When San Francisco Centre opened its doors on October 7, 1988, it transformed the urban retail landscape. Built next to the historic Emporium building on Market Street, this bold new vertical mall offered a uniquely compact, yet towering shopping experience: four levels of retail crowned by four more levels of Nordstrom—then the largest in the United States.
The center introduced San Francisco to a type of retail previously unseen in the region: an enclosed, vertical shopping mall with modern flair. One of its most iconic features was the spiral escalators, the first in North America, connecting three levels in a dramatic, space-efficient design that became a hallmark of the mall’s futuristic interior.
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| Spiral escalators add a dramatic modern touch to the interior design. |
The 1990s: A vertical retail success story
During the 1990s, San Francisco Centre flourished. It became a premier downtown shopping destination, attracting both tourists and locals with high-end retail options, multiple flagship stores, and brand redundancy that showed its strength—retailers like Kenneth Cole and Aldo operated more than one location in the area, and they still succeeded.
Standouts like Abercrombie & Fitch and J. Crew helped the Centre establish itself as a fashionable anchor in the heart of the city. While the closure of The Emporium in 1996 marked the end of a local icon (it was acquired by Macy’s), enthusiasm for the Centre remained high.
By 1998, a San Francisco Chronicle reader poll ranked Nordstrom as the best department store in the region, followed by Macy’s. San Francisco Centre itself was named the third-best mall in the Bay Area, just behind Stanford Shopping Center and Stonestown Galleria.
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| Third level of San Francisco Centre in 2004, featuring Express and Foot Locker. The former Emporium entrance has been converted into in-line retail, reflecting the mall’s compact footprint. |
2006 expansion: Westfield era begins
On September 28, 2006, a massive expansion officially debuted under Westfield’s ownership, bringing the mall to 1.5 million square feet, and heralding a new chapter for the property. The updated Westfield San Francisco Centre now spanned five floors, blending historic architecture with a sleek, modern design.
Highlights of the expansion included:
The second-largest Bloomingdale’s in the U.S.
A stunning Century Theatres cinema
New retailers like Forth & Towne, Aldo Accessories, and The Art of Shaving
With this revitalization, the Centre joined Westfield Valley Fair in San Jose as one of the brand’s most high-profile Bay Area assets.
Historic architecture meets modern design
The renovation preserved and showcased some of the city’s most beautiful retail architecture. The original Emporium dome, hidden for a decade, was restored and now rises above the mall’s elegant rotunda. This glass-and-steel structure offers a rare blend of turn-of-the-century grandeur and 21st-century design.
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| The iconic rotunda under the restored Emporium dome at Westfield San Francisco Centre. |
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| View of the dome from beneath the rotunda, a preserved piece of San Francisco retail history. |
The Market Street façade retained its historic charm, while the Mission Street side received a modern makeover—complete with a glass curtain wall and a soaring Bloomingdale’s sign, reinforcing the mall’s new identity.
Dining and the “Emporium” food court
A signature element of the 2006 remodel was the lower-level food court, cleverly branded as The Emporium in vintage script. This was more than just a nod to history—it was a place where downtown workers and tourists alike could enjoy diverse, fast-casual cuisine with a local twist.
In addition to the food court, the Centre offered a range of sit-down dining options, helping to position it as a full lifestyle destination, not just a mall.
A peak moment — and a turning point
For a time, Westfield San Francisco Centre represented the pinnacle of urban retail innovation. The crowds that flooded in during the grand reopening, the buzz surrounding its exclusive stores, and the seamless blend of past and present made it one of the most visited places downtown.
But even as the mall shined, downtown San Francisco began to face new challenges: changing consumer behavior, rising retail vacancies, and shifting urban dynamics.
The 2010s–2020s: the fall of a flagship
In the late 2010s, the mall’s fortunes began to fade. Nordstrom, once the Centre’s crown jewel, started pulling back. Its Stonestown Galleria location closed in 2019, and in 2023, its flagship store at San Francisco Centre shut its doors permanently.
That same year, Westfield stopped making loan payments on the mall, returning the property to its lender. Foot traffic continued to fall, and national media began calling San Francisco Centre one of the most prominent dead malls in the U.S.
In 2025, the last major anchor—Bloomingdale’s—announced its closure. With its two department store anchors gone, San Francisco Centre was left largely hollow, a shadow of its former self.
What's next for San Francisco Centre?
Despite its steep decline, San Francisco Centre remains open. Discussions around redevelopment and reimagining the space are ongoing, though nothing has been finalized. For now, the historic dome, spiral escalators, and remnants of its grand design still attract architecture enthusiasts and curious visitors.
Whether the mall finds a second life or fades further into urban decay, its story remains a vital chapter in San Francisco’s retail history—from The Emporium’s golden age to Westfield’s ambitious reinvention, and now to a moment of uncertain transformation.
Related posts
- Lost department stores: Emporium-Capwell (1896—1996)
- The history of Crocker Galleria in San Francisco — a hidden gem with a glass ceiling
Comments
Every time I've visited, Bloomingdale's is eerily quiet. Does anyone know if that store is doing well? I know Nordstrom is successful, but I've heard nothing about Bloomingdale's. If you're familiar with the New York store, you'll find this one rather disappointing. No furniture, very limited home furnishings, and not even a branch of Forty Carrots.