the opening day festivities on august 7, 1963, were themed by the popular movie "around the world in 80 days", and featured representatives from a dozen foreign countries, including miss universe ieda maria vargas of brazil. maryland governor j. millard tawes officiated the grand opening. the $11 million shopping center originally consisted of 45 stores, which included branches of s.s. kresge, kroger, people's drug store, thom mcan shoes, lerner's, and a hot shoppes drive-in restaurant. the complex also included a movie theater and a professional building. during the late 1980s, an auntie anne's pretzel shop and cinnabon store also opened inside capital plaza, next to the movie theater. the two anchor stores that were the mall's major attractions were montgomery ward and the later bradlees, which opened and operated briefly in 1982 as memco until it became a branch of the washington, d.c. based home improvement hechinger retail stores.