The San Marcos Outlet Malls are two distinct outlet malls, the Premium Outlets and the Tanger Factory Outlet Center, located off Interstate Highway 35 in San Marcos, Texas, United States. The outlet mall first opened in 1977. Combined, the two adjacent malls have more than 240 stores, and an excess of 1000000 sqft. During peak seasons, shoppers at the malls can reach numbers that effectively triple the population of San Marcos. The San Marcos Outlet Malls are one of the top tourist attractions in the state, and serve as one of the top employers of San Marcos residents and students of nearby Texas State University. In 2006, ABC's The View named the San Marcos Outlets the third-best place to shop in the world.