And another one bites the dust. Longtime athletic shoe store Champs has closed up shop at the Dulles Town Center shopping mall in Sterling.
Staff members were already shutting things down several weeks back. A few racks and shelves still had items available, but the writing was on the wall.
Now, we’ve learned the final day has come and gone and the space on the mall’s lower level is vacant.
It’s the latest blow to one of the area’s largest shopping malls that has struggled to retain tenants — just like most indoor malls across America.
For several years now, there has been talk of major renovations at the mall — adding residential units to the property, bringing in public green spaces, adding more restaurants, etc.
The current status of those plans is unclear. As we reported back in December, a new owner recently purchased the mall.
The news isn’t all bleak from the DTC. A large furniture store recently opened in one of the vacant department store spaces. And a new sushi restaurant is also in the works.