The Shops at Willow Lawn

The Shops at Willow Lawn is a shopping center located just outside the Richmond city limits in unincorporated Henrico County, Virginia. Opened in 1956 as Willow Lawn Shopping Center, it is regarded as the first shopping center in the Richmond area. The property began as a conventional suburban retail destination with several large department-store and supermarket anchors, including G.C. Murphy, Giant Food, JCPenney, Peoples Drug, Safeway, and Woolworth. Its early tenant mix reflected the postwar expansion of automobile-oriented shopping and the growing importance of regional retail centers outside traditional downtown districts. The center changed substantially over subsequent decades. Federal Realty Trust acquired Willow Lawn in 1986 and enclosed its central section during the same year, creating a hybrid property that combined an open-air strip layout with an enclosed mall area and food court. The enclosed format was intended to modernize the property and strengthen its appeal as competition increased from newer malls in the Richmond region. The former Miller & Rhoads space was subdivided into smaller stores and offices after the department store closed in 1988. During the 1980s and 1990s, a number of original anchors and major tenants departed or changed identity. G.C. Murphy and Woolworth closed, while their former spaces were later associated with Barnes & Noble and Tower Records. Peoples Drug became CVS Pharmacy. JCPenney eventually left and its space was used by Hannaford Bros. Co. before Richmond-area locations were transferred to Kroger. The former Safeway location was reused by Hess's, later Leggett and then Belk. Belk closed in 1998, and Dillard's briefly occupied the site beginning that year before closing by 2004. The former department-store space was subsequently used by Gold's Gym and Ross Dress For Less. Willow Lawn also developed a community and entertainment role. In 1996, Barksdale Theatre, described as Central Virginia's leading professional theatre, moved to the center and continued presenting its Signature Season there. Theatre IV, the Children's Theatre of Virginia, has also used the venue for occasional performances. This cultural presence distinguished the property from a purely transactional retail center and connected it with the broader Richmond arts community. Federal Realty began another major physical transformation in 2005. Part of the enclosed mall was converted back into open-air retail space, while Ben Franklin Crafts and K&G Fashion Superstore joined the tenant mix. Tower Records closed in 2006 during the company's Chapter 11 liquidation. In 2011, the remaining enclosed mall and food-court structures were demolished as part of a further redevelopment. The central portion was planned to reopen in 2012 with new stores and an open-air courtyard, completing the property's transition into an entirely open-air shopping center. Today, The Shops at Willow Lawn is presented as a neighborhood-oriented retail and dining destination with more than 60 stores and several restaurants. Its long history, successive anchor replacements, adaptive reuse, entertainment component, and repeated redesigns illustrate the evolution of American suburban retail from a postwar shopping center to a contemporary open-air mixed-use retail property. Federal Realty Trust remains the owner, while the center continues to serve Richmond and surrounding Henrico County communities.

The Shops at Willow Lawn originated as Willow Lawn Shopping Center, which opened in 1956 in Henrico County just outside Richmond, Virginia. It was the first shopping center in the Richmond area and reflected the postwar shift toward suburban, automobile-accessible retail. Its original anchors included G.C. Murphy, Giant Food, JCPenney, Peoples Drug, Safeway, and Woolworth. These tenants gave the center a broad commercial role, combining department-store merchandise, groceries, pharmacy goods, and general merchandise. The property evolved as Richmond's retail market became more competitive. Safeway later moved into the former Giant Food space, while the original Safeway site was demolished and redeveloped for Hess's. That store was later rebranded as Leggett and then Belk. Miller & Rhoads also operated at the center before closing in 1988, after which its space was divided into smaller stores and offices. Federal Realty Trust acquired Willow Lawn in 1986. The owner enclosed the center's middle section that year, creating a hybrid shopping environment with both exterior strip-mall storefronts and interior mall space. The enclosed section included additional stores and a food court. This format represented an effort to update an older shopping center while retaining its existing open-air retail areas. Through the 1980s and 1990s, several established anchors disappeared or changed operators. G.C. Murphy and Woolworth closed. Their former spaces were later used by Barnes & Noble and Tower Records, respectively. Peoples Drug became CVS Pharmacy and continued in that role. JCPenney closed in the late 1990s; its space was occupied by Hannaford Bros. Co. before Richmond-area Hannaford locations were sold to Kroger. Belk closed in 1998, and Dillard's briefly took over the location before leaving by 2004. Gold's Gym and Ross Dress For Less subsequently occupied the former Dillard's space. Willow Lawn gained a cultural dimension in 1996 when Barksdale Theatre moved there. The company continued presenting its Signature Season at the center, and Theatre IV, the Children's Theatre of Virginia, occasionally performed at the venue. This use added an entertainment and community function to the retail property. A substantial renovation began in 2005, when Federal Realty converted part of the enclosed mall back into open-air retail space. Ben Franklin Crafts, previously located on an outparcel, moved into the mall, and K&G Fashion Superstore replaced most of the former food-court area. Tower Records closed in 2006 as its parent company liquidated through Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In 2011, Federal Realty began another redevelopment phase. The remaining enclosed mall and food-court structures were demolished, with a new central section and open-air courtyard planned for reopening in 2012. The work completed Willow Lawn's transition from a hybrid enclosed/open-air mall into an entirely open-air shopping center. The property now contains more than 60 stores and several restaurants and continues operating as a Richmond-area retail and dining destination.

