Capitola Mall - Occupancy Check

A year ago this blog covered the occupancy of the 586,000 sq. ft. Capitola Mall due to its loss of Mervyn's and the pending closure of Gottschalk's (more information).

One year later and the occupancy of Capitola Mall is still under scrutiny. Yet, the news is good. Occupancy has increased. Of the 96 potential stores, 8 are unoccupied (shown in red), leaving an 8.3% vacancy rate (or 91.7% occupancy rate).

Since January of 2009, Gottschalk's closed, Kohl's joined the mall, and 4 inline stores have opened. Even with just three anchor stores, it looks as if Capitola Mall will thrive as the dominate retail player in the Santa Cruz area.

Scott

Popeyes Closes at Cupertino Square - Food Court in Peril

The food court at Cupertino Square mall in Cupertino slides a little closer to oblivion with the closure of the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant franchise. No word on why the restaurant closed, but it's a fair assumption that the lack of foot traffic may have played a pivotal role.

The food court was remodeled in 2008 and a number of eateries have opened and closed. Currently, five restaurants occupy the food court: Subway Sandwiches, Burger King, Chiaramonte Deli, Teriyaki Experience, and Tutti Frutti. A number of "coming soon" signs alert customers to new eateries, such as a Thai restaurant. However, after a year of waiting, there is no reason to believe they are coming.

Son Son Company, the Vietnamese food processing entity that owns the mall, has a lot of work ahead to turn around the beleaguered shopping center. Changes may be ahead. The TVs no longer blare political debates on CNN; instead showing ESPN, Cartoon Network, and even Cupertino Square's own commercial.

The pictures above were taken today and show the old Popeyes and a view of the deserted mall at noon on a Monday.

Enjoy!
Scott

Southland Mall Expansion and Ice Arena - 1972

I get a lot of activity regarding the former ice arena at Southland Mall, so I was happy to find this article from the Daily Review newspaper. Dated March 24, 1972, the article is about the grand opening of the "fabulous Southland Ice Arena." The foremost picture shows a giant four-foot high, 100 pound ice sculpture of an ice skate.

On the bottom of the page is a picture of the north mall entrance and the Ice Arena doors... near the present Macy's. The caption reads "Phase Four of the Southland Mall expansion program took a giant step forward as the Southland Ice Arena opened its doors March 1. The million dollar ice sports facility will soon be followed by 29 more businesses including Liberty House Department Store in late summer. This is the North Mall entrance with the Ice Arena doors shown to the left."

Here is the aerial showing the location of the Ice Arena, which housed CompUSA at the time the aerial was taken.

Share your memories of the Southland Ice Arena here!

Scott

Vintage Postcards: Sunvalley Mall Center Court Redux

Yet another postcard showing the center court of Sunvalley Mall in Concord, California. Unlike the earlier postcard of this same scene, the camera placement allows the viewer to see all the way down to Sears at the far end of the mall.

The postcard's coloring is mostly intact and you can better appreciate the gold-roofed information booth, as well as the early-Seventies inspired flowered mural on the wall above the mall walkway.

The back of the postcard reads: "Over 120 stores are located on the two levels of the mammoth mall at SunValley, the world's largest enclosed, air conditioned shopping center."

Enjoy!
Scott

Read my guide to Sunvalley Mall

See the current aerial view.

Vintage Postcards: Sunrise Mall Citrus Heights

Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, just outside Sacramento, California, opened in 1972. It was the area's premier shopping destination with Weinstock's anchoring the north mall, JC Penney and Liberty House to the east, and Sears occupying the south mall.

Macy's acquired the Liberty House location in 1984 and Weinstock's in 1995.

This postcard is postmarked 1987 and most likely was taken from the Macy's court, looking northward towards Weinstock's.

The back of the postcard reads: "Ultra modern, enclosed air conditioned complex affords shopping in comfort. Citrus Heights, California."

The coloring of the postcard appears yellowish, perhaps from fading. The ubiquitous Jarman appears on the right. The court features tiers of flowers, topped with four oversized electric candles.

The geometric patterns on the ceiling and lighting reminds me of Krypton in the movie Superman. The ceiling was heavily remodeled in 1999 and the only reminder of these patterns is the tiled floor, which was barely touched by the 1999 remodel.

