Before Valley Fair became the massive, multi-level mega-mall we know today, it started as something much simpler—and, in its own way, more charming. The original Valley Fair was a small, open-air shopping center that began with a Macy’s store, which opened its doors on August 10, 1956. The surrounding outdoor mall followed soon after, officially opening on April 4, 1957.
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| An aerial view with Macy's in the middle, from 1960. |
Back then, Valley Fair wasn’t about luxury labels or valet parking. It was about strolling steel-beamed promenades, visiting one of over 60 specialty stores, and catching a breeze between shops. There’s a grainy photo from 1961 that shows the promenade—wide walkways, low-slung storefronts, and a sense of openness that malls just don’t have anymore.
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| A grainy view of the promenade from 1961. |
I came across a postcard that shows the original mall in full view, and though it’s postmarked April 23, 1985, it doesn’t have ZIP codes on any of the addresses—so it’s likely the image is from much earlier. The back reads: “The Mall at Valley Fair, San Jose, Calif. This regional shopping center is one of the outstanding shopping centers serving the greater suburban area. Over 60 specialty stores and a large department store are located here.”
One curious landmark stands out in the image: the tiled smokestack. According to Mike Caroll Jr.’s History of Valley Fair Center site, that stack wasn’t decorative—it was actually part of the mall’s underground shipping and receiving system. Originally a plain, utilitarian concrete tube, it was later transformed into a striking example of 1960s pop art, thanks to its bright mosaic tile covering. It was quirky. It was bold. It was eventually demolished during redevelopment—but it left a lasting impression.
The end of the original Valley Fair came in 1985, when everything but Macy’s was torn down. Just one year later, in October 1986, a completely new, enclosed Valley Fair mall opened on the same site—now expanded to include the neighboring Stevens Creek Plaza and the former Emporium-Capwell store. Technically, the new mall spanned two cities: San Jose and Santa Clara.
Today’s Valley Fair is a retail giant, but for some of us, it’s the earlier version we remember most—the tiled smokestack, the open sky between shops, and the feel of a center that belonged to its era.
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