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Westfield San Francisco Centre

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 seen it since the Emporium closed .

The mall itself was truly outstanding. The selection of stores is mostly unique, which is a rarity these days. Some retailers have their only Bay Area location here.

Another impressive aspect is the food selection. Many interesting and probably delicious sit-down restaurants pepper the mall. The lower level food court, called "The Emporium" (complete with original script), has plenty of exciting eateries.

This mall is hard to describe. The new addition is shockingly modern, yet very traditional under the dome. It's a blend of styles. The old part of the mall is still contemporary, yet outside the spiral escalators, not much to talk about.

Nevertheless, I predict great success for this mall and more surprises for the future. Westfield now how two powerhouses in the Bay Area, Valley Fair in San Jose and San Francisco Centre.

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Comments

Unknown said…
I agree that this new mall is a winner. I was never a fan of the original San Francisco Centre, as I thought the stores were ordinary, and the traffic flow horrendous, but the new addition is stunning. Amazing to think that the whole thing, except for the Bloomingdale's space, was once all The Emporium. What a great store that was.

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.
8:46 AM
Livemalls said…
The dome is the best part, of course, but you can't go wrong with curved escalators!
8:06 PM
Anonymous said…
San Francisco is the most beautiful city in the country! It deserves such a beautiful centre!
10:44 PM
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