Located in Greenbelt Maryland the Beltway Plaza Mall has a story to tell. This mall has evolved over decades. It reflects the changing times and community needs.
The Beltway Plaza Mall first opened on October 17 1963. Sidney J Brown and First National Realty developed it. Imagine a vast S Klein department store. It stood apart from an A and P Supermarket. A large parking lot separated them. The supermarket was part of a strip shopping center. This center also included a barbershop a movie theater and a Drug Fair store.
Fast forward to 1972. A small indoor mall emerged. It connected the strip shopping center and the S Klein store. This new section featured a six-screen theater. Emerson’s Steakhouse was also there. Shoppers could visit a George’s appliance store an ice cream shop and an in-house catalog store.
The S Klein store closed in 1975. Major renovations followed. The space once occupied by S Klein was divided. This created new spaces for different stores. Small fountains added a touch of elegance. An additional eight-screen cinema was built. A Giant supermarket joined the shopping strip. The renovation enclosed the area. It connected the original mall to the supermarket.
Today the Beltway Plaza Mall boasts over 100 stores and restaurants. It is a retail hub for the community. Anchors include Giant supermarket and Burlington Coat Factory. Marshalls JoAnn Fabrics Target Shoppers World and TJ Maxx are also key tenants.
Interestingly Target is not directly accessible from inside the mall. You must step outside even though it shares a roof.
The Beltway Plaza Mall has seen its share of history. In December 1962 tragedy struck during construction. An earth slide in the basement claimed five lives. Eleven people were injured. In 1966 the mall had to close briefly due to slope instability.
In a chilling turn of events the 9/11 terrorists frequented the Beltway Plaza Mall. This was in the weeks leading up to the attacks. They visited Giant Food Gold’s Gym and Burlington Coat Factory.
Getting here is easy. Several public transit options are available. Metrobus lines C2 G14 and R12 serve the mall. The RTA Central Maryland bus 302 and TheBus 16 also stop nearby. The Beltway Plaza Mall continues to serve Greenbelt. It adapts to the needs of its shoppers. It remains a central part of the community.