Laurel Mall (Maryland)

The mall opened on October 11, 1979[1] and connected two pre-existing structures – the freestanding Montgomery Ward on its south side and Laurel Shopping Center to the north.

[4] Montgomery Ward's entered a long-term lease for a $1.60/sf, which was to be offset by higher rates charged to satellite shops drawing on the anchor.

[5] It would be ten years until the 83,000-square-foot (7,700 m2) JCPenney store opened in 1979, with the 265,000-square-foot (24,600 m2) Laurel Centre expansion, creating a traditional enclosed mall.

Other features at the mall were a glass-sided walkway over a roadway and parking lot and an enclosed bridge between JCPenney and Woolworth's at the Laurel Shopping Center.

On November 1, 1980, Congresswoman Gladys Noon Spellman collapsed at a campaign appearance at the Laurel Mall after suffering an incapacitating heart attack.

During this phase, the mall advertised its transformation with cryptic messages printed across some of the shuttered store fronts, such as "Don't judge a book by its cover", "Looks can be deceiving", "Beauty is more than skin deep", "If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies", and "It's what's inside that counts".

The floor was redone with a cream colored marble, and the revolving center shops were replaced with a blue painted steel stairway and security desk.

General Growth Properties filed bankruptcy protection,[14] and construction never started, to the dismay of the City Council and Mayor, who threatened to withdraw the $16 million tax break.

The new plans called for an open air multi-use shopping center which would include a movie theater, health club, restaurants, and a residential area.

The new center, named Towne Centre at Laurel, includes a relocation of Burlington Coat Factory, along with new stores and restaurants, including Harris Teeter, Sports Authority (closed 2016), Party City, Panera Bread, Moe's Southwest Grill, Buffalo Wild Wings, Old Navy, Outback Steakhouse, and Regal Cinemas.