TownMall of Westminster - Raw & Real Retail
This is our walkthrough of the TownMall of Westminster from January 11, 2019. This is a small-ish local mall that holds the distinction as having both the northernmost Belk and is the only mall with both a Belk and a Boscov's. Unfortunately, the retail downturn has struck this mall also, and it is quickly losing tenants and I suspect will be a dead mall in the not too distant future.
Check out our ongoing series of dead and dying shopping malls!
Songs used in this video (in order):
Pierre-Alain Dahan - Rythmique No. 3
Delle Haensch & Hans Conzelmann - Swift Drift
Syd Dale - Latin Belle
Steve Gray - Wonder Groove
In lieu of a Wikipedia article, here is a writeup from the excellent Skycity2 blog:
Town Mall of Westminster is a cozy mall nestled on a hillside on the north side of the the city of Westminster. Situated at the southeast corner of the intersection of Routes 27 & 97, the mall sits in the transition zone between the outlying Baltimore suburbs and rural farmland. Opening on March 4, 1987, the 430,000 square ft. mall came along during a time with a ton of transition in the retail industry, and it indeed opened up with a very unusual roster of anchors.
Cranberry Mall as it was originally known was a mall that was delayed for many years. Complications involving zoning, roadways, land use, and the original owner being unable to finance construction of the first mall. This delayed the construction of the mall for over 15 years. In fact, had everything fallen into place, this mall would have been built in 1972 instead of 1987. Some of the original tenants that had considered opening at the mall included G.C. Murphy and Giant Food. Perhaps the delay led to a mall that ended up being slightly higher end than the original mall would have been.
The unusual anchor mix was something original to the mall. Built by the Shopco Advisory Group, the originally planned anchors were Virginia-based Leggett, Baltimore-based Hutzler's, and New York-based Caldor. Caldor was expanded during that time as part of a legacy of Baltimore-based Stewart's (both were owned by the same company). Hutzler's, however, was going under during the mall's construction meaning that the store was built but never opened and the Hutzler's space was taken instead by Sears. Montgomery Ward later joined the mall in 1990, resulting in one of a few malls around the country with both Sears and Wards as anchors.
Although Leggett was mostly found in Virginia, the logic of Leggett opening in the mall was not as strange as it seemed. Leggett was previously located in Westminster Shopping Center and had opened there in 1963 before moving to the mall. Today, Belk occupies the former Leggett space.
Since the 1980's, a number of anchor changes have taken place. In fact, the mall does not have a single original anchor. The first to change was Leggett, which was sold to Belk in 1996. Belk largely passed on most of the former Leggett stores in Maryland leaving this as one of only three Belk stores in the state. It is also the northernmost Belk store in the entire chain. While Leggett was affiliated with Belk as part of the Belk family of stores, it was a separate chain operating in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Following the change from Leggett to Belk, the next anchor to change was when discount chain Caldor folded in 1999. From 2003-2009, Steve & Barry's used part of the former Caldor space. Today that store is divided between Dick's Sporting Goods, Gold's Gym and Paradise of Fun.
Shortly after Caldor faded into history, Montgomery Ward shut down for good in 2001. However, it did not remain vacant long as Boscov's stepped in to fill the void shortly after. At the time, there was real concern the mall would not survive, so Boscov's was seen as a godsend. The resulting anchor changes meant that this is the only mall where Boscov's and Belk share a store. However, the mall today has many vacancies, and it is questionable how much longer Belk will continue to operate this store so far from their base with the nearest Belk store over 80 miles of that location. Unless Belk expands in the region, this store will remain a very isolated outpost.
Cranberry Mall became Town Mall in 2000 when the mall was sold to Strategic Resources. In addition to the new name, the new owners commenced a renovation that was completed in 2002, thus the look was somewhat updated. However, the updates to the malls were not extreme, thus the mall still looks somewhat vintage. In addition, the design itself looks older than its age with design cues that look more early than late 1980's such as ramps, a center court fountain, and recessed skylights giving it a few distinctive vintage elements not present in most other malls of the region.
