Plymouth Meeting Mall
A regional shopping mall in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, serving the northwestern Philadelphia suburbs.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Plymouth Meeting Mall is an approximately 948,000-square-foot enclosed and open-air retail complex in Plymouth Meeting, Plymouth Township, Pennsylvania, about 17 miles northwest of Center City Philadelphia. The property stands at the intersection of Germantown Pike and Hickory Road near the Mid-County Interchange, where the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Interstate 276, Interstate 476, and the Blue Route connect. Its location gives it access to communities in Montgomery County and the wider Philadelphia metropolitan area. The mall was developed by The Rouse Company subsidiary TRC Exton Plymouth 12–39, LLC, and opened in 1966. Designed by architect Victor Gruen, it was the third fully enclosed shopping mall in the Philadelphia area. Its initial department-store anchors were Strawbridge & Clothier and Lit Brothers. The complex was notable for incorporating a church among its retail and civic uses, as well as for a fountain and carousel that became recognizable site features. A nine-story office building, One Plymouth Meeting, was added on an outparcel in 1969 and later became an important visual landmark associated with the mall. The property experienced a major fire on January 10, 1970. The blaze began in the display window of King's Men's Shop and damaged approximately one-third of the mall's roughly 100 stores through fire, smoke, and water. Roof and structural damage required extensive reconstruction, which The Rouse Company completed by 1972. The incident also exposed limitations in the mall's sprinkler and emergency-response systems. Anchor succession has shaped the mall's history. Lit Brothers closed in 1976 and its space was later occupied by Hess's, which opened in 1979 and closed in 1993. Boscov's assumed that anchor location in 1996. Strawbridge's became a Macy's store after Federated Department Stores acquired May Department Stores; the conversion took place in 2006. Macy's subsequently closed in March 2017, and the former department-store space was reconfigured for Burlington, Dick's Sporting Goods, Michaels, and Edge Fitness, with openings reported in 2019. PREIT acquired the mall in 2003 as part of a portfolio transaction involving several Philadelphia-area shopping properties. Between 2007 and 2009, PREIT carried out a redevelopment reported to exceed $100 million. The project added an open-air lifestyle wing, restaurants, specialty retailers, a Whole Foods Market, and an underground parking area. The mall's entertainment and dining mix later included an AMC multiplex, Dave & Buster's, Benihana, California Pizza Kitchen, P.F. Chang's, Redstone American Grill, and a central food court. Legoland Discovery Center opened in 2017, while the 5 Wits attraction operated from 2017 until 2020. The mall has faced pressure from changing retail patterns, vacancies, declining traffic, and competition from King of Prussia and Willow Grove Park. PREIT has pursued mixed-use redevelopment, including a proposed apartment community. Reference material reports approval for a 503-unit residential project with construction beginning in 2025. It also reports a proposed sale to Lubert Adler Partners, which plans to replace portions of the enclosed mall with a mixed-use Plymouth Meeting Town Center. The reported concept would retain or integrate selected major tenants while demolishing the interior section between Boscov's and Dick's Sporting Goods. A connected office tower is also reported to be undergoing conversion into apartments. Because these ownership and redevelopment plans are described as pending or prospective, the mall's long-term physical form remains subject to implementation.
History
Plymouth Meeting Mall opened in 1966 in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, as a development of The Rouse Company. Victor Gruen designed the complex, which was the Philadelphia area's third fully enclosed shopping mall. The original anchors were Strawbridge & Clothier and Lit Brothers. The mall's design combined retail space with distinctive civic and recreational elements, including a fountain, carousel, and a church located within the mall. One Plymouth Meeting, a nine-story office tower, was added nearby in 1969. On January 10, 1970, the mall experienced a serious fire that began in the display window of King's Men's Shop. Delayed reporting allowed the blaze to spread, and approximately 30 stores were heavily damaged or destroyed by fire, smoke, or water. Heat buckled steel and caused roof failures. Sprinkler and water-curtain systems helped limit the damage, but the sprinkler installation was not fully automatic. The Rouse Company rebuilt the affected portions, with reconstruction completed by 1972. Lit Brothers closed in 1976. Hess's replaced it in 1979, but the chain's only Philadelphia-area location performed poorly and closed in 1993. Boscov's took over the space in 1996 and remains one of the mall's principal anchors. In 1985, IKEA acquired and renovated an outparcel for its first United States store. IKEA later moved to a larger nearby location in Conshohocken in 2003. PREIT purchased the mall in 2003 as part of a portfolio acquisition from The Rouse Company. A major redevelopment between 2007 and 2009 added a lifestyle wing, restaurants, Whole Foods Market, underground parking, and new specialty-retail space. The property also experimented with entertainment concepts. Krazy City opened in 2009 but closed later that year; its space was subsequently adapted for health-related use. Legoland Discovery Center opened in April 2017, and 5 Wits opened in October 2017 before closing in January 2020. The mall's healthcare and department-store uses also changed. Mercy Suburban Hospital was sold to Prime Healthcare Services in 2015 and became Suburban Health Center, which closed in 2017. Macy's, which had inherited the former Strawbridge's location through the 2006 conversion of Strawbridge's stores, announced its closure in January 2017 and ceased operations in March. The former Macy's area was later occupied by Burlington, Dick's Sporting Goods, Michaels, and Edge Fitness, reportedly opening in 2019. By the mid-to-late 2010s, Plymouth Meeting Mall was dealing with vacancies, weaker traffic, and competition from larger regional destinations including King of Prussia and Willow Grove Park. PREIT pursued a mixed-use future for the site, including apartments. Reference material reports a 503-unit apartment plan approved with construction beginning in 2025. It also reports a planned sale to Lubert Adler Partners and a proposal to demolish the enclosed interior between Boscov's and Dick's Sporting Goods for a new mixed-use Plymouth Meeting Town Center. A connected office tower is separately reported to be under conversion to apartments. These plans indicate a potential transition from a conventional enclosed mall toward a mixed-use retail, residential, and entertainment district.
