If you’ve visited Tysons Corner Center recently, you may have noticed some changes around the mall, from stores bouncing to different locations to a large LED screen looming over the Tysons One Place and Westpark Drive intersection.
Some of the alterations are the result of $110 million in combined investments in the property made over the past year by mall owner and developer Macerich and by its retailers, according to a recent press release highlighting some of the enhancements.
Expected to be implemented through 2025, the renovations come as Macerich reports that business is going strong at the D.C. area’s largest mall and prepares for a slew of new tenants.
“Tysons Corner Center has witnessed substantial and sustained high productivity and profits across the majority of its stores,” Macerich said in the June 18 release. “With the increase of foot traffic and customer enthusiasm to purchase, many retailers have focused on investments and enhancements in their Tysons retail locations.”
Here’s a breakdown of the new and upcoming developments at Tysons Corner Center.
New stores and restaurants
The first half of 2024 was filled with both arrivals and departures for Tysons Corner Center, which boasts over 300 retailers totaling nearly 2 million square feet of space, according to a 2023 market study commissioned by the Tysons Community Alliance.
In addition to previously reported additions like the Indian restaurant Dhoom and the clothing stores Rothy’s and Khaadi, the mall welcomed Z Ice Cream — which sells ice cream, pastries, smoothies and milkshakes — in time for its second Taste of Tysons festival.
Diba Fresh, a freshly squeezed juice maker, opened a kiosk near 7-Eleven in late May, replacing Donutchew, a Tysons Corner Center spokesperson confirmed. The popular coffee shop Shotted, which has been operating out of a first-floor kiosk, added a second-floor location in mid-May.
Demolition plans submitted to Fairfax County yesterday (Thursday) suggest the existing kiosk will be removed. Shotted also expanded to Tysons Galleria last year.
Tenants that have been confirmed for this year include:
- Primark, opening on July 16
- Kate Spade New York, expected this summer near Nordstrom
- Drinkware company Yeti, which is slated to open its first brick-and-mortar site in the D.C. region next to Peloton this fall
- Fashion brands Buck Mason, Hobbs London and Vuori, all expected in the third quarter
- Turkish restaurant Gagawa
- The clothing store Mango
- The Cheesecake Factory, which is relocating from Tysons Galleria with Maggiano’s, possibly in the fourth quarter
Signage suggests Amorino, a French gelato chain, has leased a first-floor stall outside Macy’s, but the company didn’t respond to a request for comment by press time, and the mall spokesperson said it’s “not clear” when it might open. A Day and Night Cereal Bar once lined up for the same location never materialized.
If the shop does open, it would be Amorino’s first location in Virginia and the D.C. area.
The fast-food chain Popeyes may also be coming to the mall, according to a commercial alteration permit filed with Fairfax County on May 20. Tysons Corner Center said it has “nothing to provide” on Popeyes “at this time,” but there is a vacancy in the first floor food area between Chef Lin and Panda Express.
Next year will bring the entertainment arena Level 99, a playground and restaurant opening in the spring on the second floor next to the former Barnes & Noble.
Facility and store renovations
Barnes & Noble is one of several retailers that have renovated their existing spaces or moved to new ones within Tysons Corner Center.
After closing in May, the bookstore will reopen next spring or summer in a 16,760-square-foot space on the first floor — possibly across from H&M, according to a plan under review by Fairfax County. The plan depicts a new, exterior entrance with a sidewalk, ADA-compliant curb ramp, landscape bed and outdoor seating.
Per Tysons Corner Center, completed relocations have included:
- Apple, which now occupies a 13,010-square-foot, second-level space that launched exactly 22 years after its original store at the mall opened
- Lululemon, which recently finished a “multi-million dollar relocation and expansion” that increased its space from 3,300 to almost 7,000 square feet
- Warby Parker, which can now be found on Level 2 near Macy’s
In addition, all three of the mall’s anchor tenants — Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom — finished remodelings within the past year. Macy’s made upgrades to its beauty department, while Bloomingdale’s redid its main floor, including the addition of new designer boutiques, and Nordstrom renovated its Marketplace Café.
“With the recent remodel, [Nordstrom has] expanded their seating area to include 28 additional seats,” Tysons Corner Center said in its release. “The highlight…is the addition of a full cocktail bar, complete with six bar top seats, allowing them to serve a full cocktail menu. The bar area has been updated with modern fixtures, new flooring, and the addition of a TV.”
Renovations still to come include:
- McDonald’s, which has closed for a full store remodel, though a reopening time frame is unknown
- Banana Republic, which is operating a first-floor pop-up until its remodeled second-floor store reopens in the fall
- Swiss watch maker Lenkersdorfer, which will start opening a “new multi-brand store” later this year before a full launch in the first quarter of 2025
- Nespresso, whose expanded space “will include a new look that offers coffee drinkers immersive and interactive experiences” and is scheduled to open late in this year’s third quarter
- Cotton On, expanding to 9,600 square feet with the addition of its workout clothing line, Cotton On Body, and a stand-alone boutique for kids’ products that’s slated for a third-quarter opening
All of the renovations have amounted to $65.6 million in investments by the retailers, according to Macerich. The developer has committed another $44.5 million toward facility improvements, including common area enhancements and capital projects.
One of those projects was the aforementioned LED screen, mounted on a parking garage in early May. Capable of processing 1.4 million pixels, the 1,500-square-foot digital sign displays logos for the mall’s retailers and other advertisements, according to LEDs Magazine. The move followed the county’s approval of new signage regulations last November, including a higher brightness threshold for outdoor signs.
Tysons Corner Center is also revamping three parking garages with improved ADA spaces, new painting and design work to improve wayfinding, and artwork and murals. Started in February, the project is expected to continue into October and has restricted some parking access, including to the bottom level of the Hyatt Regency garage.
At the same time, Macerich is gearing up for a new phase of development that will deliver more office, residential and retail space, along with a new plaza, park spaces and other amenities. It’s unclear when construction might start, but a 23-story office tower with up to 50,000 square feet of retail space will be available for lease in 2028, per Tysons Corner Center’s website.
The office high-rise was approved to replace the vacant Lord & Taylor building by the county’s Board of Supervisors in September, though the revised development plan also included an option for a 34-story office and residential tower.
