The Shops at Iverson

The Shops at Iverson is a shopping mall in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, at the intersection of Branch Avenue and Iverson Street, just north of the Marlow Heights Shopping Center. Originally known as Iverson Mall, it was developed as a regional shopping center and became the first fully enclosed, climate-controlled shopping mall in the Washington, D.C., area. Its location in Prince George's County placed it within a densely populated suburban retail corridor connected to the District of Columbia and southern Maryland. The center opened in stages during 1967. Montgomery Ward began operating a 165,000-square-foot department store on April 20, 1967, with former Maryland governor J. Millard Tawes participating in the opening ceremony. Woodward & Lothrop, another major department-store operator in the region, opened its anchor store during the spring. The mall's formal grand opening followed on September 21, 1967, with approximately 60 stores, about 500,000 square feet of space, and reported development costs of $10 million. The complex was distinctive not only for its enclosed design but also because Iverson Street bisected the structure. A four-story office building was attached to the mall's front portion, giving the property a mixed retail and office dimension. The mall initially operated as a conventional regional shopping destination anchored by well-known department stores. Its competitive position weakened after the opening of Landover Mall in 1972, which added another large retail destination to the broader market. A 1985 remodeling removed the center's fountains, reflecting changes to its interior design and operating format. By the 1990s, Woodward & Lothrop had departed, and the closure of Montgomery Ward followed in 2001 after that national chain entered bankruptcy. The former anchor spaces were subsequently occupied by discount-oriented department stores, including Shoppers World, Forman Mills, and Roses. In the 2000s and 2010s, The Shops at Iverson increasingly emphasized value retail, everyday services, restaurants, and convenience-oriented shopping rather than the traditional department-store model. In 2008, the property introduced the slogan “You Can Find it All — at Iverson Mall” as part of a new advertising campaign designed to communicate breadth and accessibility. In 2016, new owners proposed a substantial redevelopment program estimated at $30 million, supported in part by a loan from the county's Economic Development Incentive Fund. The plan called for a more outward-facing layout with a main-street character, exterior access for selected restaurants, a new wood-and-glass facade, energy-efficiency improvements, upgraded lighting, enhanced security, new restrooms, and approximately 75,000 square feet of office space. Completion was anticipated for the third quarter of 2017, although the available reference material does not establish the final scope or completion status of every element. The property remained a locally significant retail and community destination. On June 10, 2022, three people were injured in a shooting near a mall entrance, an event reported in connection with the center's public safety environment. The available sources do not provide sufficient information about the mall's current ownership, management, tenant roster beyond the named anchor retailers, or the definitive completion status of the proposed renovation.

The Shops at Iverson began as Iverson Mall, a planned enclosed regional shopping center in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland. The property was built at the junction of Branch Avenue and Iverson Street, in a retail corridor serving Prince George's County and nearby Washington, D.C. Its enclosed and climate-controlled design was notable for the region and made it an early example of the modern suburban shopping mall format in the Washington metropolitan area. The center opened during 1967. Montgomery Ward opened its 165,000-square-foot department store on April 20, while Woodward & Lothrop opened its anchor during the spring. The formal grand opening took place on September 21, 1967. At that point the mall contained approximately 60 stores and covered about 500,000 square feet. The development reportedly cost $10 million. Its physical design included a structure spanning both sides of Iverson Street, which ran through the property, and a four-story office building connected to the mall's front. During its first years, the mall operated as a conventional regional destination anchored by two prominent department stores. Its market position became more difficult after Landover Mall opened in 1972 and introduced additional large-scale competition in the metropolitan area. The property was remodeled in 1985, when its interior fountains were removed. By the middle of the 1990s, Woodward & Lothrop had closed its location. Montgomery Ward remained longer but shut its store in 2001 after the national chain went bankrupt. Discount department stores later occupied the former anchor locations, including Shoppers World, Forman Mills, and Roses. The mall's later identity centered more on discount retail, neighborhood services, food, and practical shopping than on traditional department-store retail. In 2008, it launched an advertising campaign using the slogan “You Can Find it All — at Iverson Mall.” In 2016, new owners developed plans for a $30 million renovation, with partial support anticipated from Prince George's County's Economic Development Incentive Fund. The proposal sought to make the property more outward-facing and give it a main-street atmosphere. Proposed work included a new wood-and-glass facade, energy-efficient upgrades, modern lighting, a new security system, renovated restrooms, exterior access for selected restaurants, and roughly 75,000 square feet of office space. The planned completion target was the third quarter of 2017, but the available reference material does not confirm which elements were ultimately delivered. The Shops at Iverson continued to function as a local shopping center. On June 10, 2022, a shooting near a mall entrance injured three people. The reference material does not identify the current owner, operating company, executive leadership, or a complete present-day tenant list.