Enjoy!
Scott

Visit my review of Sunrise Mall.

See the current aerial view.

Northgate Mall Grand Opening - Targets LEED Certificiation

The hottest and freshest shopping center renovation to hit the Bay Area retail scene is Northgate Mall in San Rafael. Celebrating its grand opening Thursday November 12, 2009, Northgate Mall will show off its clerestory atrium, new food court, and Oak Tree Plaza exterior portion of the mall.

Kohl's celebrated its grand opening at Northgate on September 30, 2009, replacing the Mervyns that closed earlier in the year.

Macerich, the owner and operator of Northgate, has paid special attention to the rebuilding of the mall to today's "green" standards. In fact, Macerich is in process of obtaining the coveted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for its efforts to use sustainable building practices (Macerich, 2009).

What is LEED?
According to the U.S Green Building Council:

LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. (U.S. Green Building Council, 2009, Para. 1).

Macerich has taken an important step towards the future with something almost unknown in the mall world... sustainability. Who has not heard of paving paradise to put up a parking lot? Yet, by paying special attention to building practices and obtaining LEED certification, Macerich is showing us that malls are not so bad after all.

I for one applaud Macerich for "going green." Shop Northgate.

Scott

See some pre-renovation photos at my guide to Northgate Mall.

References
Macerich (2009). Social Responsibility: Sustainability. Retrieved November 02, 2009, from http://www.macerich.com/?n=sustainability_highlights

U.S. Green Building Council (2009). Intro - What LEED Is. Retrieved November 02, 2009, from http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1988

Capwell's El Cerrito Plaza Grand Opening 1958

July 9, 1958 marked the grand opening of both Capwell's department store and adjoining El Cerrito Plaza. This advertisement from the Oakland Tribune invites the public to come shop the largest store in Contra Costa County.

The 2-level store cost $6,000,000 and was 232,000 square feet of spacious aisles and modernistic fixtures ("5,000 Flock to See New Capwell Store", 1958). The exterior of the store was equally modern with its blue and brown tile. At the time, Capwell's El Cerrito was the fourth store in the chain, with other locations in Oakland (downtown), Walnut Creek (Broadway Plaza), and Hayward (downtown).

Capwell's El Cerrito lasted until 1996 when the chain was acquired by Macy's and ultimately closed. El Cerrito Plaza fell in to disrepair until it was de-malled and revitalized in 2002.

Enjoy!
Scott

Reference
5,000 Flock to See New Capwell Store. (1958, June 10, 1958). Oakland Tribune, p. E-15.

Westfield Downtown Plaza - Sacramento

Nothing breeds retail controversy more than Sacramento's Westfield Downtown Plaza.

This large superregional center, smack in downtown Sacramento, was once a shining beacon. However, times have changed and this mall has not. Sacramento and Westfield has been fighting for years to get this center redeveloped. Everyone has an idea of what they want, but no one can agree.

Once this mall hosted a number of flagship stores for the region. The area's largest Macy's is here, complete with its own Men's and Furniture location. Yet, stores have begun to shut down. Even Banana Republic left. Much of the eastern side of the mall is devoid of any stores. However, the western side is still bustling.

The architecture of this mall seems to be a hindrance. Sightlines are obscured by large columns. With the contrast between bright sunlight and dark overhangs, its nearly impossible to see the stores from a distance.

With Sacramento's scalding long summers, I could easily support enclosing this mall. In fact, a portion of this mall is enclosed. A long corridor south of the Rotunda court is enclosed. However, it may not have been touched since the 80s. Oddly enough, it has a second floor which used to contain stores, but it is no longer accessible. An enclosed corridor north of the Rotunda court, pictured above, now is a credit union and no longer holds retail stores. Note the fancy woodwork on the ceiling.

Baffling enough, I don't know if this mall strives to be a festival center, much like Pier 39 in San Francisco, or a regional fashion center. Looking around, not many people live Downtown.

I'm not sure what to think of Downtown Plaza. Once it finds its identify and redevelops, I think this mall can be a star of retail players.

