Towson Town Center mall loses major tenants amid rising crime issues

A sprawling mall in Maryland, once filled with major retail stores, is fast losing its tenants.

Several tenants last month announced plans to leave downtown Tucson, which has been facing increasing crime problems. In November, four teenagers were arrested after a robbery and stabbing at the mall, according to reports.

However, malls have been struggling for years as e-commerce and changing consumer behaviors reshape shopping habits, while inflation continues to weigh on wallets, contributing to declining traffic.

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Last month, Wockenfuss Candies said it had “made the difficult decision to permanently close this location, effective immediately.”

Gap-owned Banana Republic, Tommy Bahama and J.Crew’s Madewell have also left or plan to leave the mall, according to several reports.

This comes after the shopping center already lost its flagship Crate & Barrel store and restaurants such as Rainforest Café, according to reports.

Traditional shopping malls used to be bustling with activity Trade centersbut its popularity began to decline before the COVID-19 pandemic as Amazon and online retail began to steadily pull sales away from physical stores. Then the pandemic accelerated that decline as lockdown orders prevented people from being able to shop in person. Economic pressures from inflation have made matters worse, with households tightening their budgets and spending less on discretionary items.

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San Francisco Mall in California is another mall suffering from high vacancies and a series of departures by major retailers. Shake Shack, which confirmed its exit from the mall last month, told FOX Business that the mall has been sold to a new owner who requires all tenants to vacate the building.

The Apple Store at Towson Town Center Mall on May 10, 2024, in Towson, Maryland. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)

Between 2020 and 2023, the mall lost 46% of its stores, the San Francisco Standard reported. This includes its flagship store, Nordstrom, which announced in 2023 that it would close its two downtown San Francisco locations, including its flagship store inside Westfield San Francisco Center. The mall’s other major tenant, Bloomingdale’s, left in early 2025.

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In recent months, at least six dining venues have left the mall, including Jamba Juice, Izzy & Wooks sandwich shop and Mija Cochinita taco shop, according to the San Fransisco Chronicle.

Shoppers inside Westfield San Francisco shopping center in San Francisco, California, on June 13, 2023. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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However, there are still significant obstacles to converting commercial properties to residential use, especially when it comes to local zoning laws and construction costs.