Driving past the intersection of West Chestnut Street and Franklin Farms Road, you can’t miss it. The sprawling parking lot. The weathered signage. Washington Crown Center has been a fixture of Washington, PA, since the late 1960s, but honestly, it’s a shell of what it used to be. It’s not just "another dying mall." It’s a specific case study in how retail shifts hit mid-sized Pennsylvania towns.
People remember the glory days. Back when it was Franklin Mall, the place was packed. You had the fountain. You had the noise. Now? It’s quiet. Walking through the concourse today feels a bit like a fever dream where half the lights are dimmed to save on the electric bill. But there is still some life in there if you know where to look.
The Identity Crisis of Washington Crown Center
The mall didn't just wake up one day and decide to lose its anchors. It was a slow bleed. For years, the Washington Crown Center in Washington, PA, was the go-to alternative to the massive South Hills Village. It was smaller, easier to navigate, and had everything a local family needed. Then the "retail apocalypse" hit, and it hit this location particularly hard because of its geography.
Retailers started looking at the data. They saw the Tanger Outlets opening just a few miles away in 2008. They saw the rise of Trinity Point and Strabane Square. Why pay high mall rents when you can have a storefront in a bustling power center with a Target or a Walmart next door?
Gander Mountain left. Macy’s folded. Bon-Ton vanished. Sears, the literal foundation of the American mall experience, shuttered its doors here too. When you lose that many heavy hitters in a five-year span, the "mall" label starts to feel like a liability.
What is actually open right now?
You might think it’s a ghost town. It’s close, but not quite.
Rural King is basically the lungs of the operation now. It’s the anchor that actually brings people in. If you need a tractor battery, a bag of popcorn, or some chicks in the spring, that’s where you go. It’s a weird fit for a traditional indoor mall, but it works. It’s practical.
Then you have Marshalls and Joann Fabrics. These stores have exterior entrances, which is key. They function more like standalone shops that happen to be attached to a larger structure. Inside the mall, the count of national tenants is thin. You’ve still got some staples like Kay Jewelers and Bath & Body Works, which seem to survive in almost any environment.
But the real flavor comes from the local oddities. You’ll find dance studios, community spaces, and small independent shops that have moved in to take advantage of the low rent. It's becoming a community hub by accident rather than a high-end shopping destination.
The Owner Shuffle and the Financial Reality
The mall's history with ownership is a bit of a rollercoaster. It was originally a Glimcher Realty Trust property. They were the ones who rebranded it from Franklin Mall to Washington Crown Center in 1999. They dumped millions into it. New floors, new ceilings, the whole nine yards.
But by 2014, Glimcher spun it off to WP Glimcher, and eventually, it landed in the hands of Kohanim Real Estate and Washington Crown Center Associates LLC.
The valuation has plummeted. That’s the brutal reality. When a mall loses its major department stores, its tax assessment often gets challenged. This affects the local school districts and the township's tax revenue. It’s a ripple effect. When you see a "Space Available" sign, don't just see an empty store; see a gap in the local economy.
Why hasn't it been demolished yet?
Redevelopment is expensive. Incredibly expensive.
To tear down a structure the size of the Washington Crown Center, you’re looking at millions in demolition costs before you even pour a new foundation. Plus, the site has "good bones" in terms of location. It’s right off I-70.
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There have been rumors for years. "It’s going to be a casino!" "It’s going to be a distribution center!" None of it has stuck. The current owners are basically playing a game of "adaptive reuse." Instead of one giant department store, maybe you have a medical clinic. Maybe you have a call center.
The Experience of Shopping in Washington, PA Today
If you go there on a Tuesday afternoon, it’s surreal. The wide corridors are impeccably clean, but there’s nobody in them. You might see a few mall walkers getting their steps in.
The food court is the biggest heartbreak. Remember when you had choices? Now, the options are... limited.
- Rossi’s Popcorn is a local legend and worth the trip alone.
- The Movie Theater (Washington Crown Center 14) is still a major draw. It’s often cheaper and less chaotic than the big theaters closer to Pittsburgh.
- Small "mom and pop" kiosks still try to make a go of it, selling everything from phone cases to customized t-shirts.
It's a "liminal space." That’s the internet term for places that feel like they’re between two worlds. It’s not quite dead, but it’s definitely not what it was in 1995.
Comparing Crown Center to its Neighbors
The competition is fierce.
- Tanger Outlets: Better brands, outdoor atmosphere, attracts the highway traffic.
- Trinity Point: Big box convenience. You can hit Dick’s Sporting Goods and then grab dinner at a chain restaurant in five minutes.
- South Hills Village: The "fancy" mall. If you want Apple or Cheesecake Factory, you drive north.
Washington Crown Center sits in this awkward middle ground. It's too big to be a neighborhood strip center and too small/empty to be a regional destination.
Is there a future for the mall?
Honestly? It probably won't be a mall in ten years. Not in the way we think of them.
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The trend across the Rust Belt is "mixed-use." We’re talking about tearing down the empty anchor wings and building apartments or senior living facilities that connect directly to the remaining retail. Imagine living in a flat where you can walk indoors to the movie theater or the gym during a Pennsylvania blizzard. That makes sense.
The owners have to get creative. They’ve already started hosting events like craft shows, car shows, and even wrestling matches. This is the "Experience Economy" at work. If you can’t sell them a pair of jeans, sell them a ticket to a show.
Actionable Insights for Visitors and Locals
If you’re planning a trip or just curious about the state of the mall, here is the ground-level advice.
Support the "Last Stand" Tenants
If you want the mall to stay open for the cinema or Rural King, you have to spend money at the smaller shops. Check out the local hobby stores or the boutique clothing spots. Their margins are razor-thin, and your $20 purchase actually matters to them.
Check the Cinema Schedule Early
The movie theater is one of the best assets the mall has. It keeps the lights on. It’s often less crowded than the Marquee Cinemas or the big AMC theaters, making it a great spot for families who don't want to deal with 30 minutes of trailers and sold-out showings.
Manage Your Expectations
Don't go there expecting the Mall of America. Go there for the specific utility of Rural King, the convenience of Marshalls, or the nostalgia of a quiet walk.
Watch the Real Estate Filings
If you're a local business owner, keep an eye on the lease rates. The owners are often willing to negotiate significantly lower rates than you’d find at Trinity Point. It’s a low-risk environment to test a physical storefront if you have a strong online following in the Washington area.
The story of the Washington Crown Center isn't finished. It’s just in a very long, very quiet middle chapter. Whether it becomes a tech hub, a residential complex, or continues its slow transition into a community center remains to be seen. For now, it stands as a reminder of a different era of American commerce, holding on one Rural King customer at a time.