Pembroke Mall
A mixed-use retail development in Virginia Beach, Virginia, originally opened in 1966 as Pembroke Mall.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Pembroke Square is a mixed-use retail development in Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States, known for most of its history as Pembroke Mall. The property opened in March 1966 and was the first enclosed shopping mall in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. Its original development replaced farmland and began construction in March 1965. The first phase opened with 21 stores, followed shortly by western and eastern anchor department stores Sears and Miller & Rhoads. A Woolworth dime store occupied a prominent central position in the early mall layout. The center expanded and changed anchor tenants repeatedly as the regional retail market evolved. A 1981 expansion added Rices Nachmans, a local department-store chain. After Hess's acquired that chain in 1985, the store operated under the Hess's name. Miller & Rhoads left in 1990, and the space was subsequently occupied by Uptons. Hess's Hampton Roads stores passed to Proffitt's in 1993, and Proffitt's later sold its area stores to Dillard's in 1998. Stein Mart was added as another anchor in the 1990s. By the middle of the 1990s, the property faced increasing competition from newer and larger regional destinations, including Lynnhaven Mall and MacArthur Center. Store closures created substantial vacancies: Woolworth shut its chain-wide operations in 1997, Uptons closed in 1999, and Dillard's departed in 2002. Management responded with a major redevelopment program beginning in 2003. The work refreshed the interior, added new flooring, introduced a food court, and brought in restaurants and national specialty retailers. Kohl's opened in the former Uptons space and became an important continuing anchor. The redevelopment continued through the following decade. Most of the northern wing, including the former Dillard's area, was demolished in 2006. The mall cinema closed in 2011, and its site was later cleared for Target. The former food-court annex was removed in 2012, while the former food-court space was adapted for Old Navy and Coastal Edge in 2013. Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse also occupied the former Woolworth location. In 2015, Sears Holdings transferred the Sears property to Seritage Growth Properties as part of a portfolio spin-off. Plans later called for the Sears store to be reduced and portions of the site to be used by Nordstrom Rack, The Fresh Market, and DSW Shoe Warehouse; a separate Sears Automotive building was replaced by a freestanding REI store. Sears closed in September 2018, and the former store space later became offices for Decisions LLC in 2021. Stein Mart closed its Pembroke Mall location in October 2020 after the retailer announced a broad store-closure program. In December 2021, management announced a $200 million redevelopment that required the remaining tenants to vacate by the end of January 2022, while Target and Kohl's remained open during construction. The planned mixed-use project included a hotel, senior-living facilities, and apartments, reflecting a shift from a conventional enclosed mall toward a broader town-center model. The property was publicly announced as Pembroke Square in July 2022. An entertainment component was subsequently added through DraftCade, an arcade and restaurant reported as opening in January 2026. The redevelopment has therefore repositioned the site from a traditional department-store mall into a mixed-use retail and entertainment destination.
History
Pembroke Square occupies a site that was formerly farmland in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Construction of the original shopping center began in March 1965. The first 21 stores opened in March 1966, making the property the first shopping mall in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. Sears and Miller & Rhoads soon opened as the principal western and eastern anchors, and Woolworth operated near the center of the mall. The property expanded in 1981 when Rices Nachmans became a third anchor. Hess's acquired the Rices Nachmans chain in 1985 and converted the store to its own branding. Miller & Rhoads closed in 1990, after which Uptons occupied the former department-store space. Hess's Hampton Roads locations were sold to Proffitt's in 1993; Proffitt's later transferred its area stores to Dillard's in 1998. Stein Mart joined the anchor lineup during the mid-1990s. The center's competitive position weakened during the 1990s as newer regional malls attracted shoppers and retailers. Woolworth closed in 1997, Uptons in 1999, and Dillard's in 2002. In response, management began a property-wide redevelopment in 2003. Improvements included new concourse flooring, restaurants around the perimeter, a food court, and national specialty stores. Kohl's opened in the former Uptons location and became a continuing major tenant. Pacific Sunwear and Hot Topic were among the other national chains associated with this phase. The physical layout was substantially altered. Most of the northern wing, including the former Dillard's space, was demolished in 2006. The cinema closed in 2011, and its site was cleared for Target. The food-court annex was removed in 2012. In 2013, Old Navy and Coastal Edge occupied the former food-court area, while Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse moved into the former Woolworth space. The Sears property was spun off by Sears Holdings into Seritage Growth Properties in 2015. Subsequent plans reduced the Sears footprint and introduced Nordstrom Rack, The Fresh Market, and DSW Shoe Warehouse, while REI replaced the detached Sears Automotive building. Truist Financial and Smokey Bones also operated on outparcel sites associated with the Seritage redevelopment. Sears closed in September 2018, and the former department-store space later became offices for Decisions LLC in 2021. Stein Mart closed its location in October 2020 after the retailer announced broad closures. In December 2021, management announced a $200 million redevelopment requiring the remaining tenants to vacate by the end of January 2022, although Target and Kohl's were expected to remain open during construction. The planned project was designed to include a hotel, senior living, and apartments, adding residential and hospitality uses to the retail property. In July 2022, the center announced that it would be renamed Pembroke Square. DraftCade subsequently opened in January 2026, adding arcade entertainment and restaurant operations to the evolving mixed-use destination.
