Springfield Mall alternative- Potomac Mills (Chantilly, Manassas: Home Depot, movies, prices)

[dgtlsunshine]

I grew up in NYC and can spot gang members quickly and Potomac Mills is definitely not experiencing a high gang problem.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

I like Potomac Mills myself - wish they had some big department stores though.
But - yes - gang members do push baby carrieges and sometimes the entire family is in the gang
Not saying that Potomac Mills has a problem - just saying all types of people are in gangs these days...

[FatherOf2]

I back what most everyone else said about the "gang" problem at Potomac Mills. That's just pure drivel. That Mall has got to be one of the safest places you can be, it's always well-lit, mobbed with shoppers and patrolled by security and PWC police. There are high school kids there for sure, and I'm fairly certain gang members buy clothes too, but anyone who portrays Potomac Mills mall as a place you should be living in fear of is just not cut out for Northern Virginia life. Simple as that.

Take your normal precautions, lock your car, don't count your money out in the open, etc., but please don't try to scare people off with that BS.

Also, the implication that Potomac Mills is overrun with hispanics is offensive. First, hispanic doesn't necessarily = illegal or dangerous, and second, the IKEA and Costco and Nordstrom rack and crap like that at Potomac Mills are white people heaven, so even if your outlook is whiter = safer, you're good there. And there's Brown people at every other mall you'd go to in this area, even the really rich Tysons 2.

As far as the original intent of the question, Manassas Mall has always seemed to be dying a much faster death than Springfield, but I find both of them useful if I'm in the area. That's the thing about No. Va. though really, you probably have everything you need within a 15-minute drive of your house, if you live in Oakton you have no real need to go to Springfield or Woodbridge when you can go to Tyson's, and if you live in Herndon you're better off going to Fair Oaks than all the way to Potomac Mills. On most occasions anyway.

If you've never been before, or if you like outlets, Potomac Mills is very solid. I don't find it to be as bargain-filled as "outlet mall" might suggest though. And if price is no object, Pentagon City, Tyson's or Fair Oaks should also suit you fine and might save you some drive time.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Also - within 30 miles of Fairfax is the Leesburg Outlets which I really love. They have all the very upscale stores there - Coach, Off 5th, Juicy Couture - and most of them are outlets - if you love Coach all the stuff is about 50% off!

[kevinm]

Let me re-phrase the issue. I meant to suggest that there is a higher "crime problem" in the Potomac Mills area, not just gangs. I have read the police reports of car-jackings and assaults in the parking lots at Potomac Mills. Assaults by groups on a person is a "gang problem".

I like the Leesburg Outlets better also to get my basic wardrobe items. The designer stores contain "last year" styles, so my wife will not buy those there, but us guys don't really care.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by kevinm

Let me re-phrase the issue. I meant to suggest that there is a higher "crime problem" in the Potomac Mills area, not just gangs. I have read the police reports of car-jackings and assaults in the parking lots at Potomac Mills. Assaults by groups on a person is a "gang problem".

I like the Leesburg Outlets better also to get my basic wardrobe items. The designer stores contain "last year" styles, so my wife will not buy those there, but us guys don't really care.

How about a couple of murders by gunfire near the Springfield Mall to match?

[HereinVA]

Originally Posted by dgtlsunshine

I grew up in NYC and can spot gang members quickly and Potomac Mills is definitely not experiencing a high gang problem.

I've lived in some of the worst parts of Long Beach (near Compton), CA, and I even feel uncomfortable at Potomace Mills!

And I've never seen any gang members pushing baby carriages there, most I've seen take the shopping carts from the bigger stores like Nordstom Rack and push that all around the mall.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Yeah - its more cool to push the carts than the baby carriages....

[MovefromFla]

Originally Posted by jfronz

Gangs run amok at Potomac Mills....are you kidding me? If the people I see there are gang material then every public place I've been to in the DC area is loaded with gangs.

My husband and I read your email and I have to tell you if you feel that there are gang member at Potomac Mills, please try going to Springfield mall on a saturday. you will be shocked. now, that mall is rampant with gangs..

[FatherOf2]

I would hate to live in this kind of fear.

I don't think by any means I'm blind to what goes on in the world, but good Lord you guys paint a scary picture ...