The Commons Shopping Center
An open-air shopping center on Retail Commons Parkway in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Commons Shopping Center is an open-air retail center in Martinsburg, West Virginia, United States. It is located on Retail Commons Parkway near the junction of Interstate 81 Exit 12 and U.S. Route 45, placing it within a major commercial and highway-accessible retail area serving Martinsburg and the surrounding Eastern Panhandle region. The center was planned as a large, multi-tenant retail development rather than as a single-store property, with a mix of national anchor retailers and smaller specialty tenants. Planning for The Commons began in February 2007, when initial proposals were submitted to the Berkeley County Planning Commission. The original concept included a large 104,231-square-foot tenant planned alongside Target. That prospective tenant later withdrew from the project, as reported in February 2008. The development was subsequently revised to include Dick's Sporting Goods as a major replacement tenant, together with a range of smaller stores occupying units of approximately 1,000 to 15,000 square feet. Construction began in May 2008 on a 45-acre site. AIG Baker, LLC developed and managed the center. The first store, Bed Bath & Beyond, opened in early July 2009, followed by eight other anchor or major stores during the subsequent 45 days. Staples was identified as the only major planned anchor that did not open during 2009. The center's original tenant mix positioned it as a broad everyday-shopping destination, combining general merchandise, home goods, electronics, sporting goods, books, arts and crafts, pet supplies, off-price apparel, and value-oriented specialty retail. The Commons also developed a service and hospitality component. In December 2012, an American Automobile Association office relocated to the center from downtown Martinsburg. Plans described in the center's development history also included a Hilton Garden Inn, an extended-stay motel, Cornerstone Apartments, and Staybridge Suites under the broader Cornerstone development concept. These proposals indicate an ambition to create a mixed commercial, lodging, and residential environment around the shopping center, although the available reference material does not establish the completion status of every planned component. The center's identity is primarily that of a regional community shopping destination anchored by nationally recognized retailers. Its location near Interstate 81 gives it potential reach beyond Martinsburg itself, while its open-air format supports separate storefront access and a conventional suburban retail layout. Available reference material does not identify a corporate parent, publicly traded owner, founding individual, or current executive leadership. It also does not provide verified revenue, valuation, employment, or operating-performance figures.
History
The Commons Shopping Center emerged from a late-2000s plan to create a substantial retail destination in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Initial plans were submitted to the Berkeley County Planning Commission in February 2007. The first concept called for a large 104,231-square-foot tenant next to a Target store, indicating that the project was intended to attract at least one unusually large anchor in addition to conventional big-box retail. The tenant plan changed before construction. In February 2008, reporting indicated that a major, unnamed prospective tenant had withdrawn. The development team replaced that component with a 50,000-square-foot Dick's Sporting Goods store and assembled additional tenants with unit sizes ranging from roughly 1,000 to 15,000 square feet. This revision shifted the project toward a diversified shopping-center format built around several anchors rather than dependence on one large occupant. Construction began in May 2008 on a 45-acre site. AIG Baker, LLC was identified as the developer and manager. The first store, Bed Bath & Beyond, opened in early July 2009. Eight other anchors or major stores followed within the next 45 days, establishing the center's initial operating base. The available history identifies Staples as the only major anchor that did not open in 2009. Bed Bath & Beyond's location was reported as its third store in West Virginia. The initial tenant roster covered multiple consumer categories. Target provided general merchandise, while Dick's Sporting Goods served sporting and outdoor customers. Books-A-Million, Five Below, Best Buy, Michaels, TJ Maxx, and PetSmart broadened the offer across books, value merchandise, electronics, crafts, off-price apparel, and pet care. This combination gave The Commons the character of a regional community shopping destination rather than a narrowly specialized center. The property later added a non-retail service tenant when an American Automobile Association office moved from downtown Martinsburg into the center in December 2012. The development history also described a planned hospitality and residential expansion known as Cornerstone Development. Proposed components included a Hilton Garden Inn, an extended-stay motel, Cornerstone Apartments, and Staybridge Suites. The available source material does not confirm the completion dates or final status of all those components. The Commons is positioned at the intersection of local and regional access routes, beside Interstate 81 Exit 12 and Route 45. Its open-air layout, national anchors, and proximity to interstate traffic support a broad catchment area across Martinsburg and nearby communities. No reliable source in the supplied material identifies the current owner, a parent company, named executives, financial performance, or a precise official opening date for the entire center.
