Tysons Corner Center will add seven new stores to its retail lineup this fall — after the back-to-school rush but before the all-important holiday shopping season, which can count for up to 40 percent of a retailer’s annual sales. The mall, which opened a massive expansion last year, continues to add to its retail offerings in an effort to boost its already high attendance and compete in an increasingly tough market.
“Anytime you bring in a new store, especially if it’s enhancing the current offerings, it will help drive traffic,” said Patrice Duker, a spokeswoman for the International Council of Shopping Centers. “That’s one of the challenges that shopping centers across the country face, bringing in retailers that will keep bringing in customers.”
Stores scheduled to open this fall in Tysons Corner include clothiers Forever 21 and MNG by Mango, jeweler Bailey Banks & Biddle, shoe store Bakers and children’s clothing stores Abercrombie and Hanna Andersson.
The mall also opened a handful of stores over the summer and existing stores The Limited and Sephora have expansion plans.
Tysons Corner is the largest mall in the Washington region and now the 10th largest in the United States with an estimated 19 million to 20 million shoppers per year. Even so, it faces tough competition from other regional malls.
The Fashion Center at Pentagon City, for example, hosted 12 million shoppers last year at its 170 stores.
“Consumers are still spending in the retail environment,” Duker said. But because of factors such as rising gas prices, “we’re beginning to see them make decisions [about] where and when they shop. They’re becoming more efficient and they’re looking for a one-stop-shop.”