Enjoy!
Scott

Visit my review of Westfield Downtown Plaza.

See the current aerial view.

Westgate Mall - Holding Its Own

Westgate Mall in San Jose is a small mall that seems to defy the odds. Malls this size around the country are either failing or struggling. However, Westgate Mall seems to be thriving.

Unusual for malls these days, but common yesteryear, is the connection this mall has to the community. You can still get your hair done at Annette's Silhouettes, get your teeth cleaned at Westgate Dental, then head to Razzberry Lips for a makeover party for the girls. Local independent stores, once a thing of the past in a mall, perhaps a trend for the future?

As a regional draw, Nordstrom Rack, Burlington Coat Factory, Ross Dress for Less, and Barnes and Noble Bookstore. A little something for everyone.

Saving the best for last... this mall is rarely crowded. One can walk around without being molested by Dead Sea Salt hawkers or hoards of people. Westgate Mall is easy to get into and you might want to stay a while.

Enjoy!
Scott

Visit my review of Westgate Mall.

See the current aerial view.

Bayfair Mall - New Food Court

One word to describe Bayfair Mall's new food court... Finally!

Having survived the high-crime days of Bayfair Mall that made me hesitate to enter any niche without a secondary escape route, it was a pleasant surprise to find the new food court opened and ready for business.

The food court has been reconfigured and looks like it may only hold 4 to 6 eateries, but it's a huge improvement. The owners also removed one of the enclosing stores at the entrance to the food court, which opened up the food court to the mall, thus eliminating that claustrophobic feeling that once persisted.

In addition, the clunky elevator has been replaced by a set of escalators to the newly reopened second floor. You may remember when the old owners built a wall, sealing off that long second-floor corridor between the center court and the south parking lot. The wall has come down and now it's an easy walk to the cinema across the parking lot. I'd bet the old owners of this mall are kicking themselves for not attaching the cinema to the mall.

Remodeling at Bayfair has been ongoing for 5 years now. Still, the center is about 50-60% complete. Now that the food court is done, what next?

Enjoy!
Scott

Visit my review of Bayfair Mall.

Grand Century Shopping Mall - San Jose

Another micromall in the Silicon Valley, the Grand Century shopping mall in San Jose caters to the Vietnamese market. Grand Century hosts 74 stores inside the mall. A true community shopping center, you can get your hair cut, your teeth cleaned, pick up a $3,000 diamond ring, then have Phở while visiting with friends and loved ones.

All the eateries were grouped together on the west side of the mall, forming a long food court. We found an extensive selection of Vietnamese cuisine served by friendly people. Ignorant of local favorites, I played it safe by pointing to a picture of soup. Yet, nearly everyone was enjoying a big plate of greens that appeared like the big salad on steroids. Someone please explain it to me.

As far as micromalls go, Grand Century was much larger than I expected. Although the building is similar in size to the Wal-Mart next door. The parking lot was crowded and the mall, at times, filled with people. The community seems to love this mall.

Once again I'm baffled that ethnicity or culture plays a role in mall appreciation. While malls this size in middle America have died or are dying, Asian micromalls are enjoying popularity.

Enjoy!
Scott

See the aerial view.

Lawrence Plaza - Santa Clara

I have always been intrigued with small enclosed malls and recently stumbled upon Lawrence Plaza in the Koreatown district of Santa Clara, California. Located at 3561 El Camino Real, a large sign was hung outside stating "Food Court." Food sounds good, so we gave it a try...

The exterior is a typical suburban strip mall and it looks like the enclosed mall was originally one or two remodeled anchors, such as a grocery store or drug store. The enclosed food court debuted in August of 2008.

Inside the mall is a large seating area for dining and flanked by a number of eateries. Most of the selections are Korean, but you will find other choices, too (like Fondue). A walkway loops from the north side of the food court to the south side of the food court. We found cell phones, electronics, baby clothes, facial products, golf items, and more. We counted about 17 stores in the enclosed mall. Surprisingly, we found only one vacant store.

The pictures above are of the modest exterior, the food court itself, and a bit of the loop walkway.

How can a tiny mall like this do so well in Koreatown, but would disappear like a bad cold elsewhere?

Enjoy!
Scott

See the aerial view.

