JC Penney at the Annapolis Mall will soon be replaced with Hobby Lobby, Grocery Outlet, Onelife Fitness, and two additional tenants to be named.
Bethesda-based H&R Retail, a highly specialized retail-only brokerage, is actively marketing two 3,500 sf (approx) stores adjacent to a yet-to-be-built Hobby Lobby, Grocery Outlet, and Onelife Fitness. H&R Retail also represents Beacon Square, the mixed-use property nearing completion on Riva Road across from the Annapolis Town Center.
The mall is owned by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE, a French multinational commercial real estate company headquartered in Paris. Several years ago, they decided to offload most of their US investments to concentrate on the European market, effectively putting the Annapolis Mall up for sale. The deadline for the sale was the fourth quarter of 2023.
The ownership of the mall is convoluted, as there are several owners. The “mall” owns the property and main body of the mall. The anchor stores (Sears, Nordstrom, JC Penney, Macy’s) own their buildings and act semi-independently yet cooperatively with the mall. The “mall” purchased the former Lord & Taylor space when the department store left Annapolis. The JC Penney store in Annapolis was sold in 2022 as part of a package deal, and now the new owners are slicing up the space for multiple tenants. The former Sears property is currently being marketed similarly.
It is unknown when JC Penney will close, and the company has not filed a WARN Notice with the State. It is unknown when the other tenants will ultimately open. We have reached out to Westfield Annapolis, JC Penney, Onelife Fitness, Hobby Lobby, and Grocery Outlet for comments.
This story may be updated.
