Published: June 12, 2006 · Last updated: September 21, 2026 When Stonestown Mall opened in 1952, it represented something new for San Francisco. For decades, the city's major shopping districts had been concentrated downtown, but postwar development was pushing west of Twin Peaks. New apartment complexes, subdivisions, schools, and commercial centers were transforming former open land into a suburban landscape within the city itself. 1950s postcard of The Emporium at Stonestown Mall in San Francisco, showcasing its grand department store facade framed by palm trees and streamlined mid-century architecture. The back of the postcard reads: "Stonestown, California. One of San Francisco's newest residential sections. It is served by a complete shopping district where many downtown stores and institutions have established branches." Built by the Stoneson brothers, Stonestown became the retail centerpiece of that transformation. Anchored by The Emporium's first suburb...
Explore the malls, department stores, and shopping centers that helped shape postwar Northern California and the suburban communities that grew around them.