# St. Charles Towne Center

St. Charles Towne Center is a two-level, enclosed shopping mall in the planned community of St. Charles in Waldorf, Maryland. Built in the late 1980s, it covers an area of 980,418 sq ft (91,083.8 m$^2$), and is currently the only regional mall in Southern Maryland. In addition to Waldorf and St. Charles, the mall also serves the southern suburbs of Washington, D.C., and has a trade area population of 338,502. Anchor stores are Dick's Sporting Goods, J. C. Penney, Kohl's, Macy's, and Macy's Home Store.

## History

The mall opened March 30, 1990, with J. C. Penney, Hecht's, Montgomery Ward, and Sears as anchors. It was built by Melvin Simon & Associates, now known as Simon Property Group. Kohl's was added in 1997. The Montgomery Ward store was split between a second Hecht's location and Dick's Sporting Goods in 2002. Both Hecht's stores became Macy's in September 2006. Sears closed in April 2020. There is also a movie theatre located across the street from the mall, formerly known as Cineplex Odeon Cinemas (1988–1998), Loews Cineplex Entertainment (1998–2005), and is now AMC Theatres (2005–present).

### 2007 renovation

St. Charles Towne Center underwent a major renovation in 2007 to shift its image to a more family-oriented mall. The entrances and inside of the mall were redesigned, and the bathrooms were made larger to allow easier access for families with young children. In addition, a kid's play area was added to one section of the mall. The food court was also renovated during the project. The renovation was completed by 2008.

### Sports and Wellness Complex

On February 6, 2020, it was announced that the Sears location at St. Charles Town Center would be closing as part of a plan to close 31 stores nationwide. The store closed in April 2020, after having been at the mall for thirty years.
The store remained vacant until July 24, 2024, when it was announced by the Charles County Government that a Sports and Wellness complex would be introduced to the mall, with the local government wanting to bring more recreational facilities to the county. It is expected to cost $7.5 million to convert the site. As of 2025, the opening date is still to be determined.

## Incidents

In September 2008, an incident occurred in which a police officer's firearm was used in the mall's parking lot. According to local authorities, a suspect was seen trying to steal a GPS device from a vehicle when the officer noticed him. The suspect was treated and released from the hospital, and later charged.
On May 8, 2023, a shooting occurred at the lower level of the mall following an argument between two teenagers and two adults. This was the first serious incident to have occurred at the mall in nearly fifteen years. According to the Charles County Sheriff's Office, one of the teenagers had a firearm and when one of the adults tried to intervene, the teenager pointed the gun at him and shot the weapon. The bullet missed the man and ended up striking the window of a storefront. The two teenagers then left the store. No one was injured in the shooting. Law enforcement, including Maryland State Police and mall security, helped frightened customers and staff get to safety. Officers also began searching for the teens, who were then found hiding behind a dumpster.
On January 25, 2024, a woman was shot following an attempted robbery at the food court parking lot. The Charles County Sheriff's Office stated that the two suspects went up to the woman who was parked near the food court, told her to get out of the car and then shot her in the arm. The suspects then left the scene in an unknown vehicle. The woman was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
On April 27, 2024, police officers were working at a carnival outside of the mall when a 15-year-old boy approached them and said he had been shot. Officers provided first aid until EMS responded and took the teen to an area hospital for treatment. At the hospital, it was determined that the boy had been stabbed and not shot. Investigators say a group of teens were fighting with another large group of teens in the lower level parking lot of the mall when the stabbing occurred.
On March 7, 2025, a fire broke out inside of the Macy's restroom, leading to structural damage. One person was injured and was transferred to MedStar Burn Center for treatment. The fire occurred at about 12:25 PM ET, and led to a temporary closure of the mall while an investigation was conducted before being reopened shortly thereafter. The cause of the fire is unknown.