Stanford Shopping Center — the mall that refused to become a mall

Before the 1960s, shopping centers were largely open-air. By the late 1970s, however, enclosed malls had become the industry standard. Across America, developers rushed to add roofs, climate control, and inward-facing corridors in hopes of attracting shoppers year-round.

Stanford Shopping Center chose a different path.

Built on a former vineyard owned by Leland Stanford, the 55-acre center opened in 1955 as Santa Clara County's first regional shopping center. Designed by Welton Becket & Associates and landscaped by Lawrence Halprin, it embraced California's mild climate with shaded walkways, fountains, mature landscaping, and open-air courts. As newer malls enclosed themselves, Stanford doubled down on the very qualities that made it unique.

That decision would shape the center's future. Over the next seven decades, Stanford Shopping Center evolved from a fashionable suburban shopping center into one of the nation's premier luxury retail destinations—not by following mall trends, but by resisting them.

Annotated Apple Maps view of Palo Alto showing the location of Stanford Shopping Center, positioned off El Camino next to Stanford University.

When Stanford Shopping Center opened in 1955, the Bay Area's retail landscape was beginning to change. For generations, major department stores had concentrated in downtown San Francisco, but postwar suburban growth was creating new population centers across the Peninsula. The Emporium's decision to open only its second suburban branch at Stanford signaled that the future of shopping would increasingly be found outside the city. Stanford Shopping Center was among the first major developments built to serve that new reality.

From a September 1955 San Francisco Chronicle photo—Roos Brothers was the first store to open in Stanford Shopping Center. 

During the 1960s, Stanford Shopping Center expanded with the addition of Macy's (1961) and Saks Fifth Avenue (1963), growing into one of the Bay Area's premier retail destinations. Yet despite the new stores, the center retained the open-air character established in 1955—a decision that would become increasingly unusual as enclosed malls began to dominate American retail development.

From a February 1972 San Jose Mercury News—Bullock's chose Stanford Shopping Center for its first Northern California store in 1972—a significant vote of confidence in the center's growing prestige. Rather than opening in downtown San Francisco, the Los Angeles-based retailer made Stanford its gateway to the region, reinforcing the mall's emergence as one of Northern California's premier shopping destinations.

A radical remodel in the 1970s

By 1976, facing stiff competition from newer malls in the area, Stanford needed to stay competitive. The Stanford Board of Trustees approved a facelift costing upwards of $17 million. Enter Field Paoli Architects, who led a bold renovation that landed in the pages of Architectural Record in June 1977.

What made this remodel groundbreaking? While most shopping centers were enclosing themselves to create climate-controlled interiors, Stanford did the opposite—it stayed open-air. The decision was both architectural and cultural, reinforcing the region’s temperate climate and the center’s distinctive character.

Photos from the 1977 article captured a mall in transition—still elegant, still modern, and increasingly upscale. Stores like The Company (a precursor to Spencer Gifts) added quirky charm, while local and mid-range retailers made it feel like a true neighborhood destination.

A 1977 story in Architectural Record showcased Stanford Shopping Center’s bold redesign, featuring rounded glass overhangs and The Company store—proof that even open-air malls could be dramatic in an era of enclosed malls.

The second page of the 1977 Architectural Record spread detailed the redesigned landscaping and layout of Stanford Shopping Center—including a walkway plan and three new pavilion-style buildings that embraced light, air, and flow.

The third page of the 1977 Architectural Record article highlights Stanford Shopping Center’s signature design elements—sunlit walkways, rounded glass overhangs, and lush landscaping that preserved the open-air charm while modernizing the experience.

The final page of the 1977 Architectural Record feature showcases custom lighting grouped in sculptural clusters—mounted to structural supports, they brought warmth and theatrical flair to the mall’s open-air design.

Polishing the prestige in the 1980s

During the 1980s, Stanford Shopping Center solidified its reputation as Silicon Valley’s luxury shopping destination. The decade’s biggest addition came in 1985, when Neiman Marcus opened its doors, bringing high fashion and national prestige to the center. The arrival of the retailer signaled a new level of sophistication, complementing the mall’s already strong lineup of department stores.

While some older retailers faded, the mall embraced change—enhancing its landscaping, upgrading storefronts, and welcoming a new generation of upscale specialty stores. By the end of the ’80s, Stanford Shopping Center had firmly established itself as a polished, high-end retail destination aligned with the region’s rising prosperity.

Stanford Shopping Center, 2005: A view of Macy’s alongside remnants of the 1970s renovation, including original landscaping and signature Stanford University arch motif—just before the center underwent its major 2010s remodel.

Legacy of Stanford Shopping Center

Stanford Shopping Center's most important decision may have been what it chose not to do. At a time when malls across America enclosed their walkways and turned inward, Stanford embraced the climate, landscaping, and architectural openness that had defined it since 1955. That choice helped transform what could have been just another regional shopping center into one of the country's most successful open-air retail destinations.

The current Bloomingdale’s at Stanford Shopping Center, opened in 2014 as part of a major redevelopment. It replaced the original 1996 location, which had occupied the former Emporium building.

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