contained thirty-four stores and services.  

A detail view shows locations of five charter tenants. From the get-go, THE SHOPPES was a very upscale shopping venue.  

THE SHOPPES OF SADDLE CREEK TENANTS 1987:

Ann Taylor ladies' wear / Baily, Banks  & Biddle Jewelers / Banana Republic / Benetton / Brentano's Books / Brookstone / Cacharel ladies' wear / Cinnamon Corner / Crabtree & Evelyn / Designer Petites ladies' wear / East Side ladies' wear / Express ladies' wear / Florida Adams ladies' wear / Godiva Chocolatier / G. H. Bass shoes / H20h! ladies' wear / Hemmings restaurant / Honeybee ladies' wear / Jaegar / James Davis apparel / Joseph Shoes / La Louisiane restauraunt / Laura Ashley ladies' wear / Polo-Ralph Lauren / Rodier ladies' wear / Ruby Tuesday restaurant / Scandia Down Shops ladies' wear / U.S. Male / The Bombay Company / The Gap apparel / The Limited ladies' wear / The Sharper Image / The White Pony ladies' wear / Victoria's Secret 

THE SHOPS OF SADDLE CREEK had been expanded by the year 2010. The original building (now known as Saddle Creek North) is indicated in black. A second store strip (Saddle Creek South) was dedicated in September 1989. The third -and final- installment (Saddle Creek West) was finished in August 1995. The complex now extended over 16.5 acres.

Memphis' Poag & McEwen Lifestyle Centers, who developed the SADDLE CREEK complex, followed with Nebraska's ONE PACIFIC PLACE, in September 1989. The facility was located in Omaha's western environs.

Photo from http://www.brrarch.com (BRR Architecture)

Next came Leawood, Kansas' TOWN CENTER PLAZA, which was dedicated in March 1996. It served the southern suburbs of the Kansas Cities.
Photo from http://washingtonprime.com (Washington Prime Group)

The fourth Poag property was Chicagoland's DEER PARK TOWN CENTER, which was built in the northwestern periphery of the Windy City. Its first stores opened in October of the year 2000. 

Photo from http://www.poagllc.com (Poag Shopping Centers)

In early 2014, a new logo was commissioned for the Memphian shopping hub. Its official name was also shortened to simply SADDLE CREEK. A face lift renovation and expansion began in mid-2014 and was completed in late 2016. When all construction dust settled, the complex had grown from 137,500 to 173,000 leasable square feet.

Graphic from https://www.shopsofsaddlecreek.com

THE SHOPS OF SADDLE CREEK
Poplar Avenue / US 72 and West Avenue
Germantown, Tennessee

By the late 1980s, the ever-evolving retail scene in America was poised for substantial change. The fully-enclosed shopping mall format had reached market maturity. Mall building binges of the 1970s and '80s slowed considerably following the 1987 mini-market crash and savings & loan crisis credit crunch.

Studies seemed to show that consumers no longer had the time to wile away hours at the typical, mega-sized mall. According to these reports, patrons wanted to park close to where they were going to shop and not spend a lot of time doing so.

In May 1981, the Poag & Thomason Development Company was formed in Memphis, Tennessee. The firm started out by building supermarket-anchored strip centers. Eventually, Kroger, their primary tenant, opted out of any further participation in their endeavors.

G. Dan Poag, Junior and William H. Thomason, the company's founders, devised an entirely new plan for shopping center development and gave it a Madison Avenue spin. The new retail format would eschew traditional department store and supermarket anchors and be tenanted exclusively by upscale boutiques and restaurants.

This new age retail venue would be open-air in configuration. It would feature grand architecture, fountains and high-quality landscaping. Moreover, shopping centers would be small, only in the neighborhood of 100,000 to 200,000 square feet. They would also be built in -or near- affluent communities.

Terry McEwen, well-known in the retail leasing field, was brought into the company in 1984. Plans for the first new-style "specialty center" were soon underway. A 9.9-acre tract was acquired. This was located 13.1 miles southeast of center city Memphis, in suburban Germantown. Ground was broken on September 17, 1986.

Thirteen stores opened for business on April 13, 1987. A second group welcomed first shoppers on August 13th. The last original SHOPS OF SADDLE CREEK tenants held grand openings in November 1987. The fully-realized lifestyle center included exclusive stores such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Laura Ashley, H2Oh! and G.H. Bass. 

A second phase, known as SADDLE CREEK SOUTH, was built on an adjacent 4.1-acre plot, situated southwest of the original complex. It enveloped 37,700 leasable square feet and contained retailers such as Eddie Bauer, Gap Kids, Harold's and James Davis Clothing. Stores opened between April and September 1989.

With the completion of SADDLE CREEK SOUTH, the original (circa-1987) structure was renamed SADDLE CREEK NORTH. By this time, the Poag & Thomason company was developing a second lifestyle center. ONE PACIFIC PLACE, in Omaha, Nebraska, would commence operation in September 1989. 

At this time, a new corporate moniker was instituted, which reflected the marketing focus on "today's busy lifestyle;" Poag & McEwen Lifestyle Centers. By the mid-1990s, "lifestyle center," a term devised by G. Dan Poag in 1989, had become a buzzword in the retail industry.

SADDLE CREEK WEST, a third -and final- installment of THE SHOPS OF SADDLE CREEK, opened between August 4th and 15th, 1995. The 22,800 square foot structure was situated on 2.5 acres, located northwest of, and adjacent to, SADDLE CREEK SOUTH. 

The new building comprised four stores; Talbots Petits, Britches Great Outdoors, Structure Men's Wear and Eddie Bauer Home. With its completion, THE SHOPS OF SADDLE CREEK encompassed approximately 137,500 leasable square feet and contained forty stores and services.

By the turn of the century, lifestyle centers had opened, or were being developed, across the United States. Among the more prominent of these were MIZNER PARK (1990) {Boca Raton, Florida}, CENTRE AT POST OAK (1995) {Houston, Texas}, CORONA DEL MAR PLAZA (1998) {Newport Beach, California}, STREETS OF WOODFIELD (2000) {Schaumburg, Illinois} and BROOKSIDE SHOPS (2003) {Acton, Massachusetts}.

In 2002, there were thirty lifestyle-format shopping centers. This number had increased to 140 by 2004. By 2008, the Poag & McEwen firm, itself, had been involved in the development of twelve such facilities. 

Poag & McEwen sold THE SHOPPES OF SADDLE CREEK in December 2003, with Chicago's Heitman Capital Management becoming its new proprietor. Heitman hired Fort Worth's Trademark Property Company in May 2011. They would manage and lease the complex and oversee a major renovation.

Phase 1 got underway in mid-2014. SADDLE CREEK SOUTH was given a face lift, with new facades, lighting, signage and landscaping installed. 20,000 square feet of retail area was added. The second phase of the renovation was centered on SADDLE CREEK NORTH and WEST. These structures were also given face lifts, with the former being expanded by 5,000 square feet.

The refurbishments were completed in late 2016. The official name of the complex was shortened to SADDLE CREEK. Eighteen new tenants had been signed, with the gross leasable area expanded to approximately 173,000 square feet. There were now fifty-three tenant spaces within the three SADDLE CREEK structures.  

Sources:

The Germantown News

http://www.icsc.org

http://newpdpartners.com

https://usatoday30.usatoday.com

http://www.pm-lifestyle.com (Poag & McEwen Lifestyle Centers)

http://www.joneslanglasalle.com

http://www.nreionline.com

https://www.memphisdailynews.com

http://www.shopsofsaddlecreek.com

http://www.trademarkproperty.com

Shelby County, Tennessee property tax assessor website

Atlanta's Rio Shopping Center

This kitschy retail complex, promoted as "Atlanta's new dimension in shopping and dining," was in existence for only 11 years. "Rio Mall" was dedicated in the spring of 1989. It was unsuccessful from the start and never fully-leased. After a failed 1990s reinvention, the quirky complex was bulldozed.
Photo from http://www.marthaschwartz.com

Stores were arranged around a large Center Court and Water Basin. 350 gold frogs were perched as if in worship of a large, geodesic dome structure, which stood at the west end.
Photo from http://www.marthaschwartz.com

A circa-1989 site plan of Atlanta's too-trendy shopping hub. The bi-level RIO CENTER encompassed approximately 250,000 leasable square feet. Also known as "Rio Mall," this Atlanta complex is differentiated from RIO MALL, in Rio Grande, New Jersey.

RIO SHOPPING CENTER TENANTS 1989:

Benetton apparel / Camp Beverly Hills / Carmine's Gourmet Market / Chico's ladies' wear / Coconuts Movies & Music / Coyote Cafe / Dawson's Yogurt / Enrico's / Generic Clothing Company / Green River Trading Company / Herra of India restaurant / High Country Outfitters / Lettuce Souprise You salad bar / Patio Hut Cafe / Renaissance Book Store / Revenge men's wear / The Crab House restaurant / Tic-Tac-Toe T-Shirts / Tuxedo Catering Company / West 57 Full Service Salon / Wolf Camera & Video 

A westward view of Center Court. An overhead walkway, in the upper right, connected the Upper Level of the north and south concourses.
Photo from http://www.marthaschwartz.com

A second walkway traversed the frog-filled Water Basin on the mall's Lower Level.
Photo from http://www.marthaschwartz.com

A 40-foot-high, tubular construction, geodesic dome doubled as a mist fountain during the early years of the shopping complex.
Photo from http://www.marthaschwartz.com

A still image from the Rio Videowall, which was created by New York City conceptual artist Dara Birnbaum.
Photo from http://www.vasulka.org