Neshaminy Mall Makeover: What Shoppers Want To See

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA — For many Lower Bucks County shoppers, the demise of the Neshaminy Mall isn't surprising.

But the announcement of its closure date at the end of October did catch some shoppers by surprise, despite the fact that Bucks County's first shopping mall had literally become a ghost town.

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With the Bucks County Redevelopment Authority planning to help in the makeover of the 108.5 acre-site property located on Route 1 near the PA Turnpike, some shoppers have their own ideas for its future.

Could it become like the Oxford Valley Mall, where luxury apartments surround the mall? Or might it go the route of the Plymouth Meeting Mall in Montgomery County, where stores and restaurants have opened around it.

What is known so far is that redevelopment plans have not appeared before the Bensalem Township Council.

Meanwhile, the AMC-24 Movie Theater, Boscov's and Barnes and Noble, will remain.

Responding to Patch's article on Monday about the closure, one Facebook commenter said she would love to see a Whole Foods supermarket, Trader Joe's, or "more less commercial" restaurants.

The commenter thought, though, that the mall property might feature a mixed-use blend of apartments and some outdoor shopping.

Such is the case at the Pickett Preserve in Lower Makefield Township, where luxury apartments are featured on one side of the property, while the other side is anchored by a Wegman's supermarket, a Firebirds restaurant, and some other shops.

Others wondered whether other big-box retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods might take up space, like it did in the makeover of the Plymouth Meeting Mall.

Some suggested a "big Wawa." Others are hoping for some "high-end restaurants," maybe similar to the setup at The Promenade in Upper Dublin Township.

Some commenters suggested the new construction of single stand-alone homes as well.

The mall was sold in September 2024 to Paramount Realty.

The one-time shopping mecca lost a chuck of customers when anchor stores closed with Macy's in 2017 and Sears in 2018.

The Neshaminy Mall was also the site for circuses, ice rinks, and carnivals over the years.