National book chain shakes up Wheaton mall
Borders to close, local Chinese restaurant to open this month
Now that the holiday shopping season is over at Westfield Wheaton Shopping Center, the mall will undergo several changes in the new year, including losing a book store while gaining a popular local eatery.
The Borders bookstore at Westfield Wheaton Shopping Center will be one of 200 nationwide to close its doors this month in the company's attempt to downsize, according to a Borders spokeswoman and Wheaton mall officials.
The Borders stores located in malls have consistently underperformed, according to Borders spokeswoman Mary Davis. Since 2007, the book and multimedia shop has closed an average of 66 stores a year in malls across the nation.
That will leave 130 Borders open nationwide while giving the Wheaton shopping center a chance to find another niche retailer, said Sidney Woods, the market director for Westfield Wheaton.
"Any time a store closes, it's an opportunity for us to find a better fit," he said.
Woods said mall officials are looking for another book store to fill Borders' spot. He said he doesn't expect any other store closings immediately after the holidays, but the mall is anticipating several openings.
Hollywood East Café, a Chinese restaurant of local dim sum fame, will be opening this month after several delays and a gutting of the entire eatery on Restaurant Row, located on the first floor of the mall inside the Macy's garage, Woods said. It previously had two locations in downtown Wheaton, both of which have closed.
Hollywood East will open across from the new children's pizza shop, Noble Roman's Pizza and Playland, which Woods described as a "mini Chuck E. Cheese's."
And a first-run and indie film theater, Montgomery Royal, opened in November at the former Montgomery Cinema N Drafthouse site in the shopping center.
Westfield Wheaton is at 11160 Veirs Mill Road in downtown Wheaton.