Does anyone Shop at Springfield Mall anymore? (Annandale, Franconia: middle-class, condos)

[Dingler]

I recently visited the old Springfield Mall (east of Interstate 95 in Springfield, VA). I thought I had arrived in Mexico. Almost everyone was speaking Spanish and half of the once bustling Mall was closed. Many of the shops that were left were not National Chains but run down Mom and Pop stores. I can not believe how rough and tired the shoppers were at the Mall. I understand it is now gang land territory. Different gangs have staked out different parts of the Mall as their territory.

In the next few years much of the Mall will be torn down and replaced by a huge new complex of offices, office buildings and new stores and restaurants. The Mall has gone down hill so fast, its destruction and remodeling will be a good thing.

[The Dissenter]

i still shop there. even less since they closed down the visionz store, has really good urban stores. if u think springfield all has gone into the toilet, you should really see landmark mall in alexandria. there is like 15 empty stores and counting. no one really wants to shop there. the food court is a joke. no wendy's, or popeyes. i may start going to potomac mills and iverson (of course with an anti-theft device on my car) i need really good urban wear stores.

[jb124]

Honestly, Springfield Mall was never known as a cultural metropolis. Growing up in Annandale in the 80's, Springfield was known as 'Grit Mall' to people in my high school. That was before they basically doubled the size of it though. Back in the late 70's and 80's, when Springfield was the edge of known civilization (who would ever want to live outside of the Beltway?!?), you had lower-class whites drag racing in the parking lots and drinking beer/smoking all night. Now it's hispanics I guess. Generally speaking though, gangs don't bother people unless they're in other gangs or are of the same age/ethnicity of the gang.

IMO, the construction there (while I assume desperately needed by the local residents for commuting) took so long and is so ugly that people just gave up on that mall. It will probably experience a period of decline like it did in the 80's then be remodeled and experience a renaissance like it did in the 90's. Heck, Landmark has had the same cycles. I remember when it was an outdoor mall...

[ashbrn4]

I grew up in PG county MD (70's) and our choice of malls was Springfield and Landover or shopping in Marlow Heights at Iverson Mall. I wouldn't go near Iverson now. We used to go to Springifield for the movies since there was only two theatres within a few miles of my home. One at Oxon Hill Plaza and the other near Andrews. Springfield had a lot for those of us who lived in the real suburbs with very little choice otherwise. I had plenty of dates while in HS over in Springfield and later my husband and I would go there for movies and to eat Mexican in a little place in the mall near Montgomery Ward. My son currently lives near there (Kingstowne) but he avoids it. He goes to Landmark or Potomac Mills. Springfield mall is not in the best area and is known to have gang problems as well as other crime issues. I do know people who occasionally go shopping there, but it isn't their first choice.

[Yankeesfan]

I still shop at Springfield Mall simply because I drive past it every day so it is convenient. A lot of the shift is the demographics of the area. In the older neighborhoods nearby, many of the long-time original owners have passed away or retired and moved away and immigrant families, both legal and illegal, are moving in. Their teenage children hang out at the mall because it's convenient and close by, but they don't have much money to spend. The longtime owners of the mall did nothing to enforce security, so it was a gang hangout for a while. When my car was stolen from there in 2000, the so-called security staff refused to even call the police for me (my cell phone battery had worn down). There were security cameras in the garage but they weren't working. The new owners have improved security but it is too little, too late -- too many of the adult, middle-class paying customers have abandoned it. There are elaborate plans for upgrading but those are several years off and some aspects are controversial.

And yes, Landmark Mall is even worse.

[Jimnva]

I agree with the last post regarding Springfield Mall. As a high School student in Springfield I grew up at Springfield Mall. Me and my buddies spent Friday night thru Sunday hanging out at the mall and socializing. I recently went to the mall to make a purchase and was surprised to see that the Mexican's had ruined our mall. I remember how nice SM was after the 1987 remodeling was done and then when Macy's opened a few years later. It was a true asset to the area. Now with the Mexican invasion it looks like a run down slum. It's really too bad what a group of people can cause to happen in an area. Just look at the non-tourist cities in Mexico.. Dirty filthy slums.. Now if we let them, this country will resemble theirs.... Sad

[Fairfax Mom]

I have nothing against then ethnicities of the people in the mall - it is just that the run-down stores there sell such cheap junk that I would never use.
I buy everything on-line now.

[Tish Thompson]

I don't shop there anymore. It's dirtier than I can deal with and I think most of the stores are the dollar store quality. My mother is one of the loyal who still shops there...Target and the place that sells art.

[DavidS827]

I also "grew up" at Springfield Mall. I can remember being a little kid and going to Farrel's for ice cream. That place was great! The last time I went there I couldn't believe how dirty it was. Sad to see such a nice area become so bad. I have a friend that lives in Kingstown and he wont shop for anything there. Said he was sick of being asked for ...a cigarette, a dollar, a light...whatever, then feeling threatned if he didn't have what the guys asked for.

[rose421]

For those interested, illustrations of the future Springfield Mall were hanging on the second floor near the Macy's entrance. The current mall has seen better days. Despite its need to be rehabilitated, the mall continues to draw many shoppers and exercise groups of "mall walkers" because of its convenience and anchor stores such as Macy's. Recently it was reported that the new owners of the property submitted thier redevelopment plans to the county. The plans include upscale condos, hotel, office, dining and retail use. Now that the GSA site near the Franconia/Springfield Metro has been chosen for some of the thousands of job relocations due to BRAC there is even more incentive for the mall and surrounding areas to be revitalized. Another development called Midtown Springfield is in plannng phases according to some local news stories. It will also be a mixed use development.

On another note, does anyone remember when Princess Diana visited Springfield Mall during the royals' visit to Washington in the 80's? One of the department stores (JC Pennys?) had a British theme or something. Not sure if it would fetch a royal visit as it stands today