The Rockville Mall was one major outcome of the Mid-City Urban Renewal Project and the new modern vision of commerce and retail in downtown Rockville. However, it was never popular. While other nearby malls succeeded, the Rockville version simply did not. It struggled with occupancy and underwent several marketing reinventions before its ultimate demolition.
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" Rockville was unique in that it chose to replace it's downtown with a Mall"
Some people have forgotten that the Rockville Mall existed. By the time construction was completed, Rockville residents had become accustomed to shopping elsewhere: on Rockville Pike, in DC, or at other local malls that had preceded it and were easily accessible by the area's growing highway system. It would never be a great success, despite various efforts to rejuvenate and re-invent the Mall. While a variety of factors contributed to its decline, Rockville Mall is largely remembered as a failure that forever altered downtown Rockville.
"The Mall that Ate Rockville"
"The Mall that Ate Rockville"
Doug Duncan (Washington Post, Feb 14, 1993)
It was a popular idea at the time to move shopper's experiences indoors where they could walk from shop to shop, unencumbered by weather and cars. The mall was expected to be a modern shopper's paradise. Plagued by financial trouble, an underground parking garage which was "dark and dank", and other problems the mall never gained traction.
Rockville Mall, also known as “The Commons at Courthouse Square” was not the successful replacement for downtown shopping the developers hoped it would be. They only secured one anchor store, Lansburgh’s Department Store, which went bankrupt before the mall even opened. The Mall opened February 1972 with three stores. 23 other stores of the proposed 50 had been leased at that time (Howard C. Landau: MC Sentinel: Feb 17, 1972).
Although it was torn down in the 1980s, a tiny portion remains today. The plaza and buildings which connect the Rockville Metro station to the Town Center are the last piece of the Rockville Mall still standing.
Shops of "Commons at Courthouse Square" (1974)
Shops of "Commons at Courthouse Square" (1974)
(click arrow at right to view the full list)
Crane’s Clothing
James Ltd. Clothing
Fuji Gift Shop
Roy Rogers
Maryland National Bank
Friendly’s Ice Cream
Kinney Shoes
Beyda’s Petites Clothing
General Nutrition Center
The Fabric Tree
The Clothes Bin
Greta Stevens Women’s clothing
Thom McAn Shoes
Kay Jewelers
The Paper Doll gift shop
Waxie Maxie’s
Empress Restaurant
Tie Inn
Bressler’s 33 Flavors
Rockville Mall Twin Theaters
Orange Bowl
Town Center Gallery of Rockville Art League
Curly’s Men’s and Boy’s Clothing
Campbell Music
Generation Gap novelties
Jean Jack Boutique
Walden Book
The Tweed Shop
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