Northgate Plaza Shopping Center
From Aspen Hill, Maryland, USA
Northgate Plaza is located in a large triangular tract defined by Connecticut Avenue, Georgia Avenue, and Aspen Hill Road. The shopping center occupies the south side of this tract, and the northern end is the site of the SunTrust Building.
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Northgate Plaza is managed by the Lee Development Group (301-585-7000).
Last updated 2008 April 30
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Storefronts
Acorn Self-Storage (website), 13813 Connecticut Avenue 301 460 0005 Storage
Aspen Hill Barber Shop, 13858 Georgia Avenue 301 871 3862 Barber, Cosmetics, Coiffure
Aspen Hill Florist, 3833 Aspen Hill Road 301 460 4900 Florist
Aspen Hill Wine and Beer, 13842 Georgia Avenue 301 460 3300 Dining, Food, Grocery
AT&T Wireless (website), 13880 Georgia Avenue 301 603 9200 Electronics, Entertainment
Boston Market (website), 3825 Aspen Hill Road 301 871 0660 Dining, Food, Grocery
China King Take-out and China Buffet, 3827 Aspen Hill Road 301 871 7998 / 301 871 7999 Dining, Food, Grocery
Classic Consignment, 13846 Georgia Avenue 301 871 8522 Apparel and Accessories
Classic Hair Design, 13826 Georgia Avenue 301 871 8200 Barber, Cosmetics, Coiffure
Dollar Place, 13854 Georgia Avenue 301 460 4997 Specialty Shops
Eyeland Eye Care Center, 13808 Georgia Avenue 301 871 6454 Optician
Fantasy Nails and Spa, 13804 Georgia Avenue Barber, Cosmetics, Coiffure
Gi Gi's Cosmetic and Beauty, 13822 Georgia Avenue 301 871 5147 Barber, Cosmetics, Coiffure
Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, 13806 Georgia Avenue 301 603 1488 Banking, Financial, Insurance, Tax Services
Jewelry Corner, 3831 Aspen Hill Road 301 871 9290 Jewelry
Michael's (Arts and Crafts) (website), 13850 Georgia Avenue 301 603 8001 Specialty Shops
Nolan's Apache Appliance (website), 13866 Georgia Avenue 301 598 5557 Specialty Shops
North Gate Cleaners, 13884 Georgia Avenue 301 871 7110 Laundry, Tailoring
Northgate Fuel and Service, 13800 Georgia Avenue Automobile Fuel and Mechanical
Papa John's Pizza (website), 13860 Georgia Avenue 301 603 0730 Dining, Food, Grocery
Quizno's (website), 13868 Georgia Avenue 301 871 7800 Dining, Food, Grocery
Rite Aid Pharmacy (website), 13870 Georgia Avenue 301 871 6400 Pharmacy
SuperFresh Food (website), 3901 Aspen Hill Road 301 460 4066 Dining, Food, Grocery
Taco Bell (website), 13830 Georgia Avenue 301 871 9286 Dining, Food, Grocery
The Animal Place Veterinary Hospital, 13818 Georgia Avenue 301 603 1223 Pets and Veterinary
The Party Place, 13810 Georgia Avenue 301 460 6178 Specialty Shops
Tuesday Morning (website), 13832 Georgia Avenue 301 871 6207 Specialty Shops
VACANT, 13920 Georgia Avenue VACANT
VACANT, 13874 Georgia Avenue VACANT
See also Aspen Hill History.
History
Built at around the same time as the original building of Vitro Labs (now Home Depot), this is one of the first shopping centers built to serve the rapidly-growing suburbs of the area.
Construction and Layout
In 1963 there were several "anchor tenants". The first phase of the shopping center was built in 1958; primarily these tenants were Drug Fair, at the present-day site of Rite Aid; and an A&P Grocery at the site of the present-day Micheal's Arts and Crafts. There was also a family-owned hardware store, and a branch of the Citizen's Bank of Maryland.
1968 saw the construction of another wing. One tenant was the W.T. Grant's department store at the site of the present day SuperFresh Food grocery store. Vitro Labs had an administrative office located in the basement of the Grant's store. Due to the location beneath the Grant's store, that facility became known as "Grant's Tomb".
The site layout at the time was more open than at present, with Grant's and Vitro as a standalone building, and with the others all in one long set off to one side.
In 1977, new construction joined the two legs of the shopping center into something very much approximating the modern layout.
In 1985, the final phase of construction build the little island of storefronts located near Georgia Avenue between the corner gas station and the drug store (source: personal communication from a representative of Lee Development Group, 2008 June 3).
Hush Hush
Vitro Labs was a defense contractor, and during the height of the Cold War, foreign intelligence operations were deeply interested in Vitro's work and products. Famed defector Vasiliy Mitrokhin's equally famous archive of KGB operational secrets revealed that Northgate Plaza Shopping Center was one of their favorite places to meet. The Mitrokhin Archive specifies that the preferred place to meet was at the entrance to the grocery store, an extremely busy store at that time. That exact spot in the modern day is a walkway adjacent to the Aspen Hill Wine and Beer.
See Also
List of Shopping Centers, Freestanding Retail, List of Categories.
