JANAF Shopping Center (1959-Present)

The site’s name come from Joint Army Navy Air Force, an investment group comprised of retired        servicemen from the various branches of the Armed Force. The center was opened in 1959. As early as 1954 the Pilot had articles mentioning the land development and the JANAF Inc. plans for the future shopping center site. At the time of its construction, JANAF was hailed as “the longest project of its kind” due in part to the massive open front of stores combined with parking space. JANAF is generally seen as one of the first large scale shopping center projects in the country.

The site selected for the JANAF center sits northeast of the intersection of Military Highway and Virginia Beach Boulevard. Prior to the 1950s this land served as air base. Aerial photographs in the Sergeant Memorial Collection highlight how the property looked in the years before its construction. These can be found in the Photo Craftsmen Photograph Collection along with digitized aerial photographs. Additional aerial photographs can be found in the Department of City Planning Aerial Photograph books from 1974.

Unlike most closed shopping centers in the region, the location and open space has helped JANAF stay afloat through multiple owners, particularly during the 1980s, and store shifting. Efforts in the early 90s helped fuel leasing on large brand stores, and the center was routinely able to keep itself near maximum tenant leasing capacity. In 1990, ownership of the JANAF shopping center shifted after acquisition by the Janaf Associates Limited Partnership, which consisted of several firms. Sigma Commercial Realty Inc. served as the leasing agent for the properties during the 90s.

Major renovations took place on the JANAF shopping center in 2006, helping revitalize the shopping center once again. Wheeler Real Estate Company currently owns the majority share off the property that comprises the JANAF Shopping center. This sale took place in 2018, and had some major implications for the ownership of the real estate company that took over the property; then CEO Jon Wheeler was fired from his position shortly after closing the JANAF deal; at the time JANAF was recorded at over 90% ternate occupancy. JANAF’s current store ad property listings can be found on the WREC’s website here.