Fencing has gone up around the iconic Roses store at 94th Street in Ocean City, a visible sign that demolition of the iconic building could be approaching. The store was a landmark and quick stop for many Marylanders vacationing in Ocean City for several decades.
The Roses location, which sat at the Ocean Plaza Mall for decades, officially closed on May 11, 2024, ending a 45-year run that made it a familiar stop for both locals and vacationers. Since then, the large building has remained vacant, with little physical change at the site until now. The newly installed fencing suggests the long-planned teardown may finally be moving closer to reality.
As previously reported, the closure of Roses was tied to a broader redevelopment plan for the roughly 17-acre Ocean Plaza property. The Ocean City Planning Commission approved a preliminary subdivision plan that includes demolishing the former Roses building as part of a major transformation of the area.
Roses’ history stretches back more than a century. The brand was founded in 1915, when Paul Howard Rose opened a five-and-dime store in Henderson, North Carolina. Over time, the company expanded across the southeastern United States, evolving into a discount department store chain. The Ocean City location opened in 1979 and quickly became a staple, known for its massive footprint and wide selection of beach gear, souvenirs, clothing, groceries, and home goods.
For generations of visitors, a stop at Roses was practically a vacation tradition. Its low-price, no-frills approach made it easy for families to grab everything they needed in one place, especially during peak summer weeks.
Under the approved redevelopment plan, demolition of the Roses building is a key first step. The project calls for a new, modern ACME supermarket to be built on the site, replacing the existing ACME nearby, which is also slated for demolition. In addition to the grocery store, the plan includes new townhouses on adjacent parcels, turning the area into a mixed-use development with both commercial and residential components.
While the Town of Ocean City has not yet announced an official demolition timeline, the fencing now surrounding the former Roses strongly suggests that work could begin in the near future. Once demolition starts, it will mark the physical end of a longtime Ocean City landmark.
