The Village at Shirlington
Encyclopedia
The Village at Shirlington opened as Shirlington Shopping Center in 1944, and was the first large shopping center to open in the Washington, D.C.
suburbs and one of the earliest in the United States. It is located along Campbell Avenue (formerly South 28th Street) at the intersection of Shirley Highway
and Quaker Lane
/ Shirlington Road in Arlington, Virginia
. The center has been known since the mid-1980s' as The Village at Shirlington.
, developed by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
, and the Defense Homes Corporation
development at Fairlington. He established the Shirlington Corporation in August 1943, and the first store opened in June 1944. The center expanded gradually, with an increasing variety of retail offerings. In 1947, the local women’s clothing chain Jelleff's
chain opened a 7000 square feet (650.3 m²) store; its fourth branch and first suburban location. It was also known as ‘’’Shirlington Business Center’’’. By the time of its fifth anniversary, there were 48 stores operating in the shopping center. In addition to Jelleff's, there was an Acme supermarket, F.W. Woolworth, Singer Sewing Center
, Fanny Farmer
candy, Firestone
as well as standard local offerings, such as a Shirley Food Store. In 1951, the center expanded with 25 additional stores.
On September 14, 1959, the Lansburgh's
department store opened its second suburban branch location at Shirlington. The 150000 square feet (13,935.5 m²) store cost $2.5 million to construct. It would be the center’s only anchor department store. It closed in May 1973, and reopened as a Best Products
store.
The center declined during the 1970s because of the economic slump and growing competition from close by modern shopping malls, including Springfield Mall
. In 1982, the Oliver T. Carr Co. unveiled a $250 million dollar plan to redevelop the then 425000 square feet (39,483.8 m²) shopping center. Since then, the center has been expanded and renamed The Village at Shirlington. It is now owned and managed by Federal Realty Investment Trust, which purchased it in 1995.
In 2005, after years of planning between Federal Realty Investment Trust and Arlington County, construction began on an expansion of The Village at Shirlington, which added 650 apartment and condominium units, doubled the length of the main street, more retail space including a Harris Teeter
grocery store, a branch library, and a new home for the Signature Theatre. The goal is "to increase the number of people in Shirlington to create a round-the-clock environment there."
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
suburbs and one of the earliest in the United States. It is located along Campbell Avenue (formerly South 28th Street) at the intersection of Shirley Highway
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
The Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway consists of a portion of Interstates 95 and 395 in the U.S. state of Virginia. Shirley Highway was the first limited-access freeway in Virginia...
and Quaker Lane
Virginia State Route 402
State Route 402, also known as part of Quaker Lane, is a primary state highway in Alexandria, Virginia, United States. It runs from State Route 420 north to Shirlington Circle, an interchange with Interstate 395...
/ Shirlington Road in Arlington, Virginia
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
. The center has been known since the mid-1980s' as The Village at Shirlington.
History
The center was originally developed by Joseph Cherner, automobile dealer and banker, on a 23 acre site to provide for the basic shopping needs of the nearby sprawling ParkfairfaxParkfairfax, Virginia
Parkfairfax is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Virginia, United States, located in the northwestern part of the city near the boundary with Arlington County...
, developed by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, or MetLife, for short, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, with 90 million customers in over 60 countries...
, and the Defense Homes Corporation
Defense Homes Corporation
The Defense Homes Corporation was created October 23, 1940 to finance housing for war industry workers.- History :The Defense Homes Corporation was incorporated pursuant to a letter of President Roosevelt to the Secretary of the Treasury on October 18, 1940 to finance housing for war industries...
development at Fairlington. He established the Shirlington Corporation in August 1943, and the first store opened in June 1944. The center expanded gradually, with an increasing variety of retail offerings. In 1947, the local women’s clothing chain Jelleff's
Jelleff's
The Frank R. Jelleff Co., or more commonly Jelleff's was a Washington, D.C.-based retailer that specialized in women's apparel.-History:...
chain opened a 7000 square feet (650.3 m²) store; its fourth branch and first suburban location. It was also known as ‘’’Shirlington Business Center’’’. By the time of its fifth anniversary, there were 48 stores operating in the shopping center. In addition to Jelleff's, there was an Acme supermarket, F.W. Woolworth, Singer Sewing Center
Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation is a manufacturer of sewing machines, first established as I.M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then The Singer Company in 1963. It is...
, Fanny Farmer
Fanny Farmer
Fanny Farmer was an American candy manufacturer and retailer.Fanny Farmer was started in Rochester, New York by Frank O'Connor in 1919. The company was named in honor of culinary expert Fannie Farmer, who had died four years earlier....
candy, Firestone
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company...
as well as standard local offerings, such as a Shirley Food Store. In 1951, the center expanded with 25 additional stores.
On September 14, 1959, the Lansburgh's
Lansburgh's
Lansburgh's was a chain of department stores located in the Washington, D.C. area. The clientele were lower- to middle-income consumers.-History:...
department store opened its second suburban branch location at Shirlington. The 150000 square feet (13,935.5 m²) store cost $2.5 million to construct. It would be the center’s only anchor department store. It closed in May 1973, and reopened as a Best Products
Best Products
Best Products is a defunct chain of American catalog showroom retail stores founded by Sydney and Frances Lewis, formerly headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.- History :...
store.
The center declined during the 1970s because of the economic slump and growing competition from close by modern shopping malls, including Springfield Mall
Springfield Mall (Virginia)
Springfield Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Springfield, Virginia, located at the intersection of Interstate 95 and Franconia Road which is part of the Springfield Interchange. The mall is also located 1/4 mile north of Franconia-Springfield Parkway and the Franconia-Springfield metro station...
. In 1982, the Oliver T. Carr Co. unveiled a $250 million dollar plan to redevelop the then 425000 square feet (39,483.8 m²) shopping center. Since then, the center has been expanded and renamed The Village at Shirlington. It is now owned and managed by Federal Realty Investment Trust, which purchased it in 1995.
In 2005, after years of planning between Federal Realty Investment Trust and Arlington County, construction began on an expansion of The Village at Shirlington, which added 650 apartment and condominium units, doubled the length of the main street, more retail space including a Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter is a chain of supermarkets based in Matthews, North Carolina, just outside Charlotte. , the chain operates 207 stores in eight Southern states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.Harris Teeter is a...
grocery store, a branch library, and a new home for the Signature Theatre. The goal is "to increase the number of people in Shirlington to create a round-the-clock environment there."