Towson Square
| File:TowsonSquare.jpg Towson Square in August 2018, prior to Circle East construction | |
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| Location | Towson, Maryland |
|---|---|
| Address | 1 E Joppa Rd |
| Opening date | 2013 (Towson Square) 2021 (Circle East) |
| Developer | The Cordish Companies and Heritage Properties Inc. (Towson Square) Retail Properties of America (Circle East) |
| Management | Kite Realty Group[1] |
| Owner | Kite Realty Group |
| Stores and services | 2 as of July 2025 |
| Anchor tenants | 1 as of July 2025 |
| Floor area | 240,000 square feet (22,000 m2) |
| Floors | 1 |
| Parking | Lighted Lot, parking garage, 850 spaces |
| Website | https://www.circleeast.com/ |
Towson Square, originally known as Towson Circle III while in planning, is an outdoor mall constructed between 2013 and 2014 in Towson, Maryland. The outdoor mall was estimated to cost $85 million[2] to be built by its developers, The Cordish Companies and Heritage Properties, Inc.[3] It is anchored by a 16-screen movie theater operated by Cinemark.[4]
The development now occupies an area that was primarily parking lots located between East Joppa Road, Delaware, Virginia, and East Pennsylvania avenues. The developer intended to incorporate into a planned park an existing, an historic cemetery that borders on Shealy Avenue.[5] Shealy Avenue crosses roughly through the center of the development's property.
History
[edit | edit source]On Thursday, July 10, 2014, Cinemark officially opened its 15 screen movie theater at Towson Square as part of its 30-year anniversary celebrations.[6] The theater featured Cinemark's then newest concept, a reserve level where people could actually reserve specific luxury seats in a special area and have an expanded food selection and alcoholic beverages. It also features Cinemark's NextGen concept that has been described as offering "the latest technology and amenities under one roof."[7] The Baltimore Sun reported that the Towson Cinemark theater is Cinemark's official international flagship movie theater, replacing its former international flagship location in Dallas, Texas. As of July 2025, Cinemark is the last remaining tenant in Towson Square.
Circle East
[edit | edit source]In 2014, Towson Square was sold to Retail Properties of America Inc [8] for $40.5 million, thus allowing them to integrate the development adjacent into one entity called Circle East.[9]
The development of Circle East required Barnes & Noble and Trader Joe's to close their Towson Square locations. Trader Joe's relocated to the Shops at Kenilworth, which is also in Towson. Barnes & Noble has not relocated in Towson but has continued to operate in the Pratt Street Power Plant in the Inner Harbor until August 2020, and its White Marsh location.
Circle East opened its first tenants in early 2021. Its current tenants include Shake Shack, which replaced the former Barnes & Noble space, Ethan Allen, and Sodium Tackle.[10]
Decline and future redevelopment
[edit | edit source]While Towson Square was successful in its heyday, it has experienced significant decline, leading to its description by many as a "ghost-town”.
Before Circle East was created, Towson Square used to have a Barnes & Noble bookstore. However, in June 2017, Barnes & Noble closed its doors because the owners at the time, Retail Properties of America in partnership with AvalonBay Communities largely forced it out for construction.[11]
Restaurant closures
[edit | edit source]Bobby's Burger Palace and World of Beer closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2023, BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse closed as part of a nationwide decision to close five underperforming locations. Bonefish Grill also closed in 2023.[12] In March 2025, On the Border closed due to bankruptcy.[13] In July 2025, Nando's Peri-Peri closed its location in Towson Square because it chose not to renew its lease after a decade.[14] With the massive number of store closures, this directed tourists and locals away from Towson Square to other shopping centers in Towson, like the nearby Towson Town Center, and even other shopping centers in the Baltimore area like Arundel Mills.
As of July 2025, nearly all the restaurants around the Cinemark theater are shut down.
Future redevelopment
[edit | edit source]In September 2025, Kite Realty announced that it was now "exploring all options" to reconfigure the vacant spaces and transform the shopping center into more than just strictly being focused on restaurants and entertainment. The company stated that "it is evaluating a range of opportunities" for Towson Square, but no redevelopment plan has been announced yet.[15]
Gallery
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The Barnes & Noble bookstore in August 2015.
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Former Bonefish Grill restaurant in September 2023.
References
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