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Postcards from Fashion Fair: a 1970s view of Fresno’s premier shopping mall

This mid-century postcard offers a rare look inside Fresno Fashion Fair Mall, one of the Central Valley’s earliest enclosed shopping centers. The scene features a dramatic interior with distinctive lighting, a prominent central clock, and clean architectural lines typical of late 1960s and early 1970s mall design.

1970s postcard of Fresno Fashion Fair Mall interior with dramatic lighting, a large hanging clock, and storefronts including Jarman Shoes and See’s Candies.
Interior view of Fresno Fashion Fair Mall in the 1970s, showcasing moody lighting, modernist design, and the iconic central clock—a signature of early California mall architecture.

A climate-controlled oasis in the Central Valley

The caption on the back of the postcard proudly reads:

“Center of the Valley. The beautiful Fresno Fashion Fair Mall, controlled temperature the year round. Over 60 shops open 7 days a week to serve shoppers.”

In Fresno’s famously hot climate, the promise of a “controlled temperature” shopping experience was more than just a convenience—it was a major draw. Enclosed malls like Fashion Fair offered a comfortable, air-conditioned environment that set a new standard for retail in the region.

Fresno Fashion Fair mall opened in 1970

When Fashion Fair Mall opened in 1970, it quickly became Fresno’s premier shopping destination, anchoring the city’s retail scene. It was part of a larger wave of mid-century California malls designed for the growing suburban population and car culture.

The interior featured design cues typical of the time: arched ceiling details, soft lighting, and a central gathering point marked by a large hanging clock—a fixture remembered fondly by longtime Fresno residents.

Visible in this postcard image are several key tenants, including:

  • Jarman Shoes – a staple for men’s footwear in many malls across America

  • See’s Candies – a beloved California institution, still present in many shopping centers today

A piece of Fresno mall history

Though newer retail centers have opened since, including outdoor lifestyle centers and big-box corridors, Fashion Fair’s early role in shaping the shopping culture of the Central Valley remains significant. It also reflects broader trends in 1970s mall architecture across California and the U.S.

Fresno is also notable for other unique retail experiments—such as the Fulton Mall, a pedestrian-only shopping street that opened in 1964, just a few years before Fashion Fair’s debut.

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Comments

Livemalls said…
It's very cool, but it kind of reminds me of the inside of a Ground Round restaurant with all the timber beams
9:51 PM
Anonymous said…
Love that old Jarman but is that a slightly different font on the logo or is it the same as it has always been? Can't tell.
3:48 PM
Anonymous said…
Photo must have been taken in the Seventies. Everything is brown and the bell bottoms are of epic size!
3:12 PM
Unknown said…
Yes, that was the 1970's, growing up in Fresno, I remember when the mall looked like that, that clock(modeled after Grand Central in NY), seemed so much larger when I was a kid. I also remember a lot of the stores like Woolworths had a basement level as well, while Macys, JCPenny, and Weinstocks had basement and 2nd. levels.
7:51 AM
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