Alderwood Mall

Alderwood Mall is a major regional shopping center in Lynnwood, Washington, serving Snohomish County and the broader northern Puget Sound area. Although the property has increasingly used the shorter name Alderwood, its established public identity remains Alderwood Mall. The center combines a conventional enclosed shopping mall with two open-air components, The Village and The Terraces, and has developed into a broader retail, dining, entertainment, residential, and transportation-oriented district. The mall opened on October 4, 1979, after a development process that had taken approximately a decade. It was financed by Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. on land originally associated with Allied Stores. Its initial department-store anchors were The Bon Marché, Lamonts, Nordstrom, JCPenney, and Sears. The property was subsequently owned by the New York State Common Retirement Fund, while DeBartolo's management organization continued to operate it. A 1995–1996 project added a court and renovated cosmetics areas, but the center remained largely unchanged until the early 2000s. A major transformation followed the closure of Lamonts in 2000. The former Lamonts building was demolished and replaced by a new Nordstrom that opened in 2003. The previous Nordstrom location was then redeveloped as The Village, an attached open-air lifestyle district containing shops, restaurants, and a Borders bookstore. At the same time, The Terraces was built on the southwest side of the property. It incorporated restaurants, an enlarged food court, a multiplex cinema, and new parking structures. The cinema opened in 2005, and the property began presenting itself more as a lifestyle center than as a purely enclosed mall. Alderwood's anchor and tenant history reflects broader changes in American retail. The Bon Marché became Bon-Macy's in 2003 and Macy's in 2005. The former Loews cinema later adopted the AMC name in 2018. Borders closed in 2011 after its bankruptcy. Sears closed in March 2017, and its large building was demolished in 2019. The former Sears site became part of a mixed-use redevelopment strategy that brought apartments, restaurants, and entertainment uses into the mall's surrounding environment. The property has also been associated with notable retail introductions. A Zumiez location at Alderwood is described as one of the chain's earliest stores, while Daiso opened its first United States location at the mall in 2005. Daiso later moved within the property and eventually relocated to a nearby strip-center location. More recent additions include Uniqlo, Dave & Buster's, Fogo de Chão, Paris Baguette, and a freestanding Shake Shack with a drive-through. Alderwood is positioned near the junction of Interstate 5, Interstate 405, and State Route 525. It is served by Community Transit and Sound Transit Express, and the Swift Orange Line began serving the area in 2024. Sound Transit has also identified a future light-rail station in the vicinity as part of the proposed Everett Link Extension, although that project is not expected to open until 2037. The center remains Snohomish County's largest mall and one of the principal shopping destinations in the Puget Sound region. Its current proposition is based on a diversified mix of department stores, specialty retail, food and beverage, entertainment, open-air shopping, and adjacent mixed-use development.

Alderwood was developed over roughly a decade on land in the Alderwood Manor area, which later became part of Lynnwood. The project was financed by Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. and opened on October 4, 1979. Its original department-store lineup included The Bon Marché, Lamonts, Nordstrom, JCPenney, and Sears, establishing the property as a major regional destination for Snohomish County. Ownership and management changed during the mall's early decades. The New York State Common Retirement Fund became an owner, while DeBartolo's management company continued operating the center. Simon Property Group briefly managed the property after acquiring DeBartolo's mall interests in 1996. General Growth Properties assumed management in 1997 and became a co-owner in 1999 through a joint venture with the New York pension fund. A relatively limited interior project in 1995–1996 added a court and renovated cosmetics areas. The closure of Lamonts in 2000 created a substantial vacancy and prompted a much larger repositioning. The former Lamonts building was demolished for a new Nordstrom, which opened in 2003. The old Nordstrom building was then replaced by The Village, an attached open-air lifestyle district designed by Callison Architecture. The Village was intended to give the center a more urbanized and varied format, with retail, dining, and a Borders bookstore. The Terraces was developed on the southwest side at the same time, adding restaurants, an enlarged food court, a 16-screen cinema, and parking garages. The cinema opened on March 25, 2005, and the property increasingly used the shorter name Alderwood while promoting a lifestyle-center identity. Several anchor and specialty-retail changes followed. The Bon Marché was briefly branded Bon-Macy's in 2003 and became Macy's in 2005. Daiso opened its first U.S. store at Alderwood in November 2005. Borders closed in 2011 after its bankruptcy, while the cinema eventually changed from the Loews name to AMC in 2018. Sears closed in March 2017. Its building was demolished in 2019, creating an opportunity for a more intensive mixed-use approach. GGP's financial difficulties also affected the ownership context. The company filed for Chapter 11 in 2009, although Alderwood itself was excluded from the bankruptcy filing. Brookfield Asset Management invested $2.5 billion for a 30 percent stake in GGP during its 2010 exit from bankruptcy protection, and Brookfield fully acquired GGP in 2018. Under Brookfield's ownership, the former Sears area became part of a strategy to add residential, dining, and entertainment uses to selected mall properties. AvalonBay Communities purchased the Sears site in January 2020 and developed Avalon Alderwood Place, a mixed-use project with approximately 328 apartments and about 64,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. The residences began opening in late 2021. Dave & Buster's opened in August 2022, followed by Fogo de Chão in April 2023 and Paris Baguette in June 2024. A freestanding Shake Shack opened in September 2023. Uniqlo joined the mall's apparel tenant mix in May 2024, while REI closed its mall location in March 2025 and moved to a larger nearby store. The center's accessibility has expanded through bus service. Community Transit and Sound Transit Express serve the area, and the Swift Orange Line began operating in 2024. A future Everett Link light-rail extension is planned to place a station near Alderwood, though service is not expected until 2037. Alderwood is also part of Lynnwood's cultural landscape: the Seattle band The Young Fresh Fellows referenced the mall in its 1985 song "Searchin' USA."

