Patrick Henry Mall
A regional enclosed shopping mall in Newport News, Virginia, anchored by Dillard's, Dick's Sporting Goods, J. C. Penney, and Macy's.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Patrick Henry Mall is an enclosed regional shopping center in Newport News, Virginia, serving the Virginia Peninsula and surrounding communities. The mall is positioned at the intersection of Interstate 64 and Jefferson Avenue, also designated Virginia State Route 143, with access from Interstate 64 westbound at exit 255A. Its name is derived from the adjacent Patrick Henry International Airport. The mall opened in 1987 as the Peninsula area's third enclosed regional mall. It was developed by Crown American on land that had previously been occupied by a large dairy farm operated by the Yoder family, a local Mennonite family. At opening, Patrick Henry Mall featured Hess's, Leggett, and Bradlees as its principal anchor stores and was notable for introducing the region's first mall food court. The center's anchor lineup changed substantially over the following decades as department-store chains consolidated or changed names. Bradlees was replaced by Uptons in 1988. Hess's sold its location to Proffitt's in 1995, while both the former Hess's and Leggett locations ultimately became Dillard's stores in 1998. A 1998 expansion added a Hecht's department store; that location became a Macy's in 2006. Uptons closed in 1999, and its former space was converted to a J. C. Penney in 2000. Dillard's consolidated its operations into the former Leggett building in 2004. The former Hess's, later Proffitt's and Dillard's Home Store, was demolished as part of a 2005–2006 expansion. That project added Dick's Sporting Goods, Borders Books & Music, New York & Company, Red Robin, and expanded or relocated several existing tenants, including American Eagle Outfitters, Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret, Express, and Hallmark Cards. Patrick Henry Mall has also adapted its tenant mix as individual retailers have departed. Borders closed in early 2011 and its space later became a Forever 21 location in October 2012. Forever 21 closed in spring 2025 in connection with the retailer's bankruptcy proceedings. Old Navy, another major tenant, left the mall in 2017 and moved to Jefferson Commons. In the same year, Tilt Studio announced an entertainment venue for the former AMC 7 and Old Navy area. The venue opened on December 18, 2017, with attractions and amenities including arcade games, a mini bowling alley, one-story laser tag, and a J. P. Pepperoni restaurant. The mall's present identity is based on a combination of department stores, sporting goods, apparel and specialty retailers, food and beverage operators, and family entertainment. Its anchor tenants are Dillard's, Dick's Sporting Goods, J. C. Penney, and Macy's. The property remains a prominent retail destination in the Newport News area, although its tenant roster and commercial footprint have evolved in response to department-store consolidation, specialty-retail changes, and the growth of experiential entertainment.
History
Patrick Henry Mall opened in 1987 in Newport News, Virginia, as the third enclosed regional mall serving the Virginia Peninsula. Crown American developed the property on a former dairy-farm site operated by the Yoder family, a local Mennonite family. The mall was named for the nearby Patrick Henry International Airport and was built at a strategically accessible location along Interstate 64 and Jefferson Avenue. At opening, the center was anchored by Hess's, Leggett, and Bradlees. It also introduced the area's first mall food court, reinforcing its role as both a shopping destination and a social gathering place. The first major tenant change occurred in 1988, when Bradlees became Uptons. In 1995, Hess's sold its Patrick Henry Mall store to Proffitt's. By 1998, both the former Hess's and Leggett stores had become Dillard's locations. That same year, a mall expansion added a Hecht's department store, which was converted to Macy's in 2006 as part of the broader Hecht's-to-Macy's rebranding process. Uptons closed in 1999, and its space was converted into a J. C. Penney in 2000. Dillard's later consolidated its operations into the former Leggett building in 2004. The former Hess's, Proffitt's, and Dillard's Home Store building was subsequently demolished to make room for a 2005–2006 expansion. The redevelopment introduced Dick's Sporting Goods, Borders Books & Music, New York & Company, and Red Robin, while also creating new or expanded locations for American Eagle Outfitters, Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret, Express, and Hallmark Cards. This phase broadened the mall beyond traditional department stores and increased its emphasis on apparel, specialty retail, books, beauty, and dining. Borders closed in early 2011. Its former space was reused by Forever 21, which opened there in October 2012. Forever 21 later closed in spring 2025 amid the retailer's bankruptcy-related store reductions. The mall also lost Old Navy in 2017 when that retailer moved to Jefferson Commons. In September 2017, Tilt Studio announced plans for an entertainment venue in space formerly associated with AMC 7 and Old Navy. The venue opened on December 18, 2017, offering arcade games, mini bowling, one-story laser tag, and a J. P. Pepperoni restaurant. Through these changes, Patrick Henry Mall has remained an active regional shopping center anchored by Dillard's, Dick's Sporting Goods, J. C. Penney, and Macy's. Its history reflects the evolution of enclosed American malls: department-store mergers and rebrandings, replacement of failed or departing retailers, expansion into dining and entertainment, and continuing adjustment of the tenant mix. A fatal shooting reported at the mall on November 30, 2025, in which one person was killed and a suspect was taken into custody, also became a significant event in the property's public history.
