AutoZone Opens New Store at White Oak Shopping Center
The retailer occupies a former Sears Auto Center space, changing the traffic dynamics for nearby White Oak businesses.
Updated on Oct. 25, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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AutoZone has opened a new retail location at the White Oak Shopping Center in Silver Spring, occupying the site formerly held by Sears Auto Center. The store at 11259 New Hampshire Ave now serves the local area as part of the retailer's regional growth strategy.
Why it matters
The repurposing of the former Sears Auto Center space reflects a trend of auto parts chains filling vacancies left by shuttered national automotive service centers. For local operators, the arrival of a high-volume chain store often signals shifting retail traffic patterns within the shopping center.
The new retail site occupies the former footprint of a Sears Auto Center at the White Oak Shopping Center. While the new location expands the company's regional presence, the planned expansion of a secondary site at 30 N Frederick Ave in Gaithersburg remains in development.
The players
AutoZone
A national retailer of automotive parts and accessories that operates a large network of stores across the United States.
Sears Auto Center
A former national provider of automotive maintenance and repair services that previously occupied the White Oak retail space.
The details
AutoZone occupies the established automotive footprint at 11259 New Hampshire Ave, leveraging existing infrastructure tailored for vehicle-related commerce. The store operates on a set schedule of 7:30am to 10pm, Monday through Saturday, and 8am to 9pm on Sundays. This configuration allows the company to maintain consistent service coverage for the immediate Silver Spring market.
Timeline
October 25, 2026: The new retail location at White Oak Shopping Center opened for business.
Market Landscape
The opening of this location follows the broader industry trend of auto parts retailers utilizing legacy automotive service infrastructure to accelerate real estate footprints. This move echoes the strategy seen in national retailers reoccupying vacated big-box automotive centers.
Business owners in the White Oak Shopping Center should monitor whether this high-traffic automotive retailer influences foot traffic or parking demand for adjacent storefronts. The company's ongoing expansion, including the site in Gaithersburg, suggests continued investment in regional density.
The takeaway
The transition of this property from a legacy service center to a parts retailer highlights how national chains are efficiently scaling by securing existing, build-to-suit automotive spaces. Operators should evaluate their own lease footprints to determine if similar infrastructure shifts provide competitive advantages in their trade areas.
Further reading
For more on changes to the local retail landscape, visit the Silver Spring Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The MoCo Show.
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