Skip to main content

The history of Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights — shopping icon since 1972

Step back in time to April 19, 1972, when Sunrise Mall opened its doors in Citrus Heights, just outside of Sacramento, California. Developed by Ernest W. Hahn and Cordano Associates, the mall quickly became a cornerstone of suburban life—a place to shop, socialize, and make memories.

At its height, Sunrise Mall was the premier shopping destination in the Sacramento area, anchored by beloved department stores: Weinstock’s to the north, JCPenney and Liberty House to the east, and Sears to the south. These four anchors shaped the mall experience for decades of shoppers.

A look back: postcards and Krypton ceilings

A 1970s postcard captured the interior of Sunrise Mall in its earliest years, showing a sleek, modern design. The caption proudly boasts:

“Ultra modern, enclosed air conditioned complex affords shopping in comfort. Citrus Heights, California.”

Postmarked 1987, the image likely shows the Macy’s court, looking north toward Weinstock’s. The mall’s geometric ceiling patterns and dramatic lighting gave it a space-age feel—so much so that some say it resembled Krypton from the original Superman movie.

Vintage 1970s postcard showing the interior of Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, California, with geometric ceiling patterns, bright lighting, and shoppers walking along the wide mall corridor.
1970s postcard of Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, California, showcasing the sleek interior design and modern architecture of the era.

Although the ceiling was heavily remodeled in 1999, a hint of the mall’s original design remains in the tiled floor, which was mostly untouched during renovations.

View of Sunrise Mall’s interior ceiling at center court in Citrus Heights, California, featuring large skylights and angular framing—a more subdued successor to the mall’s original Krypton-style ceiling.
Interior of Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights in 2009, showcasing the center court’s modernist ceiling design—less stylized than the earlier “Krypton ceiling” of the 1970s, but still echoing the era’s geometric flair.

Changing times: Macy’s moves in, then out

In 1984, Macy’s took over the Liberty House location after Liberty House closed its doors. The Macy’s building, which originally opened as a Liberty House on October 18, 1972, shared the same design as the Macy’s at Southland Mall in Hayward, another former Liberty House store.

Exterior view of Macy’s at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, California, showing the large, boxy 1970s-era department store design with minimal windows and prominent signage.
Exterior of Macy’s South at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights. Originally opened as Liberty House in 1972, the building features a distinctive 1970s architectural style shared with its twin at Southland Mall in Hayward.

The building remained vacant for a time after Liberty House’s closure, until Macy’s relocated several departments from its nearby Birdcage Walk location to the Sunrise Mall store.

Later, in 1996, Macy’s also acquired the Weinstock’s store, solidifying its presence at Sunrise Mall. 

Exterior view of Macy’s North at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, formerly Weinstock’s, which opened in 1972 and became Macy’s after Weinstock’s closed in 1996.
Originally opened as Weinstock’s in 1972, this anchor store at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights was rebranded as Macy’s North after Weinstock’s closed in 1996.

Both Macy's locations at Sunrise Mall would close in March 2025. The future of the mall looks uncertain, but plans are in the works for something new.

Related posts


Comments

Livemalls said…
The only thing that could make that postcard more '70s would be some cute, long haired girl in plaid bell bottoms and clogs staring at the candle flower sculpture. Very nice.
Marty Kobata said…
THere was an article about this mall in Sunday's Sacramento Bee: http://www.sacbee.com/132/story/2431330.html
Anonymous said…
Does anyone know if Birdcage Walk accross the street from Sunrise was a mall or just an early strip mall or power center ?
Scott Parsons said…
I have a Birdcage Walk mall directory from when it was considered an open-air mall. I'll post it later for you to decide
Anonymous said…
Birdcage Walk was an open air mall with Macy's at the south end and Montgomery Ward at the north end.
Anonymous said…
Wow. I lived in EDH from 1980 to 1988. Even tho I think this shot was taken a few years b4 my time there, it really brought back a lot of good memories from Citrus Heights in the 80s. Those geo-white lights were seriously the coolest thing, along with that majestic fountain.

After convincing my mom to leave me there while she shopped(unattended I know crazy huh ppl actually let their kids off the leash once in a while back in the 80s), I would stand there &stare at both(&if memory serves some type of modern, 80s, massive &shimmery metallic-shard hanging mobile in that same area, contemplating how I was going to sneak down there &slip and slide my way to acquiring the tossed-in coin fortune, that I imagined went into 6-figures(basically a million by 80s standards lol).

