Published January 10, 2008 · Updated September 21, 2026 1981: Solano Mall opens in Fairfield Before it became Solano Town Center, it was simply Solano Mall. The mall opened its doors on March 19, 1981, bringing a new wave of suburban retail to Fairfield, California. JCPenney and Mervyn's were among its original anchors, while Sears joined the center as it expanded. Emporium-Capwell followed in March 1983, and Macy's arrived in August 1985. Solano Mall's original interior had a distinctive architectural character. Triangular ceiling panels in warm orange and burnt sienna tones created a geometric pattern overhead, while real skylights brought natural light into the enclosed shopping center. The triangular panels themselves weren't skylights; they were artificial lighting designed to create a similar visual effect. A postcard issued around the mall's opening captures that design particularly well. The card also stated that Solano Mall was designed to serve an ...
Explore the malls, department stores, and shopping centers that helped shape postwar Northern California and the suburban communities that grew around them.