• 2024

  Uniqlo opens and Orange Line service begins

  [1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Uniqlo opens at the mall, while Community Transit's Swift Orange Line begins serving the area.

• 2020

  Former Sears site changes hands

  [1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  AvalonBay Communities acquires the former Sears site for Avalon Alderwood Place.

• 2017

  Sears closes

  [1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Sears anchor closes, beginning the transition of its site toward mixed-use development.

• 2005

  The Terraces and Daiso launch

  [1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Terraces expansion and multiplex open, and Daiso launches its first U.S. store at Alderwood.

• 2003

  New Nordstrom and Bon-Macy's branding

  [1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A new Nordstrom opens, while The Bon Marché temporarily adopts the Bon-Macy's name.

• 1999

  GGP becomes co-owner

  [1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  General Growth Properties enters a joint venture with the New York State Common Retirement Fund and becomes a co-owner.

• 1995

  Interior renovation begins

  [1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A project adding a court and renovating cosmetics areas is carried out during 1995–1996.

• 1979

  Alderwood opens

  [1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The regional mall opens in Lynnwood with five department-store anchors and attracts an estimated 30,000 visitors on its first day.

A large regional shopping and entertainment destination that blends an enclosed mall with open-air lifestyle districts, restaurants, cinema, specialty retail, and surrounding residential redevelopment.

• Retail shopping center · 1979

  Enclosed mall

  The original enclosed portion houses department stores, specialty retailers, beauty businesses, apparel merchants, household and lifestyle shops, and food-service operators. Its major anchor history includes The Bon Marché/Macy's, Nordstrom, JCPenney, Lamonts, and Sears.

• Open-air lifestyle district · 2003

  The Village

  The Village is an attached open-air expansion built on the former Nordstrom site. It was designed to broaden Alderwood beyond a traditional enclosed mall through a more street-oriented mix of specialty shops, restaurants, and lifestyle-oriented tenants.

• Open-air retail and entertainment district · 2005

  The Terraces

  The Terraces is the mall's southwest expansion, combining restaurants, food-service space, parking facilities, and a multiplex cinema. It helped establish the property's later lifestyle-center positioning and increased the role of dining and entertainment in the tenant mix.

• Mixed-use development · 2021

  Avalon Alderwood Place

  Built on the former Sears site, Avalon Alderwood Place adds approximately 328 apartments and roughly 64,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space to the Alderwood area. Its tenants and openings have included Dave & Buster's, Fogo de Chão, and Paris Baguette.

• 2024

  Transit-oriented accessibility expansionOther

  Background

  Alderwood is located near major highways and has long depended on regional bus connections.

  Action taken

  Community Transit began Swift Orange Line service connecting the area with Mill Creek and Edmonds College; a future light-rail station is planned nearby as part of the Everett Link Extension.

  Aftermath

  The mall's role as a regional destination is supported by expanded public-transit access, although the proposed light-rail station is not expected until 2037.

  Source

• 2019

  Redevelopment of the former Sears siteStrategy

  Background

  Sears closed in 2017, leaving a large vacant anchor building in a market where traditional department-store space was becoming more difficult to sustain.

  Action taken

  The Sears building was demolished and the site was sold to AvalonBay Communities for a residential, retail, dining, and entertainment project.

  Aftermath

  Avalon Alderwood Place added apartments and new commercial uses, reinforcing Alderwood's transition toward a mixed-use district.

  Brookfield redevelopment expenditure. $109 million or more (By 2024)

  Source

• 2002

  Repositioning around open-air lifestyle districtsStrategy

  Background

  The closure of Lamonts left a major anchor vacancy and prompted a comprehensive redevelopment of the property.

  Action taken

  Management replaced the former Lamonts and Nordstrom buildings with a new Nordstrom, The Village, and The Terraces, adding dining, entertainment, and parking capacity.

  Aftermath

  Alderwood broadened its identity from a conventional enclosed mall into a hybrid shopping and lifestyle center.

  Source

• 2025

  REI closes its Alderwood store[1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  REI's outdoor-section store closed in March and was replaced by a larger off-mall Lynnwood location the following month.

• 2024

  Swift Orange Line begins serving Alderwood[1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Community Transit's Swift Orange Line opened, connecting the mall area with Mill Creek and Edmonds College.

• 2024

  Uniqlo opens at Alderwood[1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo opened at the shopping center on May 17.

• 2023

  Fogo de Chão opens at Alderwood[1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Fogo de Chão opened on April 21 after replacing Dick's Sporting Goods in the redevelopment's planned retail lineup.

• 2023

  Shake Shack opens a drive-through location[1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  A freestanding Shake Shack opened in September, described as the chain's fourth Washington location and its first in the state with a drive-through.

• 2022

  Dave & Buster's opens at Avalon Alderwood Place[1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The entertainment venue opened in August as part of the former Sears site's mixed-use redevelopment.

• 2021

  Avalon Alderwood Place begins opening[1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The mixed-use project began opening apartments and was planned to include approximately 328 residences and about 64,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

• 2020

  AvalonBay acquires the former Sears site[1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  AvalonBay Communities purchased the former Sears site from Seritage and Brookfield for development of Avalon Alderwood Place.

• 2019

  Former Sears building is demolished[1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The vacant Sears structure was demolished to prepare the site for a mixed-use redevelopment.

• 2018

  Brookfield completes acquisition of General Growth Properties[1]Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Brookfield fully acquired GGP, strengthening its control over Alderwood and supporting a strategy of converting selected mall properties into mixed-use destinations.

Showing the 10 most recent.

1. 1Alderwood Mallen.wikipedia.org