The discount furniture anchor is gone and has been since at least 2008. The Burlington Coat Factory anchor is still there, and the U.S. 1 side had some remodelling done in the past few years. When I last visited the store in December 2005, the only outside entrance that was open was the remodelled one; I am guessing that is still the case. The Macy’s (which replaced Hecht’s in 2006) is still there, although I am not sure how well it is doing. The parking lot, which is so expansive it was probably never full even at the mall’s peak, features fading lines. As Arthur stated, the north parking deck is closed, while I was not feeling adventurous enough to check on the south parking deck, on the U.S. 1 side. The old Montgomery Ward auto shop at the corner of Cherry Lane and Fourth Street has been boarded up for at least six years.

Of the 100+ shopfronts in the mall, at least 80 are either gated up and empty or boarded up with promotions for Laurel Commons (see below). Given the state of the mall, the remaining chain stores are somewhat surprising. I remember seeing the following: Payless Shoe Source, Bath and Body Works, Claire’s Accessories, General Nutrition Center, and Lady Foot Locker. The remaining tenants are non-chain. Among the notable non-chain stores are a tax preparation shop, a furniture store that looked like it was having a clearance, an indoor skate park, a few clothing stores, and an African knick knack store. The only place kiosks remain is in the center of the mall, where the jewelry stores like Kay’s used to congregate.

The most depressing part of the mall, though, is the food court. When the mall was not yet decrepit in the mid 1990s, there were eight eateries, most of them chains such as McDonald’s. Subway, Sbarro, Boardwalk Fries, and Orange Julius. There was also a non-chain ice cream shop and a Chinese food shop. Now, there is ONE non-chain sandwich shop. All of the tables and chairs are still present, which combined with the very low activity would make it a good place to study except for the very dim lighting.

In the late 2000s, the mall was slated to be replaced with Laurel Commons, one of those lifestyle centers featuring a movie theater multiplex, stand-alone restaurants, and one of those faux Main Street walkable looks. You can see the plans at the Laurel Commons website (http://www.shoplaurelcommons.com/lc/home.html). Notice the dates on the website, 2007, and you can probably figure out this never happened thanks to the bottom falling out of the economy. Whether these plans will come to fruition in a few years once the economy improves is anyone’s guess.

I remember the revolving stores. I thought it was so cool.

Needless to say, nothing at Laurel Mall made the list, but maybe if they get their act together, that could change.

Now me or my family hardly go there anymore because it’s not great anymore. The only people who seem to go there now are teenagers, mostly when they get released from laurel high school they just walk to the mall to hang out.

I fear that some of the decline in the Mall reflects the changes in the demographics in nearby and the more upscale alternatives available, e.g., the Mall in Columbia. I escaped my townhome there as more of the homes turned into rentals and the “feel” of the neighborhood changed.

I moved north of Laurel, in Howard County. While the Laurel Mall was an easier drive, the traffic on the Route 1 corridor made it a nightmare to get to on weekends, and the retail available just didn’t compare to the alternatives.

Curiously, I now live in New Jersey in Lawrenceville, and often visit Marketfair in “Princeton”. The last thing that comes to mind as I walk through Marketfair is the Laurel Mall! From the parking, to the location and ease of access — not even close. Trying to attract upscale stores to Laurel mall is going to be tough! Even when Hecht’s was there, they had a lower grade of merchandise than in Columbia due to the different demographics they though they were attracting. And so beings a declining cycle.

On the other hand, when I’m back in the Laurel area to visit friends and family, I very often stop into the Harbor Freight store in the open shopping center part of Laurel Mall.

i dont remember the rotating stores… that is interesting tho