• 2022

  Shooting injured three people near an entrance

  [1]The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org

  A shooting near the mall on June 10 injured three people.

• 2016

  Renovation and repositioning plan announced

  [1]The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org

  New owners proposed a $30 million modernization and redevelopment program, with partial county economic-development financing.

• 2008

  New slogan and advertising campaign launched

  [1]The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org

  The mall began promoting itself with the slogan “You Can Find it All — at Iverson Mall.”

• 2001

  Montgomery Ward closed

  [1]The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org

  The original department-store anchor closed after Montgomery Ward entered bankruptcy.

• 1985

  Interior remodeling removed the fountains

  [1]The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org

  A remodeling program changed the mall's interior environment and removed all of its fountains.

• 1972

  Competition increased after Landover Mall opened

  [1]The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org

  The opening of nearby Landover Mall contributed to a more competitive environment for Iverson Mall.

• 1967

  Montgomery Ward opened its anchor store

  [1]The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org

  The 165,000-square-foot Montgomery Ward store opened on April 20, marking one of the first operating stages of the new mall.

• 1967

  Formal grand opening of Iverson Mall

  [1]The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org

  The center formally opened on September 21 with approximately 60 stores and about 500,000 square feet of retail space.

A community-oriented, value-focused shopping center offering discount retail, apparel, household merchandise, food, and everyday services to customers in southern Prince George's County and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

• Discount department store

  Shoppers World

  Shoppers World is identified as one of the mall's anchor tenants. Its discount-department-store format supports the center's later emphasis on value-oriented apparel, household merchandise, and general merchandise.

• Discount apparel and department store

  Forman Mills

  Forman Mills is listed among The Shops at Iverson's anchor stores. The retailer's discount format complements the mall's positioning around affordable clothing, footwear, household products, and other general merchandise.

• Discount department store

  Roses

  Roses is identified as an anchor store at The Shops at Iverson. As a value-oriented general-merchandise retailer, it contributes to the property's neighborhood shopping and discount-retail mix.

• 2008You Can Find it All — at Iverson Mall

  United States

  The mall introduced a new slogan and advertising campaign intended to present Iverson as a broad, convenient destination for retail, food, and everyday services.

  Outcome. The campaign established a value-and-variety message for the property, but the available source does not provide performance results.

  Source

• 2016

  Plan to reposition and renovate the mallStrategy

  Background

  The property faced the need to modernize its physical environment and strengthen its appeal after the departure of its historic department-store anchors and the shift toward discount retail.

  Action taken

  New owners proposed a $30 million renovation featuring a more outward-facing main-street design, restaurant access, a wood-and-glass facade, energy upgrades, improved lighting and security, new restrooms, and additional office space.

  Aftermath

  Completion was targeted for the third quarter of 2017. The available reference does not verify the final completion status or the delivered scope.

  Source

• 2022

  Three people injured in shooting near the mall entrance[1]The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Three people were injured after a shooting near an entrance to The Shops at Iverson on June 10, 2022.

• 2016

  New owners proposed a major renovation of The Shops at Iverson[1]The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A proposed $30 million redevelopment envisioned a more outward-facing main-street layout, facade improvements, energy upgrades, enhanced security, new restrooms, restaurant access, and additional office space. County economic-development financing was expected to support part of the project.

• 2008

  Iverson Mall introduced a new advertising campaign and slogan[1]The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  The mall adopted the slogan “You Can Find it All — at Iverson Mall” as part of a marketing effort emphasizing the breadth of its retail and service offerings.

1. 1The Shops at Iversonen.wikipedia.org