• 2012

  Central open-air section is planned to reopen

  [1]The Shops at Willow Lawnen.wikipedia.org

  The redeveloped central section is planned to reopen with new stores and an open-air courtyard.

• 2011

  Final enclosed structures are demolished

  [1]The Shops at Willow Lawnen.wikipedia.org

  Federal Realty begins demolishing the remaining enclosed mall and food-court structures as part of another redevelopment.

• 2006

  Tower Records leaves Willow Lawn

  [1]The Shops at Willow Lawnen.wikipedia.org

  The music retailer closes its location during Chapter 11 bankruptcy liquidation.

• 2005

  Conversion back toward an open-air format begins

  [1]The Shops at Willow Lawnen.wikipedia.org

  Federal Realty removes part of the enclosed mall and restores open-air retail space during a major renovation.

• 1998

  Dillard's replaces Belk

  [1]The Shops at Willow Lawnen.wikipedia.org

  Dillard's opens in the former Belk location, later closing by 2004.

• 1996

  Barksdale Theatre establishes a Willow Lawn venue

  [1]The Shops at Willow Lawnen.wikipedia.org

  Barksdale Theatre moves to the center and begins presenting its Signature Season there.

• 1988

  Miller & Rhoads closes

  [1]The Shops at Willow Lawnen.wikipedia.org

  The department-store space is subdivided into smaller stores and offices after the retailer leaves.

• 1986

  Federal Realty acquires the property

  [1]The Shops at Willow Lawnen.wikipedia.org

  Federal Realty Trust purchases Willow Lawn and encloses the center's middle section, adding an indoor mall and food court.

• 1956

  Willow Lawn Shopping Center opens

  [1]The Shops at Willow Lawnen.wikipedia.org

  The original shopping center opens in Henrico County, becoming the first shopping center in the Richmond area.

A long-established, community-oriented open-air shopping center serving the Richmond metropolitan area, combining everyday retail, dining, services, and cultural programming.

• Shopping center retail · 1956

  Retail stores

  The center provides a multi-tenant retail environment rather than a single proprietary product line. Its historical and current tenant mix has included apparel, books, music, crafts, office supplies, pharmacy goods, groceries, fitness services, and other everyday consumer offerings.

• Dining

  Restaurants and food services

  Restaurants form a continuing part of Willow Lawn's open-air shopping-center model. The property historically included a food court during its enclosed-mall period and later replaced that format with open-air dining and storefront uses.

• Live entertainment · 1996

  Barksdale Theatre Signature Season

  Barksdale Theatre's move to Willow Lawn in 1996 added professional theatre programming to the property. The theatre continued presenting its Signature Season at the center, giving Willow Lawn a cultural and community role in addition to its retail function.

• 2011

  Demolition of the remaining enclosed mallStrategy

  Background

  Federal Realty continued modernizing the property after the earlier partial conversion to open-air retail.

  Action taken

  The remaining enclosed mall and food-court structures were demolished, with a new central section and open-air courtyard planned for the following year.

  Aftermath

  Willow Lawn became an entirely open-air shopping center with more than 60 stores and several restaurants.

  Source

• 2005

  Partial de-enclosure and open-air repositioningStrategy

  Background

  The older enclosed mall format was being challenged by newer retail properties and changing consumer preferences.

  Action taken

  Federal Realty removed part of the enclosed mall and converted it back into open-air retail space, while adding or relocating tenants including Ben Franklin Crafts and K&G Fashion Superstore.

  Aftermath

  The renovation established the direction for the center's eventual full conversion to an open-air shopping destination.

  Source

• 1986

  Federal Realty acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Willow Lawn was an established suburban shopping center facing an increasingly competitive Richmond-area retail market.

  Action taken

  Federal Realty Trust acquired the property and enclosed its middle section, introducing an indoor mall and food court alongside the existing open-air stores.

  Aftermath

  The property operated for many years as a hybrid enclosed and open-air shopping center before later returning to a fully open-air format.

  Source

1. 1The Shops at Willow Lawnen.wikipedia.org