- 2012
AAA office moves into the center
[1]An American Automobile Association office relocated from downtown Martinsburg to The Commons in December.
- 2009
Initial store openings
[1]Bed Bath & Beyond opened in early July, with eight other anchors or major stores opening during the following 45 days.
- 2008
Tenant plan revised
[1]After a major prospective tenant withdrew, Dick's Sporting Goods was identified as a replacement anchor and additional smaller tenants were planned.
- 2008
Construction starts
[1]Construction began in May on the 45-acre Martinsburg site, with AIG Baker, LLC serving as developer and manager.
- 2007
Initial plans submitted
[1]The first development plans for The Commons were submitted to the Berkeley County Planning Commission in February.
Products and positioning
A highway-accessible, open-air community shopping center combining national big-box anchors, specialty retailers, and supporting services in Martinsburg's regional retail market.
General merchandise anchor
Target
Target served as one of the center's principal general-merchandise anchors, offering a broad assortment of household goods, apparel, groceries, health and beauty products, and other everyday consumer merchandise. Its presence helped establish The Commons as a destination for routine as well as discretionary shopping.
Sporting goods anchor
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods was selected as a major replacement anchor after the withdrawal of an earlier prospective tenant. The planned store was reported at approximately 50,000 square feet and added sporting equipment, apparel, footwear, and outdoor recreation merchandise to the center's tenant mix.
Books and media
Books-A-Million
Books-A-Million contributed a book and media retail offer to The Commons, complementing the center's general merchandise and specialty anchors with reading materials, educational products, games, and related merchandise.
Value-oriented specialty retail
Five Below
Five Below represented the center's value-oriented specialty segment, focused on low-priced merchandise such as accessories, seasonal goods, toys, room products, and recreational items.
Consumer electronics
Best Buy
Best Buy added a national consumer-electronics anchor, providing electronics, computing products, appliances, entertainment technology, and related services within the shopping-center mix.
Arts and crafts
Michaels
Michaels supplied arts, crafts, framing, seasonal décor, and hobby merchandise. Its presence broadened The Commons beyond conventional big-box shopping and served both project-based and seasonal demand.
Off-price apparel and home
TJ Maxx
TJ Maxx brought an off-price retail proposition centered on discounted apparel, accessories, footwear, home furnishings, and changing-brand assortments.
Pet supplies and services
PetSmart
PetSmart provided pet food, supplies, equipment, and related services, adding a recurring-needs category to the center's national-anchor portfolio.
Brand decisions
2008
Replace withdrawn anchor with a diversified tenant planStrategyBackground
A major tenant associated with the original project concept withdrew before construction, requiring a change to the planned anchor lineup.
Action taken
The development plan substituted Dick's Sporting Goods as a 50,000-square-foot anchor and added a range of smaller tenants.
Aftermath
The revised plan supported a multi-anchor, open-air shopping-center format that opened with Bed Bath & Beyond and other major stores in 2009.
2008
Begin site constructionOtherBackground
Planning and tenant revisions preceded physical development of the 45-acre property.
Action taken
Construction commenced in May under the development and management of AIG Baker, LLC.
Aftermath
The center progressed toward its first store openings in July 2009.
Recent events
- 2012
AAA office relocates to The Commons[1]
Other
An American Automobile Association office moved from downtown Martinsburg into The Commons in December, adding a service-oriented tenant to the retail center.
- 2009
The Commons opens its first stores[1]
Product launch
Bed Bath & Beyond opened in early July, followed by eight additional anchor or major stores within approximately 45 days. Staples was the only major planned anchor reported not to have opened during 2009.
- 2008
Major prospective tenant withdraws from The Commons project[1]
Other
A major tenant originally associated with the planned Martinsburg shopping-center development reportedly withdrew. The project was subsequently revised to include Dick's Sporting Goods and a broader group of smaller tenants.
- 2008
Construction begins at The Commons[1]
Other
Development of the 45-acre The Commons site began in May, following planning and tenant revisions made during the preceding year.
Sources2 sources
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