- 2025
Forever 21 closes
[1]Forever 21 closes its mall location in spring 2025 amid the retailer's bankruptcy-related contraction.
- 2025
Fatal shooting reported
[1]A shooting reported on November 30 results in one death and the custody of a suspect.
- 2017
Old Navy departs
[1]Old Navy leaves Patrick Henry Mall and moves to Jefferson Commons.
- 2017
Tilt Studio opens
[1]Tilt Studio opens on December 18 with arcade games, mini bowling, laser tag, and a J. P. Pepperoni restaurant.
- 2012
Forever 21 opens
[1]Forever 21 opens in the former Borders space in October.
- 2011
Borders closes
[1]The Borders Books & Music store closes in early 2011.
- 2006
Hecht's becomes Macy's
[1]The Hecht's anchor is rebranded as Macy's.
- 2005
Redevelopment expansion begins
[1]The former Hess's/Proffitt's/Dillard's Home Store building is demolished as part of a redevelopment completed across 2005 and 2006.
- 2000
J. C. Penney replaces Uptons
[1]The former Uptons space becomes a J. C. Penney store.
- 1998
Expansion adds Hecht's
[1]A major expansion adds a Hecht's department store, later rebranded as Macy's.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping center serving Newport News and the wider Virginia Peninsula, combining department-store anchors with specialty retail, dining, and family entertainment.
Department stores · 1987
Department-store retail
Patrick Henry Mall's department-store anchors provide broad assortments of apparel, accessories, cosmetics, home merchandise, and seasonal goods. The current anchor group identified in reference material comprises Dillard's, J. C. Penney, and Macy's, representing the traditional regional-mall department-store format.
Sporting goods · 2005
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods is a major anchor offering athletic footwear, sports apparel, equipment, and outdoor-oriented merchandise. The store was added during the mall's 2005–2006 expansion and remains one of the property's principal anchors.
Family entertainment · 2017
Tilt Studio
Tilt Studio is an entertainment offering rather than a conventional retail line. The Patrick Henry Mall venue includes arcade games, mini bowling, one-story laser tag, and associated food service through J. P. Pepperoni. It opened in December 2017 in former mall entertainment and retail space.
Food and beverage · 1987
Mall dining and food court
Dining is part of the mall's broader consumer offering. Patrick Henry Mall was notable at opening for having the first food court in the region, and later redevelopment added operators including Red Robin and the J. P. Pepperoni restaurant associated with Tilt Studio.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2017
Addition of family entertainmentStrategyBackground
After Old Navy left the mall and moved to Jefferson Commons, space associated with the former AMC 7 and Old Navy locations became available.
Action taken
Tilt Studio was selected for the space and opened with arcade games, mini bowling, laser tag, and food service.
Aftermath
The move expanded Patrick Henry Mall's offer beyond shopping into experiential and family entertainment.
2005
Redevelopment and anchor-space expansionStrategyBackground
The mall's former Hess's, Proffitt's, and Dillard's Home Store building was removed as part of a broader effort to update and expand the property.
Action taken
The redevelopment added Dick's Sporting Goods, Borders Books & Music, New York & Company, Red Robin, and new or expanded spaces for several existing retailers.
Aftermath
The project diversified the mall's tenant mix with sporting goods, books, dining, and specialty retail.
Recent events
- 2025
Forever 21 closes its Patrick Henry Mall location[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Forever 21 closed its Patrick Henry Mall store in spring 2025 following the retailer's bankruptcy-related business contraction.
- 2017
Old Navy leaves Patrick Henry Mall for Jefferson Commons[1]
Other
Old Navy, previously a major tenant at Patrick Henry Mall, departed the center and relocated to Jefferson Commons.
- 2017
Tilt Studio opens at Patrick Henry Mall[1]
Product launch
Tilt Studio opened on December 18 in space associated with the former AMC 7 and Old Navy locations, adding arcade games, mini bowling, laser tag, and a J. P. Pepperoni restaurant.
Sources2 sources
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