I've always had a fascination with small, enclosed malls—and a few years ago, I stumbled across a particularly interesting one: Lawrence Plaza, located in the Koreatown district of Santa Clara, California. Tucked away at 3561 El Camino Real, this little gem caught my attention thanks to a big sign outside that simply read: “Food Court.” Food sounded good—so we gave it a try.
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| The modest strip mall exterior of Lawrence Plaza in Santa Clara, marked by a prominent “Food Court” sign. |
First impressions: a mall within a strip mall
From the outside, Lawrence Plaza looked like a typical suburban strip mall. But once inside, it revealed something more intriguing: a small, enclosed shopping center that looped around a central food court. It turns out the space was formerly anchored by large-format retailers like CompUSA or possibly a grocery store, later remodeled into a food-focused mini-mall.
The indoor food court officially opened in August 2008, and it was a unique reuse of a big-box space. The mall design featured a large dining area in the middle, flanked by eateries and a loop-style corridor connecting roughly 17 small retail shops.
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| A look down the enclosed mall corridor, lined with small shops ranging from electronics to baby clothes. |
A taste of Korea—and more
The food court leaned heavily toward Korean cuisine, in keeping with the neighborhood’s cultural roots, but also included some eclectic finds—like fondue, of all things. Walking the corridor, we came across shops selling electronics, facial products, baby clothes, golf gear, and more. Only one storefront was vacant, which was surprising for a mall of its size.
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| Inside the Lawrence Plaza food court: spacious seating and a variety of Korean and international eateries. |
A quiet farewell to Lawrence Plaza
Unfortunately, Lawrence Plaza’s story ends quietly. By the early 2020s, most tenant leases were not renewed, and by 2023, nearly all the stores—including the food court—had closed permanently. The property is now in the process of being redeveloped, with proposals to transform the site into residential housing or a mixed-use project.
What was once a cozy neighborhood gathering place—filled with lunchtime regulars, the smell of bubbling stews, and low-key mom-and-pop shops—is now largely shuttered.
Looking back
Lawrence Plaza wasn’t flashy or famous, but it was a quirky, local place that offered something rare: a small-scale, indoor mall experience in a strip mall setting. It served its community with heart and flavor—and for those of us who love forgotten retail spaces, it offered a nostalgic glimpse of what malls used to be.
Comments
There is a smaller space that met a similar fate; a supermarket subdivided into an ethnic micromall, at the corner of Prospect and De Anza Blvd on the Cupertino/Saratoga/San Jose border.
I'm glad that somebody is having success in the retail market around here, but I worry that those that focus heavily on one ethnic market tend to discourage shoppers outside that ethnicity. Sometimes it's a worthwhile trade-off, but it can't always be.