Prince George’s County has an unmet demand for more high-end retail, but the Route 1 corridor remains a bright spot.
A study by the county planning department found that Prince George’s could generate $1.4 billion more from retail sales if it had a better mix of shops. But the study’s authors singled out the area on Baltimore Avenue from Mount Rainier to IKEA as promising.
“The Baltimore Avenue Corridor is healthy with strong growth potential,” the study notes. “Development is already underway along much of this corridor and it will increase the area’s appeal in the near-term.”
In particular, the study notes that high-end retailers prefer to locate in “vibrant, unique lifestyle centers and ‘town center’ type locations,” such as the Arts District in Hyattsville, Riverdale Park Station and the new retail-residential complexes in College Park.
For now, the area seems to be doing best with restaurants, with a wide range of interesting options at different price points from Sweet & Natural in Mount Rainier to the upcoming Pizzeria Paradiso in Hyattsville (opening July 15) and Burton’s Grill in Riverdale Park.
There’s also a good mix of salons, from Ivy Lounge in Hyattsville to the upcoming Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa in College Park, and gyms, including an upcoming Gold’s Gym at Riverdale Park Station. And as we’ve noted, there’s a boom in grocery stores, including Whole Foods, the new Safeway, Yes! Organic Market and the upcoming Lidl.
Still, there’s more demand for high-end shopping. Though the Mall at Prince George’s has added H&M and will soon open an 11,000-square-foot Ulta Beauty and a 16,000-square-foot DSW as part of a $25 million upgrade, the new developments on Route 1 haven’t attracted many shops yet.
1 Response to Study: Demand for High-End Retail on Route 1