This report probably falls into the “old news” category, but the Popeyes fried chicken restaurant at the Dulles Town Center has apparently closed for good.
This past spring, we heard reports that the Popeyes in the food court at the DTC had closed. The signage and equipment were still in the space near the front of the court, but all was dark inside.
We reached out to mall officials who — at the time — said the closure was not permanent.
Fast forward to a recent trip to the mall and now the signage and most of the equipment have been removed from the space. A neighboring tenant said Popeyes is gone for good and its no longer listed on the food court directory.
Popeyes joins Chick-fil-A and Ben & Jerry’s — two other national brands which recently closed their kiosks in the food court. It’s part of a trend we are seeing around the Dulles Town Center — and at malls across the United States.
As indoor shopping malls struggle, major national retailers and restaurants pull out. They are often replaced by smaller chains or even local mom-and-pop style stores — businesses that at one time couldn’t afford mall leases.
The Dulles Town Center food court is now home to restaurants such as Yummy Shawarma, Boba Hero Kitchen, and Signature Burgers Hotdogs and Wings — all smaller brands with local owners.
(Image at top: Popeyes)