Many locals can fondly remember the glass elevator offering 360-degree views of a sprawling shopping complex with people bustling along the shiny tiled floors of Lakeforest Mall. They have taken photos on Santa’s lap, picked out gifts for loved ones and savored warm cinnamon pretzel bites from Auntie Anne’s.
But over the years, the rise of online retailers has led to dwindling numbers of shoppers who take the trip to the mall. The wonderland of stores was gradually reduced to a graveyard of consumerism past.
After almost 45 years in Gaithersburg, Lakeforest Mall shuttered its doors on March 31, 2023.
When the mall first opened in September 1978, it was Montgomery County’s largest indoor shopping mall, according to The MoCo Show. Lakeforest Mall had four major anchor stores and a performing arts stage. It was one of the first malls in the United States to feature an indoor ice skating rink, but that rink was later replaced by a movie theater.
Lakeforest Mall’s closing was announced at a January 2023 meeting of the City of Gaithersburg mayor and city council.
“It’s the end of an old era,” Kevin Rogers, the executive vice president of WRS Inc., the company that owns the mall, told WTOP News. “I’ve read articles until I’m blue in the face about memories of the Lakeforest Mall — ice skating, first dates, outfits bought for prom, you name it, over the years. Unfortunately, that time has passed us by and it presents us with this awesome opportunity to create something new.”
The mayor and city council unanimously approved a redevelopment plan for the 100-acre mall site in September 2024. The plan would turn the space into a mixed-purpose development featuring both housing and space for businesses, retail, restaurants and entertainment, according to Bethesda Magazine.
Tentative development plans show different retail and dining options for the space. Block B of the site will house four large standalone restaurants, a smaller restaurant and boutique shops that offer ice cream, yogurt, smoothies, baked goods, jewelry and art, The MoCo Show reports.
Block C is planned to feature a fitness center, a pizza restaurant, a credit union, a hair salon and a clothing store. In another section, patrons will find a large home improvement retailer, a dry cleaner, shipping service, massage and chiropractic office, a dental clinic and two large retailers.
The mall is scheduled for demolition at an unknown date in 2025.
