Short Pump Town Center
Short Pump Town Center is a two-level, open-air upscale shopping center in Henrico County, Virginia, near Richmond.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Short Pump Town Center is an open-air shopping center located in the Short Pump census-designated place of unincorporated Henrico County, Virginia. The property sits on West Broad Street, or U.S. Route 250, roughly one mile west of Interstate 64's exits 178A and 178B. Its location places it within the western Richmond metropolitan retail corridor and gives it access to surrounding neighborhoods, restaurants, strip centers, and other commercial developments. The center opened on September 4, 2003. It was conceived as a large, upscale, two-level outdoor retail destination and has more than 140 stores and restaurants. Unlike an enclosed regional mall, its merchandising environment combines retail buildings, pedestrian-oriented outdoor areas, dining, and separately situated commercial properties that may appear in the broader property directory even when they are not physically attached to the main mall. Major department-store and large-format tenants have included Macy's, Dillard's, and Dick's Sporting Goods. Macy's originally operated under the Hecht's name until the 2006 conversion. A planned Lord & Taylor anchor did not materialize after the retailer withdrew from the project following a repositioning of its plans. The property has experienced tenant turnover consistent with broader changes in department stores and specialty retail. Circuit City opened an adjacent location in 2004, but its closure in 2009 led to the space being taken by hhgregg. That retailer subsequently closed in 2017; the location later became home to Arhaus and The Container Store. Nordstrom announced in May 2020 that it would close its Short Pump location as part of a national reduction of stores associated with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2025, the former Nordstrom space was announced as the future home of a Dick's Sporting Goods House of Sport experimental format, intended to combine merchandise with participatory sports amenities such as batting cages and climbing walls. Short Pump Town Center also offers the Short Pump Express, a trackless train operating on a loop around the center. The service began in 2007, is marketed in part toward children but is open to passengers of all ages, and uses black or silver locomotives with dark green, red, or navy passenger cars. The published fare is $3, with ten-ride passes also available. The center opened during a period of competing upscale retail development in the Richmond area. Stony Point Fashion Park, a smaller open-air center with a similar upscale positioning, opened nearby on September 17, 2003, only weeks after Short Pump Town Center. The two properties became direct competitors after a disagreement involving Taubman Centers and a potential mall development project. Short Pump Town Center is owned and operated by Queensland Investment Corporation and remains an active retail destination.
History
Short Pump Town Center opened on September 4, 2003, in Henrico County's Short Pump area west of Richmond, Virginia. Its development established a large, two-level open-air retail center on West Broad Street near Interstate 64. The center was designed around an upscale tenant mix and included department stores, specialty shops, restaurants, and pedestrian-oriented outdoor space. It ultimately grew to more than 140 stores and restaurants. The property entered a competitive Richmond-area market alongside Stony Point Fashion Park, another upscale open-air center that opened on September 17, 2003. Stony Point was developed as a competing project after a disagreement involving Taubman Centers and a possible mall development. Although Stony Point was smaller, the two centers shared a similar upscale open-air concept and competed for regional shoppers and tenants. Tenant changes have reflected shifts in the American retail landscape. Circuit City opened an adjacent store in 2004. Following Circuit City's business failure and closure in 2009, hhgregg occupied the space. Hhgregg closed in 2017, after which Arhaus and The Container Store became associated with the location. The main center's department-store identity also changed over time: Macy's replaced the Hecht's name in 2006. A proposed Lord & Taylor anchor did not proceed after the retailer withdrew from the plan following a repositioning. Nordstrom was another important tenant, but in May 2020 the company announced that its Short Pump store would close as part of a nationwide downsizing during the COVID-19 period. The vacancy later became part of the center's retail repositioning. On June 16, 2025, Dick's Sporting Goods was announced as the planned occupant of the former Nordstrom space through its House of Sport format. The concept is intended to supplement conventional sporting-goods retail with experiential facilities, including batting cages and climbing walls. The center has also maintained a family-oriented amenity in the Short Pump Express, a trackless train that began service in 2007. It operates on a loop, uses black or silver locomotives with colored passenger cars, and is available to both children and adults. The service has been promoted as a visitor attraction and offers individual rides and ten-ride passes. Queensland Investment Corporation owns and operates Short Pump Town Center. The property continues to function as a regional shopping, dining, and entertainment destination, with surrounding commercial developments contributing to the wider Short Pump retail district.