- 2020
5 Wits closes
[1]The 5 Wits amusement center ends its operation at the mall.
- 2019
Former Macy's space re-tenanted
[1]Burlington, Dick's Sporting Goods, Michaels, and Edge Fitness occupy the former Macy's area.
- 2017
Legoland Discovery Center opens
[1]The family attraction opens after construction in a former food-court area.
- 2009
Lifestyle wing and Krazy City open
[1]The redevelopment's open-air lifestyle component is introduced, while Krazy City opens inside the mall.
- 2007
Major redevelopment begins
[1]A redevelopment program adds restaurants, lifestyle retail, Whole Foods Market, and related site improvements.
- 2006
Strawbridge's converts to Macy's
[1]The former Strawbridge's store becomes a Macy's location after Federated's acquisition of May Department Stores.
- 2003
PREIT acquisition
[1]PREIT acquires the mall from The Rouse Company in a multi-property transaction.
- 1996
Boscov's becomes an anchor
[1]Boscov's opens in the former Hess's anchor space.
- 1993
Hess's closes
[1]Hess's closes its Plymouth Meeting store during a chain restructuring.
- 1985
First United States IKEA location established nearby
[1]IKEA purchases and renovates a mall outparcel for its first United States location.
Products and positioning
A suburban Philadelphia regional shopping and entertainment center combining department-store and specialty retail, grocery, restaurants, fitness, family attractions, and cinema uses.
Shopping center · 1966
Enclosed and lifestyle retail space
The mall provides conventional enclosed shopping areas alongside an open-air lifestyle wing. Its tenant mix has included apparel, accessories, department-store goods, specialty retail, crafts, sporting goods, groceries, restaurants, and personal services. The property is designed as a regional suburban destination rather than a single-brand retail store.
Food and beverage · 2007
Dining and food services
Dining has been a significant component of the property's repositioning. The complex has included a central food court and freestanding or exterior restaurants such as California Pizza Kitchen, P.F. Chang's, Redstone American Grill, Dave & Buster's, and Benihana. Tenant composition may change as redevelopment proceeds.
Family entertainment · 2017
Legoland Discovery Center
The approximately 33,000-square-foot Legoland Discovery Center opened in April 2017 after replacing part of the former food-court area. It added a major indoor family-entertainment use to the mall's retail and dining offer.
Cinema
AMC Theatre
The property includes a reported 48,000-square-foot AMC multiplex with 12 screens and stadium seating, supporting the mall's role as an entertainment destination as well as a shopping center.
Office and residential property · 1969
One Plymouth Meeting
The adjoining office tower contains approximately 167,748 square feet of office space and is a prominent landmark beside the mall. Reference material reports a conversion plan to at least 275 apartments, potentially making the tower part of the property's broader mixed-use transition.
Brand decisions
2025
Proposed sale and Plymouth Meeting Town Center planM&ABackground
The mall's owner has explored a future that replaces portions of the enclosed retail format with a mixed-use district.
Action taken
Reference material reports that Lubert Adler Partners placed the property under contract for a planned February 2026 acquisition and proposed demolishing the interior section between Boscov's and Dick's Sporting Goods.
Aftermath
The reported redevelopment, branded Plymouth Meeting Town Center, was expected to begin construction in 2027 and finish in 2028, subject to completion of the transaction and approvals.
2022
Apartment redevelopment proposalStrategyBackground
Declining mall traffic, vacancies, and competition from nearby regional malls encouraged a shift toward mixed-use development.
Action taken
PREIT pursued approval for a 503-unit apartment community on the mall property.
Aftermath
Reference material reports that the proposal was later approved and that construction was expected to begin in 2025.
2017
Legoland Discovery Center introductionProduct launchBackground
The mall sought to increase family-oriented visitation and replace part of the former food-court footprint.
Action taken
A 33,000-square-foot Legoland Discovery Center was constructed and opened in April.
Aftermath
The attraction became one of the property's principal entertainment uses.
2007
Major lifestyle and mixed-use-oriented redevelopmentStrategyBackground
The mall faced the need to refresh its tenant mix and strengthen its appeal against larger competing regional shopping destinations.
Action taken
PREIT undertook a redevelopment reported to exceed $100 million, adding an open-air lifestyle wing, restaurants, Whole Foods Market, and parking improvements.
Aftermath
The property expanded its food, grocery, and entertainment uses, although later years still brought vacancies and anchor closures.
Reported redevelopment investment. More than $100 million (2007–2009)
2003
PREIT acquires Plymouth Meeting MallM&ABackground
The Rouse Company sold Plymouth Meeting Mall with several other Philadelphia-area shopping properties.
Action taken
PREIT purchased the portfolio, adding Plymouth Meeting Mall to its regional mall holdings.
Aftermath
PREIT subsequently invested in a major redevelopment intended to broaden the property beyond traditional enclosed-mall retail.
Reported portfolio transaction value. $548 million (2003)
Sources1 sources
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