Westminster Maryland
Another in our series on Small Town America: Westminster Maryland.
REAL United States Facebook Page:
REAL United States on Google+
REAL United States on Twitter:
REAL United States on Instagram:
REAL United States on Beme:
Westminster Time Lapse
The City of Westminster is located in the central part of Carroll County, Maryland with a population of 18,724 residents as of 2014. Westminster is the county seat of Carroll County and is where all of the county's administrative offices are located along with the Maryland District Court for Carroll County and the Carroll County Circuit Court. The Carroll County Sheriff's Office and the Carroll County Detention Center are also both located in Westminster. The Maryland State Police G Barrack is located on Maryland 140 next to the Carroll County branch of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Westminster is the largest community in the county and is also the county's shopping hub.
Link to Bad Drivers of North Central Maryland Facebook Page:
Link to the Maryland Code (Transportation Laws are under Transportation Tab):
Link to State of Maryland Citation Payout Book (Updated October 2016):
Westminster, MD | Ting On Location
On June 26, with Gigi Sohn of the FCC in attendance, we helped Westminster, MD light up its very own gigabit fiber network. As the exclusive provider for the first phase, we’ll be offering Ting crazy fast fiber Internet and sharing our simple, honest approach to customer service, powerful online tools, no contract and no caps for area homes and businesses.
Flymall Brits By The Bay 2011 Westminster, Maryland
Flymall Brits By The Bay 2011 Westminster, Maryland
Ep 5 - FRIDAYS IN THE GRAVEYARD - Legh Masters - Westminster, Maryland
FRIDAYS IN THE GRAVEYARD - I love a graveyard, don’t you?
In this episode, Mindie Burgoyne talks about the grave of Legh Masters. We are at the Church of the Ascension Church in the heart of historic Westminster, Maryland.
Legh Masters was an English immigrant who built his fortune in England operating an iron business. He purchased 1000 acres in Westminster in 1770 and built another huge iron business and built a home near his iron furnace in an area known as Furnace Hills. He was a large slaveholder and allegedly murdered several of his slaves in a horribly violent manner.
He died in 1796 at the age of 79 and was buried on his property near his house in Furnace Hills. His bones kept rising up from the ground and surfacing. He was finally relocated to the grounds of Ascension Church in Westiminster and the grave was bricked over with a giant stone slab placed on top (to avoid any possibility of resurfacing bones). But the stone slab cracked - twice. So a new granite stone has now been added.
They say that the unrestful spirit of Legh Masters is seen near this church in downtown Westminster, riding on a charcoal gray horse that spews fire from its nostrils. The horse is led by an imp.
#FridaysintheGraveyard
#chesapeakeghosts
Mindie Burgoyne is the owner of Chesapeake Ghost Tours, which operates eleven year-round ghost walks and 5 bus tours on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
For more information on ghost tours and ghost walks in the Chesapeake region go to
For more information on ghost tours and ghost walks in the Chesapeake region go to
Special appearance by Muffin Man -- the Imp
Music by Kevin MacLeod
Hit And Run: Westminster, MD 3.23.18
On my way home from getting coffee, I heard a crashing sound and at the time I didn't know what it was. After getting home I reviewed the footage and saw this Ford pickup sideswipe a parked Honda Odyssey parked out front of the Westminster Boys and Girls Club on East Main Street. I put up a message on a local forum seeing if the owner is on there so they can contact me. I also plan on inquiring with the Westminster Police Department about the incident if the owner does not contact me.
Link to Bad Drivers of North Central Maryland Facebook Page:
Link to the Maryland Code (Transportation Laws are under Transportation Tab):
Link to State of Maryland Traffic Citation Payout Book (Updated October 2017):
Torrey Smith at the Westminster Town Mall (Original Video)
I heard about his visit to the mall on saturday night but unfortunantly I had to work today until 5:30 so I didnt exactly get there in time to be person 125. but I stood i line anyway just incase I do get a chance for him to sign a team banner. I was almost there when they announced the signing was over, thats when I shot this interview between him and one of the guys from WTTR.
