Broadway Plaza in the 1950s: a growing hub
Broadway Plaza, originally called Broadway Shopping Center, opened on November 8, 1951 in Walnut Creek, California. Built by MacDonald Products Company, it featured iconic stores like JCPenney, Woolworths, Sears, Joseph Magnin, and Lucky's. The opening ceremonies included none other than the legendary Harpo Marx and Mary Fenn in two stage performances.
Broadway Plaza originally referred to a short street that connected Main Street to South Broadway. Running perpendicular to it, South Broadway featured shops on its east side, like Lucky's and Capwell's, with parking lots occupying the west. As the area redeveloped over time, the street names and layout were reconfigured: a new South Broadway was established east of the shopping center, where it remains today. The original South Broadway was renamed Broadway Plaza, while the original Broadway Plaza street was permanently closed to vehicular traffic, transforming it into a more pedestrian-friendly, mall-like environment.
This 1950s postcard captures the iconic Broadway sign sitting at the corner of Main Street and Broadway Plaza— a glimpse of a rapidly expanding business district in the East Bay.
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| Vintage postcard: Right – Original Broadway sign at Main Street and Broadway Plaza with JCPenney on the left. Left – Looking north up South Broadway, Walnut Creek, circa 1950s, capturing the early charm of this East Bay retail landmark. |
The postcard’s back reads:
"Broadway Shopping Center. This view shows only a portion of this rapidly expanding business district. The city is situated in the shadow of famed Mt. Diablo and has grown in less than a score of years from a peaceful farming area to a friendly bustling shipping center. Predictions have the county population to half a million by 1960 and over a million by 1990."
The population forecasts were impressively close. In 1990, Contra Costa County’s population was 803,732, reaching over 1 million by 2005.
One standout detail in the photo is the giant oak tree near the sign — a majestic presence since removed. Today, that site hosts the Il Fornaio restaurant in the nearby Broadway Pointe shopping center, preserving the legacy of the tree’s location.
Evolution of Broadway Plaza: from small shops to chic retail
Fast forward about a decade, and this postcard from around 1965 offers an aerial view of Broadway Plaza and downtown Walnut Creek. It highlights early anchors like Safeway Foods and H. C. Capwell's department store (the future Macy’s), alongside a handful of retailers that still evoke the feel of a small downtown area.
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| Aerial postcard of Broadway Plaza and downtown Walnut Creek, circa 1965. |
The back of the postcard reads "Aerial view of one of the many shopping centers of this bustling East Bay area."
The very fashionable I. Magnin would open a store across from Capwell's in March of 1967. When the brand was phased out, it would be replaced by a Macy's Men's and Junior's until the building was replaced entirely by new shops.
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| The former I. Magnin building at Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek, pictured in 2006 during its time as Macy’s. Originally built for I. Magnin, the building was later demolished as part of the shopping center’s redevelopment. |
Since then, Broadway Plaza has undergone a dramatic transformation:
The Safeway was replaced by a bank.
The iconic Nordstrom building was added later when Bullock’s joined the center in 1973.
The original parking garage was replaced with a taller, multi-level structure.
Additional parking decks now occupy much of the former open lot space behind the shopping center.
A Mervyn's For Kids store opened in 1985, then closed on June 29, 1990.
What was once a somewhat rural and sleepy area has evolved into an urban, bustling retail and dining destination, drawing shoppers from across the Bay Area.
Broadway Plaza today: modern retail and luxury
A 2011 directory snapshot from Broadway Plaza shows the mall just before the arrival of Neiman Marcus in 2012, marking the beginning of its luxury retail expansion.
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| Broadway Plaza directory from March 2011, before Neiman Marcus opened. |
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Neiman Marcus under construction at Broadway Plaza in 2011—a bold addition to the Walnut Creek retail scene. Though it opened with high hopes, the store later closed, marking another twist in the ever-evolving story of department store retail. |
Today, Broadway Plaza is renowned as a premier shopping destination in the East Bay, combining historic charm with upscale retailers, dining, and entertainment.
Comments
On the upper(north) side of that picture is a Lucky supermarket. It was that building that was torn down for Bullocks and is where Nordstrom is today. David M Brian is in the old Penney's and the Crate & Barrel building was formerly Joseph Magnin and before that a Sears store, believe it or not.
Broadway Plaza has no doubt benefitted from being in a very affluent area. However, the strong sense of community in Walnut Creek may really be what has kept this center thriving. Between nearby Sunvalley and Stoneridge malls, this center could have easily rolled over and died a long time ago, but it didn't
Scott