Cupertino Square on Life Support

It's not looking so good for Cupertino Square mall.

The mall is now neck-in-neck for title of "most drama" in the South Bay retail market (Sunnyvale Town Center current holds the title).

Cupertino Square currently is under control of the lenders, Gramercy Capital and United Commercial Bank. When the old owners, Cupertino Square LLC and Vallco International Shopping Center LLC, stopped making debt payments, the lenders moved to foreclose on the property. However, Cupertino Square LLC and Vallco International Shopping Center LLC filed bankruptcy to keep the mall from going back into the hands of the lenders. Yet, last month, the mall went back into the hands of the lenders anyway. Now Gramercy Capital and United Commercial Bank are working with Jones Lang LaSalle to get the mall back on track.

My visit the other day showed the mall is declining quickly. A few more stores have closed since last month, but more concerning, new eateries in the freshly revamped food court have already closed! Not to mention, the "coming soon" signs for new eateries STILL say coming soon. I don't think anyone is coming soon anymore.

All this is such a shame... the mall has been trying, but has it made some wrong decisions?

Cupertino Square LLC and Vallco International Shopping Center LLC sought to reposition this mall as an Asian-inspired destination (east Asian). However, my informal racial profiling of shoppers showed that a majority of shoppers fell into the Caucasian and Indian segments. Did repositioning the mall alienate these groups?

What about capital improvement? The mall built a fancy new parking garage for the hordes of shoppers it expected, but the old pink and turquoise "Vallco Fashion Park" sign still adorns Interstate 280. The fourth picture shows the entrance to the food court... As you can see, no signs. I would have figured investing in improvments to guide shoppers to your mall would take priority over potential parking problems.

Some fresh photos for your perusal. The first is the quiet food court at noon. CNN blares on the LCD TVs... a good reason to leave when trying to enjoy your lunch over the pictures of death, dismemberment, and unrest.
Second photo... the deserted parking lot on the backside of the mall.
Third photo... the unusual architecture of JC Penney.
Fourth photo... food court entrance.

Enjoy!
Scott

Read my guide to Cupertino Square

See the aerial view.

Somersville Towne Center Teetering on the Edge

Some recent photos of Somersville Towne Center in Antioch. Hoping to catch the 90% off sale at Gottschalks liquidation, we found the store already shuddered. Alas, too late.

For a Saturday, the mall appears nearly deserted. Although it looks worse than it really was, one has to question the viability of a mall with little foot traffic. Since our last visit a few years ago, a number of shops have closed. However, this mall isn't "dead," yet.

With few options for a new department store to take the place of the shuddered Mervyns or Gottschalks, Somersville Towne Center could be on the endangered list. However, JC Penney is no where to be found in east county, so perhaps this will be a new opportunity after the economy recovers. Yes, it's ironic since Penney's left the mall in 1997. But with the competitors gone, who knows what can happen.

Enjoy the photos,
Scott

Read my guide to Somersville Towne Center

Visit the current Web site.

Vintage Directories: Hillsdale Mall 1982

Here is a vintage mall directory from Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo, California. I estimate it to be from around 1982 since I picked up this directory on my way to the record store to buy the Taco single "Putting on the Ritz." Yes, that's dated in itself.

The mall directory is printed on heavy stock paper, but is not in color. It was clearly cut with a pair of scissors, too.

You may need to put on your bifocals to read the store names. This shear size of this directory stretched Photoshop to the limit. I intended to post the front side of the directory, too, but it was just too big. Another day, perhaps.

Enjoy!
Scott

Read my guide to Hillsdale Mall

Visit the current Website.

See the aerial view.

Vintage Postcards: Eastridge Mall

A vintage postcard of Eastridge Mall, complete with the ubiquitous Jarman.

In the rear you can see Liberty House.

The back of the postcard reads "The "Grand Court" area of the Eastridge regional shopping center in San Jose, California, features modern shaped plexiglass information booth and a spectacular sculpture in steel by the world famous sculptress, Stephanie Scuris. The center, which is constructed on three levels, boasts four major department stores and 146 other stores."

Enjoy!
Scott

See the current aerial.

Visit my review of Eastridge Mall.