Walking Tour of The Boston Inn in Westminster Maryland
Created on July 16, 2009 using FlipShare.
2 people killed in motorcycle crash on Westminster Pike in Reisterstown
Baltimore County police are investigating a deadly motorcycle crash near Westminster Pike Saturday. In the initial investigation, detectives discovered that a man, 59, and a woman, 55, were traveling north when they collided with a car in the southbound lane.
Demolition underway at Great Mall of the Great Plains in Olathe
Demolition is underway on the Great Mall of the Great Plains in Olathe. It will be wrapped up in the next five to six months.
Read more at
◂
41 Action News, KSHB, brings you the latest news, weather and investigative reports from both sides of the state line.
We are Kansas City's Breaking News leader, bringing you the area's most accurate forecast and the latest sports coverage from KC's best team.
For more download the 41 Action News mobile app:
iPhone:
Android:
Owings Mills Mall: The Rise and Fall
This video looks at the rise and fall of Owings Mills Mall, the once upscale shopping destination in Baltimore County.
#OwingsMillsMall
Follow Mark William:
Classic Style Boscov's: A Neon-Soaked Special Presentation - Raw & Real Retail
This is a compilation of three of the remaining first generation Boscov's designs still in operation. This early design featured mirrored ceilings, lots and lots of neon everywhere, numerous glass chandeliers, and bare light bulbs all over the place. This type of layout is reminiscent of older department stores in the 1960s thru 1980s and has been left behind in modern times in favor of a sterile white design. In my opinion, walking through an untouched old Boscov's store is a good feeling, and transports me back to an older time when shopping was an a big event and the store made you feel like you were at an event.
Songs used in this video (in order):
Jack Trombey - Moving On In
Frank McDonald & Chris Rae - Network
Frank McDonald & Chris Rae - Rio Carnival
Billy Cobham - Thinking Of You
Alphonse Mouzon - Funky Snakefoot
Here is a brief history of the Boscov's company from wikipedia:
Boscov's Inc. is a family-owned department store with 47 locations in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio and Connecticut, as well as a future location in Rhode Island. Most stores are located in Pennsylvania. The company chairman is Jim Boscov, who took over after his uncle Albert Boscov died from pancreatic cancer on February 10, 2017. Corporate headquarters are in Exeter Township, Pennsylvania.
Solomon Sol Boscov was of Jewish descent. He immigrated from Russia to Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1911. He had $1.37 in cash on arrival in the United States. He worked as a traveling salesman with an initial $8 worth of merchandise. Because he spoke Yiddish, he was able to converse with people in Berks County who spoke Pennsylvania Dutch. Boscov's fortunes changed in 1914 when he opened the first Boscov's store at 9th and Pike streets in Reading. Boscov's began expanding in the Pennsylvania suburbs during the 1960s. By 1968, Boscov's had five stores, 2,200 workers, and annual sales exceeding $50 million. Solomon Boscov retired and was succeeded by his son Albert Albie Boscov as head of the company in 1960. He bought Fowler, Dick and Walker, the Boston Store in 1980. One of Wilkes-Barre's last remaining downtown department stores, it was also Boscov's first multi-story store. Boscov's first entered the Philadelphia market in the late 1980s by opening Ports of the World outlet stores. These stores would later be re-branded as Boscov's sometime in the mid-1990s.
In 2006, Albert Boscov, the son of Solomon Boscov, retired and his nephew Kenneth Lakin became chairman and chief executive. Lakin led an aggressive expansion of the chain, opening 10 new stores by 2008. The new stores did not perform as expected. In August 2008, just prior to the 2008 economic downturn Boscov's filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Al Boscov came out of retirement and regained control of the company. As part of the bankruptcy, 10 stores were closed. The company emerged from bankruptcy in September 2009.
Albert Boscov died from pancreatic cancer on February 10, 2017, at the age of 87. The chain is now headed by his nephew, Jim Boscov.
Boscov's continuing success makes it regarded as an outlier in a retail market where many department store chains are failing and closing stores. Boscov's saw record sales of $1.2 billion in 2017. Since 2009, the chain continues to expand and opened its 47th store in Milford, Connecticut in October 2018. Boscov's plans to continue to open one store per year and has invested in older stores by renovating them. Boscov's has announced plans to move into Rhode Island's Providence Place mall in 2019, following the departure of Nordstrom, which terminated the lease on the space.
#BOSCOVS
KONE Hydraulic Elevator - Boscov's TownMall of Westminster - Westminster, MD Remake
In Boscov's. Please note that all of my content is intended for people 13 or up, meaning that my content is NOT for children. Thank you for your cooperation.
Don't forget to comment, rate, share, like, subscribe, and hit the bell to receive all notifications!
Westminster, Maryland Sobriety Checkpoint: August 3, 2019
Sorry for the late upload. I decided to take the weekend off for some well needed R&R. But none the less, here's a quick video of the Sobriety Checkpoint that I went through the other night in Westminster, Maryland.
On August 3, 2019, while out dashing I came across a sobriety checkpoint that was being put on by the Maryland State Police, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and other Carroll County law enforcement agencies on Route 140, Baltimore Boulevard in Westminster, Maryland. For those who may not be that familiar with how a sobriety checkpoint is conducted in Maryland, officers will stop random vehicles and make contact with the driver. In this brief interaction the officer observes your behavior to look for signs of impairment. As long as you are not impaired, you will continue on your way. If officers detect signs of impairment (glassy eyes, slurred speech, odor of an alcoholic beverage, etc.) they will pull the vehicle into secondary screening where another officer will investigate further and determine if the driver of the vehicle is under the influence of alcohol or another substance. If the second officer believes the driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they will be taken into custody and either taken to the hospital for a blood test or taken to the station for a certified breathalyzer test and pending the results of the tests booked and charged with the appropriate charges.
I would like to say thank you to the officers who participated in the checkpoint to help combat drinking and driving on Maryland Roadways.
Link to Bad Drivers of North Central Maryland Facebook Page:
Link to the Maryland Code (Transportation Laws are under Transportation Tab):
Link to State of Maryland Traffic Citation Payout Book (Updated October 2018):
Westminster, MD Memorial Day Parade 2016
Honoring all who have served! Westminster is home of the first ever Memorial day parade in the country! ...Since last year's video was such a big hit, I thought id make another one this year!
4 Bedroom House For Sale in Lusby, Maryland, United States for USD 210,000
This is a very unique Property Main house offers 2 bedroom 2 baths a study new kitchen hard wood and tile floors thru-out sep dining and livingroom with pellet stove sep entrance to pool area simi attatched In-law with 2 bedrooms 1 full bath large eat-in kitchen sep entrance to pool area ft and rear decks Huge decking aro...
Property ref: ca8558217
Abandoned Town of Hancock, Md
We owe it to our good friend Mike Paster for this one. Join us with Special guest Mr. and Momma Sharon as we tour quite a few abandoned places in Hancock, Md
#google #sub4sub #instagram #facebook #yahoo #recommended #youtubers #art #graffiti #abandoned #abandonedmd #abandonedpa #abandonedasylums #entertainment #trending #lifestyle #higherdimension #urban #urbex #urbanexploring #urbanexplorers #decay #decaying #paranormal #ghosthunters #likes #newvideo #newvlog #historic #googleplus #pimp #hashtag #viewers #news #gopro #gopro5 #secretsauce #comedy #instago #instatravel #demons #angels #vacation #haunted #spirits #ouija #ouijaboard #vibe #comingsoon #seance #paranormalinvestigation #waverlyhills #transalleganey #foresthaven #pennhurst #rosewoodhospital #baltimore
Welcome To Eldersburg
A 15 minute dip of the toe into life in the sprawl.
Abandoned Fort Armistead exploration in Baltimore Maryland
We explore the now abandoned Fort Armistead in Balitmore Maryland which is not far from the main road. Place is not covered in graffiti and trash and it is being taken back by nature.
Follow us on twitter: @BCPhotographyI1
Follow on Instagram: instagram,.com/bcphotography.inc
Follow on Tumblr: bcphotographyinc.tumblr.com