- 2025
House of Sport location announced
[1]Dick's Sporting Goods is announced as the planned replacement for the former Nordstrom store through its House of Sport concept.
- 2020
Nordstrom announces store closure
[1]Nordstrom announces the closure of its location as part of a national downsizing program during the COVID-19 period.
- 2017
Hhgregg closes
[1]Hhgregg closes its location, which later becomes occupied by Arhaus and The Container Store.
- 2009
Circuit City location is replaced
[1]After Circuit City exits the business, the adjacent space is taken by hhgregg.
- 2007
Short Pump Express begins service
[1]The center introduces its trackless passenger train, operating on a loop for visitors of all ages.
- 2006
Hecht's becomes Macy's
[1]The department-store anchor originally operating as Hecht's changes to the Macy's name.
- 2004
Circuit City opens an adjacent store
[1]Circuit City opens outside the main mall complex.
- 2003
Short Pump Town Center opens
[1]The two-level open-air shopping center opens on September 4 in Henrico County, Virginia.
- 2003
Stony Point Fashion Park opens as a nearby competitor
[1]Stony Point Fashion Park opens on September 17, creating a direct competitive relationship between two similarly positioned upscale open-air centers in the Richmond area.
Products and positioning
An upscale, open-air regional shopping and dining destination serving the Richmond-area market, with a broad tenant mix, department-store anchors, specialty retail, restaurants, and family-oriented amenities.
Shopping center · 2003
Open-air retail center
Short Pump Town Center is a two-level outdoor retail property with more than 140 stores and restaurants. Its tenant mix combines department stores, specialty retailers, sporting-goods businesses, home-related merchants, dining establishments, and visitor amenities. The center's open-air layout and surrounding commercial district distinguish it from a conventional enclosed mall.
Visitor amenity · 2007
Short Pump Express
The Short Pump Express is a trackless train operating on a loop around the shopping center. Introduced in 2007, it is marketed toward children but accepts passengers of all ages. The service uses black or silver trains with dark green, red, or navy passenger cars and offers single rides as well as ten-ride passes.
Sporting-goods retail and experiential concept · 2025
Dick's Sporting Goods House of Sport
Announced for the former Nordstrom space, this House of Sport format is intended to combine Dick's Sporting Goods merchandise with participatory sports features. The announced amenities include batting cages and climbing walls, giving the location a more experiential role than a conventional sporting-goods store.
Brand decisions
2025
House of Sport replacement announcedProduct launchBackground
The former Nordstrom site created a major vacant anchor space within the center.
Action taken
Dick's Sporting Goods was announced as the planned tenant for an experimental House of Sport location featuring batting cages and climbing walls.
Aftermath
The announcement represented a planned shift from traditional department-store anchoring toward experiential sporting-goods retail.
2020
Nordstrom store closureStrategyBackground
Nordstrom's Short Pump location was included in a national store-reduction program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
Nordstrom announced that it would close the store at Short Pump Town Center.
Aftermath
The former department-store space was subsequently identified for redevelopment as a Dick's Sporting Goods House of Sport location.
Recent events
- 2025
Former Nordstrom space announced for Dick's Sporting Goods House of Sport[1]
Product launch
The former Nordstrom location was announced as the planned site of a Dick's Sporting Goods House of Sport experimental store, including sports amenities such as batting cages and climbing walls.
- 2020
Nordstrom announces closure of Short Pump Town Center location[1]
Other
Nordstrom announced that its Short Pump Town Center store would close as part of a national store-reduction program associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the retail sector.
Sources2 sources
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