The Loop

The Loop is an open-air shopping center in Methuen, Massachusetts, United States. It occupies the site of the former Methuen Mall, an enclosed regional shopping mall that opened in 1973 and operated until the late 1990s. The property is located along Massachusetts Route 213, between Interstate 93 and Interstate 495, in a trade area serving Methuen, Lawrence, and surrounding communities in the Merrimack Valley and southern New Hampshire. The original development was announced in 1972 by First Hartford Realty and was built on land that had previously formed part of the Mann family apple orchard. Methuen Mall opened in November 1973 with Sears and Howlands as its principal department-store anchors, together with approximately 70 additional retailers. Sears also operated a large automotive service facility at the site. Howlands, the larger of the two original department-store tenants, was replaced by Jordan Marsh in 1977. Filene's Basement added a third major anchor in 1982. The mall's competitive position weakened during the 1990s. The opening of The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire, created a nearby rival with a Sears store and the additional advantage of New Hampshire's lack of a general sales tax. Sears and Filene's Basement relocated to the newer development by 1992. Ann & Hope occupied the former Sears space in 1993, but that store closed in 1995, the same year Jordan Marsh departed. By the mid-1990s the property had lost more than one-quarter of its tenants. An attempt to use the former Ann & Hope space as an exposition center produced unusual events, including an all-night rave, but did not reverse the center's decline. After most tenants departed, Applebee's became the last remaining occupant. Redevelopment efforts led to the demolition of the enclosed mall, although the restaurant initially resisted eviction and remained involved in a lengthy legal dispute. The former mall was demolished in early 1999. In 2000, The Brickstone Companies and The Wilder Companies redeveloped the property as The Loop, a non-enclosed shopping center designed around larger-format retail, entertainment, restaurants, and smaller service businesses rather than traditional department-store anchors. The redeveloped center's principal tenants have included The Home Depot, Marshalls, and AMC Theatres. Other occupants have included service and convenience-oriented businesses such as Pearle Vision. The property has continued to evolve as a neighborhood and regional retail destination rather than as a conventional enclosed mall. Stop & Shop, which operated at the center, closed its location in February 2020; the space was subsequently associated with One Stop Liquors and BioLife. The Loop is owned and managed by Charter Realty. Its history illustrates the transition of American retail property from enclosed department-store malls toward open-air, highway-oriented shopping centers.

The property now known as The Loop began as Methuen Mall, an enclosed shopping mall developed in Methuen, Massachusetts. In July 1972, First Hartford Realty of Manchester, Connecticut, announced plans for the project. The selected site lay along Massachusetts Route 213 between Interstate 93 and Interstate 495 and had previously been part of the Mann family's apple orchard. Early plans contemplated a development costing approximately $14 million and anchored by Sears and Sutherlands, a department store associated with nearby Lawrence. Sutherlands ultimately chose to expand its existing Lawrence operation and open another store in Andover rather than become a Methuen Mall anchor. Howlands, a department-store chain based in White Plains, New York, took the position intended for Sutherlands. Sears opened a 137,000-square-foot store in September 1973, including more than 50 merchandise departments and a separate automotive repair facility. Howlands opened on September 17, and the rest of the mall began operating on November 5, 1973. The center initially contained roughly 70 other retailers. Howlands closed in 1977 and was replaced by Jordan Marsh. Filene's Basement joined the property in 1982 with a 25,000-square-foot store, giving the mall three major anchor tenants. After its initial development, the property changed hands several times. It was sold to JMB Realty and then, in 1984, to MetLife as part of a transaction that also included an adjacent Caldor-anchored strip center and Auburn Mall in Massachusetts. The mall encountered increasing competition during the 1990s. New England Development announced The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire, just across the state line. The new center was expected to attract shoppers from the same region and benefited from New Hampshire's lack of a general sales tax. It also included Sears, creating uncertainty about the future of Methuen Mall's Sears store. By 1992, both Sears and Filene's Basement had moved to Rockingham Park. Ann & Hope occupied the former Sears space in 1993, but closed in 1995. Jordan Marsh also departed that year, leaving the property without a traditional anchor. By 1996, more than a quarter of the mall's approximately 65 tenants had left. In an effort to generate activity after the closure of a nearby convention center, the mall converted the former Ann & Hope space into an exposition venue. Its first event was an all-night rave, but the change did not provide a lasting commercial recovery. The decline continued until Applebee's was the only tenant remaining. When new developers sought to remove the restaurant, Applebee's resisted, and the dispute continued through a lengthy court battle. The remainder of the mall was demolished around the restaurant, and Applebee's eventually vacated the property after losing the legal contest. The mall's collapse also affected Methuen's tax base: the city reportedly saw annual property-tax revenue associated with the site fall from about $60 million to $18 million. The enclosed mall was demolished in early 1999. In 2000, The Brickstone Companies and The Wilder Companies redeveloped the land as The Loop, a non-enclosed shopping center. Rather than replicate the department-store format, the new project used an open-air layout and focused on large-format retail, entertainment, restaurants, and smaller service businesses. The Home Depot, Marshalls, and AMC Theatres became prominent tenants, while Pearle Vision carried over from the earlier property. Stop & Shop later operated at the center but closed in February 2020, after which the space was associated with One Stop Liquors and BioLife. Charter Realty is identified as the owner and manager of The Loop.

• 2020

  Stop & Shop closes

  [1]The Loop (shopping center)en.wikipedia.org

  The Stop & Shop location at The Loop closed in February, with the space later associated with One Stop Liquors and BioLife.

• 2000

  The Loop opens as an open-air center

  [1]The Loop (shopping center)en.wikipedia.org

  The Brickstone Companies and The Wilder Companies redeveloped the property into the non-enclosed shopping center known as The Loop.

• 1999

  Methuen Mall demolished

  [1]The Loop (shopping center)en.wikipedia.org

  The former enclosed mall was demolished as the site moved toward comprehensive redevelopment.

• 1992

  Major anchor departures

  [1]The Loop (shopping center)en.wikipedia.org

  Sears and Filene's Basement relocated to The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire.

• 1982

  Filene's Basement opens

  [1]The Loop (shopping center)en.wikipedia.org

  Filene's Basement added a 25,000-square-foot store as the mall's third major anchor.

• 1977

  Jordan Marsh replaces Howlands

  [1]The Loop (shopping center)en.wikipedia.org

  Howlands closed and its anchor space was taken over by Jordan Marsh.

• 1973

  Methuen Mall opens

  [1]The Loop (shopping center)en.wikipedia.org

  Sears and Howlands opened as the principal anchors, followed by the broader mall in November with approximately 70 additional retailers.

• 1972

  Methuen Mall development announced

  [1]The Loop (shopping center)en.wikipedia.org

  First Hartford Realty announced plans for an enclosed shopping mall on a former apple-orchard site along Massachusetts Route 213.

A regional open-air shopping center serving Methuen, the Merrimack Valley, and nearby southern New Hampshire communities.

• Home improvement retail

  The Home Depot

  A major home-improvement tenant offering building materials, hardware, tools, appliances, garden products, and related project services. Its large-format presence reflects The Loop's post-mall emphasis on destination retail rather than traditional enclosed department-store anchors.

• Off-price apparel and home retail

  Marshalls

  An off-price retailer selling apparel, footwear, accessories, and selected home merchandise. Marshalls is one of the center's principal recognizable tenants and contributes a value-oriented shopping proposition.

• Cinema and entertainment

  AMC Theatres

  A cinema tenant providing theatrical film exhibition and entertainment services. Its presence gives The Loop an experience-oriented use that complements retail, dining, and convenience services.

• Grocery retail

  Stop & Shop

  A supermarket that operated at The Loop and served as a grocery and everyday-needs component of the center. The location closed in February 2020.

• 2020

  Replacement of the closed Stop & Shop spaceOther

  Background

  Stop & Shop closed its location at The Loop in February 2020.

  Action taken

  The former supermarket space was subsequently associated with One Stop Liquors and BioLife.

  Aftermath

  The change shifted part of the center's tenant mix away from supermarket retail toward liquor retail and a health-related service use.

  Source

• 2000

  Redevelopment from an enclosed mall into an open-air centerStrategy

  Background

  Methuen Mall had lost its principal department-store anchors and many smaller tenants after intensified competition from The Mall at Rockingham Park in New Hampshire.

  Action taken

  The Brickstone Companies and The Wilder Companies replaced the failed enclosed mall with The Loop, an open-air project centered on large-format retail, entertainment, restaurants, and services.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment created a new operating format for the site and established The Home Depot, Marshalls, and AMC Theatres as prominent tenants.

  Source

• 2020

  Stop & Shop location at The Loop closes[1]The Loop (shopping center)en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Stop & Shop store at The Loop closed in February 2020. The space was subsequently associated with One Stop Liquors and BioLife.

• 2000

  The Loop redevelopment follows the closure and demolition of Methuen Mall[1]The Loop (shopping center)en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The former enclosed Methuen Mall site was redeveloped into The Loop, an open-air shopping center led by The Brickstone Companies and The Wilder Companies.

1. 1The Loop (shopping center)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2euNetworks Fiber UK Limited: euNetworks Acquires The Loop Manchesterfinanznachrichten.de
3. 3Power Mac Center opens doors of 3 new stores in NCR, GenSanilonggotechblog.com
4. 4Power Mac Center opens doors of 3 new stores in NCR, GenSan with Great Promos!manilashopper.com
5. 5Power Mac Center Opens Doors Of 3 New Stores In November - PAGEONEpageone.ph