- 2026
DraftCade opens
[1]An arcade and restaurant opened in a former anchor space, adding an entertainment use to the redeveloped center.
- 2022
Property renamed Pembroke Square
[1]The center adopted the Pembroke Square name as part of its redevelopment strategy.
- 2021
Major mixed-use redevelopment announced
[1]A $200 million redevelopment was announced, including hotel, senior-living, and apartment uses.
- 2015
Sears property enters Seritage portfolio
[1]The Sears property was included in Sears Holdings' spin-off of 235 properties to Seritage Growth Properties.
- 2006
Northern wing demolished
[1]Most of the northern wing, including the former Dillard's footprint, was demolished.
- 2003
Mall-wide redevelopment begins
[1]Management initiated a broad renovation involving interior upgrades, restaurants, a food court, and new retailers.
- 1990
Miller & Rhoads closes
[1]The original eastern anchor departed, later making room for Uptons.
- 1985
Rices Nachmans becomes Hess's
[1]Hess's acquired the Rices Nachmans chain and rebranded its stores.
- 1981
Third anchor added
[1]A major expansion added Rices Nachmans as a third department-store anchor.
- 1966
Pembroke Mall opens
[1]The first 21 stores opened in March, establishing the first shopping mall in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area.
Products and positioning
A long-established Virginia Beach shopping destination transitioning from a conventional enclosed mall into a mixed-use retail, dining, residential, senior-living, hotel, and entertainment development.
Department and general merchandise retail · 2011
Target
Target occupies a major portion of the redeveloped property and replaced the former cinema and part of the former Dillard's footprint. It provides general merchandise and household retail within the center's current anchor mix.
Department-store retail · 2003
Kohl's
Kohl's opened in 2003 in the former Uptons space during the mall-wide redevelopment. It became one of the principal continuing department-store anchors and remained open during the later redevelopment program.
Off-price apparel retail · 2015
Nordstrom Rack
Nordstrom Rack was planned for part of the downsized Sears footprint after the Sears property entered the Seritage portfolio. The format extends the center's apparel and off-price retail offering.
Specialty grocery retail · 2015
The Fresh Market
The Fresh Market was identified as a prospective tenant for part of the Sears space during the 2015 property restructuring. It represents the center's expansion beyond traditional department-store and specialty retail.
Outdoor specialty retail · 2015
REI
A freestanding REI store replaced the detached Sears Automotive building. Its outdoor-oriented retail concept broadened the site's use beyond the enclosed mall interior.
Entertainment and restaurant · 2026
DraftCade
DraftCade combines arcade entertainment with restaurant operations. Its opening in a former anchor space added a leisure and food component to the Pembroke Square redevelopment.
Brand decisions
2026
Addition of DraftCade entertainment offeringProduct launchBackground
The redevelopment sought to replace vacant anchor space and add uses that could generate visits beyond conventional shopping.
Action taken
DraftCade opened an arcade and restaurant in one of the former anchor spaces.
Aftermath
The center gained an entertainment-led component alongside its retail and dining uses.
2021
Transition to a mixed-use town-center modelStrategyBackground
The traditional mall had experienced anchor closures and tenant turnover, creating an opportunity to repurpose the property at a larger development scale.
Action taken
Management announced a $200 million redevelopment involving tenant relocations and planned hotel, senior-living, and apartment uses, while Target and Kohl's remained open during construction.
Aftermath
The property adopted the Pembroke Square name in 2022 and began shifting its identity from an enclosed mall toward a mixed-use retail and entertainment destination.
Announced redevelopment value. $200 million (Announced December 2021)
2015
Reconfiguration of the Sears propertyStrategyBackground
Sears Holdings transferred the Sears location into Seritage Growth Properties as part of a portfolio spin-off.
Action taken
The Sears store was planned for downsizing, with portions of the property designated for Nordstrom Rack, The Fresh Market, and DSW Shoe Warehouse; REI replaced the detached automotive building.
Aftermath
The anchor site became a multi-tenant redevelopment area rather than relying solely on a full-size Sears store.
2003
Launch of mall-wide redevelopmentStrategyBackground
The center was losing tenants amid competition from larger and newer regional malls, while several former anchors had closed or were weakening.
Action taken
Management renovated the concourse, added a food court and restaurants, and recruited national retailers including Kohl's, Pacific Sunwear, and Hot Topic.
Aftermath
The property received new retail uses and continued a longer-term process of replacing obsolete anchor and common-area formats.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/pembroke-mall · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled