It’s the end of an era in Crystal City.
The neighborhood, which has seen significant new development since Amazon’s HQ2 decision, is losing one of the most memorable vestiges of its time as a drab hub of military and government offices.
JBG Smith, the main property owner in the area, said today that all remaining retail stores and restaurants in the Crystal City Underground will close.
A spokesperson for the company issued the following statement.
“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult, yet necessary, decision to close the retail operation of the Crystal City Underground. As the retail landscape has shifted and as National Landing has continued to evolve, it has become apparent that the Underground retail concept is no longer financially sustainable. We are working with tenants as they relocate, offering flexibility during this period of transition.
As we continue to assess the long-term plan for the space, corridor access will remain open. We will continue to share updates as they become available.”
The news was first broken by the Washington Business Journal, which reported that “most of the subterranean mall’s more than two dozen tenants are slated to close by the end of October.”
WBJ also noted that, with the long underground walkways that comprise the Crystal City Underground remaining open, JBG Smith will continue providing security to the corridors.
The underground shops, situated under office buildings, residential towers and a number of hotels, previously served tens of thousands of residents and Monday-through-Friday office workers. It has been in long-term decline as a retail hub since at least the mid-2000s, as the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC) closed numerous military offices in privately owned buildings.
Over the past few years it has been somewhat of a curiosity, inspiring articles and Reddit posts exploring the remaining, well-off-the-beaten-path stores, from a puppet shop to a “dingy dollar store.” Covid and work-from-home trends added to the decline, leading a neighborhood group to launch a contest to reimagine uses for the underground mall.
Notable closures over the years include Hamburger Hamlet (2013), RadioShack (2015), King Street Blues (2018), San Antonio Bar & Grill (2023) and Ship’s Hatch (2024).
Another impending closure: Synetic Theater. The long-time physical theater company said in a newsletter on Friday that it needs help covering the expense of moving its gear into storage, while it searches for “new locations to perform our work, educate young artists, and rebuild Synetic into a new form.”
“With the help of Arlington County, partner theaters like Olney Theatre Center, and longtime supporters like our board and generous donors, we are on the cusp of announcing multiple productions and programs that will take place in 2024-25,” Synetic wrote.
The owner of one affected business said her customers learned about the news from ARLnow before she could announce it.
“I just found out my business of 12 years is closing THIS MORNING and you have announced it to all of my staff and clients before I have a chance to digest this,” Amanda Shipe of fitness studio Mind Your Body Oasis said via email. “Shame on you all and mainly JBG for making this announcement at the same moment as I receive it.”
Built in the 1970s, the shops helped to cement Crystal City’s then-reputation as a modern underground city. From Wikipedia:
Crystal City’s Crystal Underground shopping mall opened in September 1976. Billed as a “turn-of-the-century shopping village,” it featured antique leaded glass shop windows and cobblestone “streets.” Emphasis was on locally owned and operated businesses and personalized service. The largest retail outlets were a 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) Jelleff’s women’s store, Larimers gourmet grocery and delicatessen, and a Drug Fair. The mall also featured an Antique Alley with small antique and craft stores. At its opening in 1976, there were 40 stores and anticipated expansion of 150,000 square feet (14,000 m2) with 70 more shops, including the Crystal Palace food court.
JBG Smith told the Business Journal that it hopes to relocate the remaining shops to vacant retail spaces it owns elsewhere in and around Crystal City.