The Village at Waugh Chapel in Gambrills has landed four new tenants, pushing the 382,000-square-foot shopping center to 97% occupancy and leaving just four small storefronts up for grabs. J.Crew Factory, MINISO, Quickway Hibachi and Wonder are the incoming names, filling a combined 23,791 square feet at the Route 3 property anchored by Safeway.
The leasing news comes from property owner Urban Edge Properties, which announced that The Village at Waugh Chapel signed the four new retail agreements, according to the Maryland Daily Record. Kyle Irwin said the leases reflect strong demand from high-quality retailers and restaurants seeking well-located shopping centers, per that report. The four businesses represent the first new retail additions since Urban Edge acquired The Village at Waugh Chapel in 2024, and the paper reports they are expected to broaden the property's retail and dining mix while strengthening its appeal as a community destination.
Urban Edge, a New York-based real estate investment trust that acquires, manages and redevelops shopping centers primarily in the Washington, D.C.-to-Boston corridor, bought the center on October 29, 2024, for $126 million, according to Urban Edge Properties. The company assumed a $60 million, 3.76% interest-only mortgage to help fund the purchase, the same filing shows.
What's Moving Into the Retail Mix
Wonder, the tech-driven multi-restaurant food hall concept, will occupy 7,788 square feet and offer counter service, seating, takeout and delivery, per the Daily Record's report. MINISO takes the largest new footprint at 8,581 square feet, while J.Crew Factory will fill 5,115 square feet and Quickway Hibachi, which the paper describes as featuring Japanese cuisine and healthy food options, will take 2,307 square feet.
Wonder's Gambrills opening is slated for October 2026 and will mark the brand's third site in Anne Arundel County, joining existing or planned locations in Annapolis and Glen Burnie, according to Crofton Patch. Founded by former Jet.com co-founder Marc Lore, Wonder features menus licensed from celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay and Jose Andres, Restaurant Dive reports.
MINISO's 8,581-square-foot lease is the largest of the four, while the Maryland Daily Record describes Quickway Hibachi as featuring Japanese cuisine and healthy food options.
A Tight Retail Market Fuels the Push
The new leases land in the BWI Corridor submarket, which includes Gambrills.
The Village at Waugh Chapel, located at 1326 Main Chapel Way, already counts HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, LA Fitness, Marshalls, Chick-fil-A and Newk's Eatery among its tenants alongside anchor Safeway. Waugh Chapel Towne Centre is a separate property along Route 3. While Waugh Chapel Towne Centre features Target and Wegmans, The Village focuses more heavily on grocery and everyday errand retail.
Hoodline previously reported that Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken opened its first standalone Maryland store at the neighboring Waugh Chapel Towne Centre. The shopping node also sits near Fort George G. Meade. The property runs along Crain Highway within 20 miles of Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington, D.C.
