Shops at Billerica
A retail shopping center in Billerica, Massachusetts, that began as an enclosed mall and was later converted into a strip-mall format.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Shops at Billerica is a retail property in Billerica, Massachusetts, formerly known as Billerica Mall. It began as an enclosed shopping mall and was part of a group of suburban Massachusetts malls that also included the Woburn Mall and Mystic Mall. The center performed strongly from the 1970s through the early 1990s, when enclosed regional and community malls remained important shopping destinations in the area. The property subsequently experienced the pressures affecting many older American shopping centers, including store closures, changing tenant requirements, competition from newer retail formats, and the decline of traditional department-store and discount-store anchors. The Billerica Flick cinema closed in 1998, and its former space was later occupied by Dollar Tree. Burlington Coat Factory eventually closed its interior mall entrance, while proposals to place or expand a Home Depot at the site generated local opposition. In 2007, the civic group Billerica First successfully defeated the Home Depot-related redevelopment proposal. By 2009, the town had given property manager RD Management a limited period to renovate the center or face possible closure. RD Management responded with plans to convert the enclosed mall into an open-air, exterior-access retail center, a process often described as de-malling. Exterior storefronts were added and the building exterior was refurbished in 2011. A new sign introduced the current name, Shops at Billerica, replacing the Billerica Mall identity in public-facing use. The center has retained major large-format retail users, including Burlington and Big Lots, although its tenant composition has changed over time. Kmart, which occupied a major portion of the former enclosed mall, was included in Sears Holdings' 2019 announcement of nationwide store closures and shut on February 16, 2020. Market Basket, another important tenant, was reported to be closing on June 11, 2022. RD Management announced a more extensive redevelopment program in 2020. The reported concept included demolishing the existing Market Basket structure, reducing the former Kmart area, building an additional tenant building across from the existing retail space, and adding a multistory residential component on the Market Basket portion of the site. Planning approvals were reported in 2021 and again in connection with plans approved in February 2022, with construction officially beginning on March 28, 2022. The redevelopment is intended to reposition the property as a more flexible mixed-use and open-air commercial destination, although the completion timetable is not established in the available reference material.
History
Shops at Billerica originated as Billerica Mall, an enclosed shopping center in Billerica, Massachusetts. It was developed as part of a broader group of suburban malls that included the Woburn Mall and Mystic Mall. The center reached its strongest period during the 1970s and remained successful into the early 1990s, benefiting from the importance of enclosed malls as community shopping and entertainment destinations. The property began to lose elements of its original tenant mix as retail patterns changed. The Billerica Flick cinema closed in 1998, and its former space was subsequently used by Dollar Tree. Burlington Coat Factory, one of the major tenants, closed off its mall-facing entrance, reflecting the gradual shift away from a fully integrated enclosed-mall layout. A proposed Home Depot project that would have involved rebuilding or substantially altering the mall was opposed by Billerica First and was defeated in 2007. In 2009, municipal officials gave RD Management one year to remodel the property or face the prospect of closure. RD Management then announced a conversion from an enclosed mall to an open-air strip-mall configuration. The property also experienced operational disruptions during this period. In the summer of 2009, carbon monoxide produced by workers' tools led to a full evacuation while the building was aired out. In February 2010, a roof collapse near the Kmart area resulted in another temporary shutdown. The physical transformation proceeded in 2011. RD Management added exterior-accessible storefronts, refinished the exterior in a tan color scheme, and installed new signage. The new branding changed the public name from Billerica Mall to Shops at Billerica. This de-malling approach allowed the property to continue operating as a collection of retail premises while reducing reliance on a conventional enclosed corridor and central-mall configuration. The center continued to include large-format tenants such as Burlington and Big Lots, but its anchor profile remained vulnerable to the broader decline of traditional department stores and discount chains. On November 7, 2019, Sears announced that the Kmart location would close as part of a nationwide closure program. The store ceased operations on February 16, 2020. RD Management announced a further redevelopment plan in mid-2020. The reported proposal called for demolition of the existing Market Basket building, a smaller footprint for the former Kmart premises, a new tenant building across from the existing retail building, and a multistory residential development on the site occupied by Market Basket. Planning approvals were reported in 2021 and in February 2022. Groundbreaking was reported on March 28, 2022. Market Basket was subsequently announced as closing on June 11, 2022, consistent with the planned restructuring of the site. The redevelopment is intended to reposition Shops at Billerica as a more flexible retail and mixed-use property rather than restore the former enclosed mall. The available reference material does not establish a completion date, final tenant roster, ownership change, or the ultimate status of every proposed residential and retail component.
- 2022
Redevelopment approval and groundbreaking
[1]Plans were reported as approved in February, and construction officially began on March 28.
- 2022
Market Basket closes
[1]Market Basket was reported to close at the property on June 11.
- 2020
Kmart closes
[1]The Kmart location closed on February 16, 2020.
- 2020
Major redevelopment proposed
[1]RD Management announced a plan involving new retail construction, changes to existing anchor space, and residential development.
- 2019
Kmart closure announced
[1]The Kmart store was included in Sears Holdings' nationwide closure announcement.
- 2011
Exterior renovation and renaming
[1]Exterior storefronts and refreshed facades were added, and the property adopted the Shops at Billerica name.
- 2009
Conversion to strip-mall format announced
[1]RD Management announced plans to convert the enclosed mall into an open-air retail center.
- 2007
Home Depot proposal defeated
[1]A redevelopment proposal involving Home Depot was defeated after opposition led by Billerica First.
- 1998
Billerica Flick closes
[1]The property's cinema closed, and the former space later became a Dollar Tree location.
Products and positioning
A community-oriented suburban shopping center transitioning from a traditional enclosed-mall format to an open-air, mixed-use retail property.
Product categories. Apparel and footwear · Discount and general merchandise · Grocery and food products · Household goods · Pharmacy and convenience services · Specialty retail and personal services
Brand decisions
2020
Plan a mixed-use redevelopmentStrategyBackground
The closure of Kmart and continuing changes in the tenant base created an opportunity to restructure the site.
Action taken
RD Management proposed removing the existing Market Basket building, reducing the former Kmart footprint, adding a new retail building, and introducing multistory residential development.
Aftermath
The plans received reported approvals and construction began on March 28, 2022. The completion date and final configuration remain unclear in the available sources.
2009
Convert the enclosed mall into an open-air retail centerStrategyBackground
The aging enclosed mall faced pressure to modernize after tenant changes, operational problems, and municipal demands for renovation.
Action taken
RD Management announced a de-malling program that added exterior-access entrances and repositioned the property as a strip mall.
Aftermath
Exterior work and new signage were completed in 2011, and the property began operating under the Shops at Billerica name.
Sources1 sources
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