Before the arrival of enclosed regional malls in the Tri-Cities, Fremont functioned as the area’s dominant retail center, anchored by the Fremont Hub and Fremont Fashion Center.
As development intensified along the I-880 corridor in the 1970s, Newark recognized an opportunity to redirect regional shopping activity—and the associated sales tax revenue—by developing a new enclosed mall. The stage was set for direct retail competition within the Tri-City area.
When NewPark Mall opened its doors on August 6, 1980, it felt like the dawn of a new shopping era for the East Bay. It was developed by Homart Development Company (a division of Sears) and Calmart (Macy’s).
Building a regional competitorWhen the mall debuted, it had just two anchors: Macy’s and Sears. Although most new malls opened with at least three anchor stores, it was a risk to not appear like an instant success. Fremont had already established itself as the retail capital of the Tri-Cities, and it took nearly a decade for the mall to fully grow into a role as a regional shopping center. Stealing Fremont's department storesMervyn’s and a brand-new wing arrived on October 18, 1985, relocating from the Fremont Hub. At the time, it represented a $250,000 to $300,000 shift in sales tax revenue from Fremont to Newark (San Jose Mercury News, 1985). Then Emporium-Capwell followed on February 7, 1987, also from Fremont. And finally, JCPenney joined the lineup on November 6, 1991, rounding out NewPark’s status as a full-fledged regional shopping center.
A mall built for the 1980sLike many malls built during the late 1970s and early 1980s, NewPark featured natural materials, earth-tone finishes, skylights, and extensive indoor landscaping. These features helped position the center as a modern regional destination capable of competing with established retail centers elsewhere in the Tri-City area.
From regional contender to fading centerNewPark succeeded in establishing Newark as a retail destination, but changing shopping patterns and stronger competition from neighboring centers gradually reduced the mall's regional influence. In 2005, General Growth Properties (GGP)—then the mall’s owner—announced plans to remodel and expand with a cinema complex. But those plans were shelved. After Mervyn’s left the mall, there was renewed hope for expansion options. Though no major updates followed, there’s always been speculation about the site’s future. Legacy of NewPark MallNewPark Mall was more than Newark's first regional shopping center. It represented the city's effort to claim a larger role in the growing Tri-City region. By attracting major department stores away from Fremont and establishing itself as a regional destination, the mall briefly shifted the balance of retail power in southern Alameda County. Although NewPark never achieved the long-term success of nearby Stoneridge Mall, its history reflects a common story in postwar suburban development: communities competing for growth, tax revenue, and regional identity through increasingly ambitious shopping centers. Sources
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An unfortunate casualty is the Fremont Hub not only 2 miles away. Fremont Hub was the cool place to be, but NewPark was newer and cooler. Fremont Hub then tried to look like Stanford but it didn't help. It has tried to look like a trendy new lifestyle center but the center of the mall is still barren. Fremont Hub is still a nice place to shop, and is improving, but does not have quite the vitality it had in the 70's.