BIGMallrat

Kaiser Center mall opened in 1959. Set at the base of the enormous Kaiser headquarters, the center was designed by famous architect, Welton Becket and Associates. Becket also designed Stonestown, Hillsdale, and Stanford shopping centers. Kaiser Center mall was small community center, only about 30 stores and mostly known for its airline counters. This vintage newspaper clipping is from August 3, 1966. This little piece of history not only has an article about Grodins opening a new location in the Kaiser Center Mall in Oakland, but there also is an advertisement for Dorothy's also opening in Kaiser Center, too. According to the article, Grodins will be the first major store to open in downtown Oakland since 1960. I'm fairly certain this shopping center is no more. The building is still there, but there is no trace of a shopping center. This is one mall that I have absolutely no memories. I hope someone out there in blog-land can shed some light or share their memories! Reference...

Roos/Atkins was formed in 1957 when Robert S. Atkins bought the Roos Brothers clothiers chain. During its heyday, Roos/Atkins had 52 stores and would be found in every desirable shopping location. Every now and then I run into a vintage ad that I just love. This one from August 11, 1966. The Roos/Atkins name disappeared in 1981, only to return as Roos Brothers with just 7 stores. By 1983, only 3 Roos Brothers stores remained, and they closed in 1984. If you have any memories of Roos/Atkins, I invite you to share them here.

Early promotional literature for Hilltop Mall in Richomnd, California. A Tauban center, this mall was built after Eastridge in San Jose and before Stoneridge in Pleasanton. Many Taubman-esque features are evident. Keeping with the style of the time, you'll find eye-catching red carpet and a groovy circular walkway. Clearly this literature was printed just after the mall opened in 1976. The state-of-the-art mall ramp was topped by a sculpture that looks to be from artist Charles O. Perry (similar to Stoneridge Mall). Fast forward to 2007! Interject your skills and spot the differences that twenty years brings. Besides, the carpet color changing, store changes, and the addition of Sears, of course. In a contrast to moody browns of the early Seventies, Hilltop mall featured futuristic trends in color choices. As was popular in the late seventies, you'll find the basics: black, white, and any primary color. Anyone remember the cover art for the B-52's album, "The B-52...

Eastmont Mall in Oakland opened between 1966 and 1970. Developed by Irvin J. Kahn, and designed by Burke, Kober, Nicholais, and Archuleta of Los Angeles, the mall was built on the site of the former Chevrolet assembly plant at 73rd and Foothill. The first phase of Eastmont, a convenience center, opened on May 18, 1966. It was your standard strip of stores, included Safeway, but not a "mall" per se. An actual mall opened in 1968 and ran perpendicular from the Safeway strip. Finally, a 2-story enclosed mall opened on November 18, 1970. The mall was about 650,000 sq. ft. total on two levels. JC Penney joined the mall in 1970 with a 3-level store at 191,000 sq. ft. By 1970, 40 stores were open, and it was anticipated to host about 45 more. Contrary to popular belief, Eastmont was never intended to become a regional mall. It was a redevelopment project that just so happened to be built during the mall era. That's how we solved problems then, with a mall (today, we solve proble...

My first memory of South Shore Shopping Center dates back to 1985, right in the middle of a major remodeling project for the then 17-year-old mall. It was peak ’80s—I was used to sleek, enclosed malls with air conditioning, pastel Esprit sweaters, and the crisp collars of IZOD polos. So imagine my surprise when, after cruising through the charming neighborhoods of Alameda—those dreamy Victorians and cozy mid-century bungalows—I arrived at what felt like a sun-soaked, tropical-modern wonderland. “We’re here!” someone said, and I leapt out of the car expecting the usual sliding doors and carpeted concourses. Instead, I found a set of glass doors... on a mall with no roof. Wait—this was a mall? It was outside? It had Woolworth’s, Walgreens, and the salty breeze of the Bay drifting through the walkways. What was this magical place? At the time, only half of it had been remodeled—new awnings here, some fresh paint there. But it had character. It had Ross, which promised “dressing for less...

The much anticipated expansion of Westfield San Francisco Centre opened September 28, 2006, complete with pomp and circumstance. The newly expanded mall features 1.5 million square feet of shopping on five floors. The second-largest Bloomingdale's makes its debut in San Francisco, joining the second-largest Nordstrom. In addition, many new retailers to the Bay Area will open in the mall, including Forth & Towne, Aldo Accessories, and The Art of Shaving. My visit last weekend showed the facade of the Market Street entrance looks new again; still retaining its original character. That Mission Street entrance is an ultra-modern swank glass wall with a giant Bloomingdale's sign. Yet another impressive mall. My first visit since the expansion and the crowds were so thick, it made it difficult to take pictures or even see much. Interestingly enough, the area under the old Emporium dome was subdued and quiet. I took a few pictures of the dome since it's the first time I've...

Opened on September 1, 1976, Vallco Fashion Park was no ordinary shopping mall. Set high atop a parking level, the entire retail experience floated above the ground—complete with six themed “parks” honoring Cupertino’s history: De Anza Park, Orchard Park, and the futuristic Electronics Park, each planted with trees to bring a slice of nature indoors. The centerpiece? A 130-foot-wide pedestrian bridge over Wolfe Road, linking both halves of the mall like a skywalk into another world. Anchored by Sears, Bullock’s, and I. Magnin (with JC Penney and an ice rink joining in 1977), the mall was a design-forward marvel created by Wurster, Bernardi & Emmons with landscape architect Michael Painter. And while the layout resembled puzzle pieces, what most kids remember was one perfect fit: King Norman Toys. Even Barbie had her own fashion plaza. By 1983, Vallco was the third highest-grossing mall in Santa Clara County, behind only Stanford and Eastridge. Bullock’s bowed out in 1983, but E...

The pictures are a scan of the directory I picked up in 1989. Being a Taubman mall, you can spot many of the hallmarks, such as lights in the skylights and unique art. On one side, you can make out Miller's Outpost and on the other, Miller Stockman. The directory is before Sears joined the mall, which included the addition of a food court. Rare indeed for Taubman. A unique service offered by the mall in 1989 is language assistance in Icelandic. Not many malls go to such lengths to welcome visitors from Iceland (or perhaps, Manitoba?). Meadowood Mall opened in 1978 with Macy's, Liberty House, and JC Penney. Liberty House closed in 1983 and Macy's South moved in the following year. Sears eventually left the soon to be demolished Park Lane Mall for Meadowood in the Nineties and the rest is history. The Summit Sierra shopping center is currently competing with Meadowood for top-spot. The Summit Sierra has only one department store (Dillard's) and is an open-air power ...