Every time another store closes at Towson Town Center, a familiar explanation quickly takes over: crime. It has become the default narrative in local conversation and media coverage. But that explanation ignores both the data and the much larger national forces reshaping retail in America. The real story is less sensational, but far more accurate: enclosed malls across the country are in long-term decline because consumer behavior has fundamentally changed. Towson Town Center is not immune to that trend.
A recent survey by the Baltimore Sun asked people if they feel safe at The Towson Towson Center and 70% of respondents said, no they don’t feel safe. Which is a problem.
Towson is by no means perfect but contrary to popular sentiment, crime in Towson has been declining in recent years, not surging. You can dig into the data yourself on The Baltimore County Website which provides transparency in crime data vis NIBRS.
The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) is the FBI’s modern crime data collection system used by law enforcement agencies in the United States. It is part of the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. Instead of only reporting monthly totals, NIBRS records detailed information about each individual crime incident
Based on the data, Baltimore County’s efforts to increase police presence and safety initiatives, seem to have contributed to a reduction in crime over the past four years.
The data indicates that police efforts have been substantial and effective, even if those improvements receive far less media attention than isolated incidents. Sensational headlines travel faster than statistics, and that has no doubt distorted public perception.
That matters because perception can influence where people shop, dine, and invest. But perception is not the same thing as reality. To blame Towson Town Center’s struggles primarily on safety issues is to overlook the collapse of the mall model nationwide.
The Collapse of the Mall Model Nationwide
The numbers are stark. According to a Capital One Study there were roughly 25,000 malls in the United States in 1986. Today, only about 1,200 remain. That means approximately 95% of malls have disappeared over the last four decades. Some projections cited in the documents estimate that as many as 87% of remaining large malls could close over the next decade. Towson Town Center, which opened in 1959, has actually outlasted most of its peers.
Why is this happening? Because Americans no longer shop the way they once did. E-commerce continues to grow rapidly, online retail sales rising sharply from 2019 through 2024. Consumers now buy clothing, electronics, luggage, gifts, and household goods from Amazon, Target, Costco, brand websites, and direct-to-consumer retailers without ever visiting a mall.
The pandemic accelerated those habits. Remote work reduced commuter traffic. Fewer office workers means fewer lunch crowds, fewer after-work shoppers, and fewer spontaneous mall visits. Entertainment habits changed too, with more people staying home rather than combining shopping trips with movies or dining out. Those shifts hurt malls everywhere, not just Towson.
That context helps explain recent departures from Towson Town Center, including Banana Republic, Madewell, Tommy Bahama, Wockenfuss Candies, and Apple. These closures are part of a broader retail reset, where brands shrink footprints, move to lifestyle centers, or prioritize online sales. It is easier to cite “declining conditions” than to acknowledge a changing business model.
The media headlines and social media posts often prefer a simpler storyline: crime is ruining Towson. It generates outrage, clicks, and debate. But it misses the deeper truth. Towson Town Center is confronting the same economic reality facing malls nationwide. Crime is dropping, law enforcement has been active, and Towson remains a major regional hub. The challenge is not uniquely Towson, it is that the traditional American mall is fading.
Towson Town Center may eventually close or be radically redeveloped, but if that happens, it will be likely be a result shopping behavior changed, not because crime won. Or perhaps the rising crime narrative will won?
A Closer Look at the “recent closures
One local publication recent wrote about Apple’s decision to leave, saying,
“Towson Town Center” has been hemorraging high profile clients”
A little dramatic, no?
Is the mall hemorraging or is the economy?
Let’s review the most recent closures:
Stoney River Steakhouse
(Announced decision to depart 4/21/26)
Chain does fairly well nationwide and has not had many recent closures or public finanical difficulties.
Possible contributing fators: Stoney River is nextdoor to Fogo de Chão is one of the highest-revenue-per-store steakhouse chains in America. Trying to coexist in a mall with already depleted foot traffic is going to difficult especially as an upscale steakhouse with higher than average entree prices.
Banana Republic
(closed in Towson January 22, 2026)
Partent company Gap, Inc announced plans to close 225 stores in 2025 citing
“the closures were a result of efforts to streamline its operations and focus on e-commerce. The shift is a response to changing customer habits and the growing popularity of online shopping.”
Banana Republic Mall presence has been cut roughly in half since 2021.
Tommy Bahama
(announced Towson closure January 2026)
Tommy Bahama has 145 stores nationwide with only 50 stores remaining in malls.
TB’s parent company, Oxford Industries reported weak 3Q25 results, with declining profitability and worsening trends in key brands Tommy Bahama and Johnny Was, (according to financial statements publish on Seeking Alpha). The TB brand has been largely able to avoid national closures thanks to a strategy to covert to curated retail stores that have open-air bar/cafe, not a viable strategy at The Towson Town Center. Lastly, their highest Net Promoter Score (NPS) is among Caucasian customers, meaning that demographic reports the strongest likelihood to recommend the brand compared with other customer group.
shoppers.
Wockenfuss Candies
(announced closure January 2026)
Closed White Marsh Mall Store in 2021 after 40 years.
Seven stores remain including a store in the Columbia Mall.
The Lindt Chocolate Shop in Towson remains open.
According to industy research, chocolates can sell well in a mall if enought steady traffic exists, especially around holidays for gifts. But if overall mall visits drop even a good chocolate store can feel the impact.
Apple
(announced decision to leave Towson on 4/12/2026)
This one was a little surprising and tough to swallow as Apple announced its coming departure as a result of “declining conditions and other store closures”. People are wondering if it had more to do with the fact that the Towson Store was the first unionized store ever for Apple. With stores in CA that have been looted multiple times, its hard to believe that Towson topped the list of stores with declining conditions. Other store departures? I guess Apple, the worlds biggest company just can’t survive a another day without Tommy Bahama and Wockenfuss Chocolates.
More than a feeling..
You decide what the real problem is here, and the perception of the mall being dangerous most certainly has played a role in its most recent decline but to ignore the national trend as it relates to mall’s simply isn’t fair to Towson Town Center or Towson.