If I'm not mistaken, I think there was a Parklane Hoisery, across from that Jarman Shoe store during my time there. Plenty of sexy 80s HS girls, dance class attendees & probably nite club dancers going in there to buy their 'wares'. Oh man. Such great times.

Thanks so much for finding/posting this pic!!
Darcy said…
Yes, there was a large mobile made of silver strips and then in the middle some shorter golden strips. It was shiny and beautiful and mesmerizing. That was in front of Weinstocks. Then there was the large silvery sculpture in front of JC Penny, and the mirrored wishing well fountain that the water flowed over and then it fell down blue tiled walls. It was beautiful. That was in front of Liberty House. Liberty House had an escalator with glass walls. There was a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor at the far end, by Sears. Sears always smelled funny. Like popcorn. Oh, and there was a place that sold organs, and some middle-aged man (he seemed so old, but he was years younger than I am now, how weird) and he would play the same songs over and over on the organ, usually "Spanish Eyes." Oh, and they would give out samples of summer sausage and cheese cubes at Swiss Colony.
Anonymous said…
Um i think that sunrise mall was built in 1971 and the fountain there is still there but it is not working.i think the look of the mall is DIFFERENT.i see a jarman what is jarmans
Anonymous said…
Does anyone know if there is that mirror mountain anymore in the middle? I used to LOVE that fountain, and would save my pennies in order to look like a big shot as a kid and throw a bunch of them in there.
Dianecarroll said…
Ah yes, Such memories. From Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor, and its signature “Zoo” party bowl of ice cream, that included plastic zoo animals embedded in it (choking hazard in todays world). Then “The Cruise” where on Friday and Saturday night the parking lot would be absolutely car to car, driving around the outside of the mall, hanging out with friends, making new friends andeverything EXCEPT shopping. Finally Christmas and School Shopping with my own kids and grandkids....you have served us well Sunrise...thanks for the memories.

Popular posts from this blog

Lost malls of the Bay Area: San Mateo Fashion Island (1981—1995)

Grand opening in 1981: when Fashion Island was the future San Mateo Fashion Island opened on September 24, 1981. It was the latest and greatest mall to open in the Bay Area. Grand opening ad for San Mateo Fashion Island mall—look to us! "Look to us, look to us, Fashion Island, San Mateo, look to us" says the jingle on the radio around 1982. Although I also remember "Hillsdale, it's exciting, Hillsdale, it's inviting. More than any other shopping center, it's happening at Hillsdale now." Weird what sticks. The famous tent on Bullock’s: iconic and unforgettable But everyone’s favorite thing? The tent. The actual tent they slapped onto Bullock’s. It was so big and weird and wonderful that it felt like Cirque du Soleil might appear at any moment—or maybe a three-day clearance sale. From a newspaper photo—The tent roof on Bullock's San Mateo Fashion Island. 1983 Fashion Island Mall directory: a vintage snapshot A directory for the now dead San M...

Top 10 largest malls in Northern California

Looking to explore the biggest shopping destinations in Northern California? Here's a ranked list of the 10 largest malls in the region, based on Gross Leasable Area (GLA)—which usually includes in-line tenants, common area, and anchors. GLA figures are sourced from mall operators and industry data, though slight variations may exist due to rounding or differing definitions. Whether you're a retail enthusiast, real estate researcher, or mall nostalgia buff, these are the heavyweights of Northern California shopping: Top 10 largest malls in Northern California 1.  Westfield Valley Fair  - San Jose Valley Fair Mall, the largest mall in Northern California, is a luxury retail destination—just minutes from Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino. 1,960,000~ sq. ft. Visit Westfield Valley Fair 2. San Francisco Centre - San Francisco 1,500,000~ sq. ft. A flagship urban mall combining historic architecture with luxury retailers. Now facing a wave of tenant closures and vacancy. Vi...

The history of Southland Mall in Hayward — chandeliers, aviaries, and an ice rink

Southland Mall in Hayward will always be the mall that defined my "mall senses." The swoosh of air as you opened the doors, the sound of birds chirping and water trickling, and the smell of popcorn with a hint of chlorine.  Before it became Southland Mall, it almost had a different identity—“Palma Ceia” was the original name for this shopping destination in Hayward. But by the time the doors officially opened on October 22, 1964, the center had taken on a new name, one more fitting for the suburban sprawl it was set to serve. Southland wasn’t built from scratch—it was stitched together. The original Sears store had already been anchoring the area since November 6, 1958. With the addition of a new JCPenney and an enclosed corridor of shops, Southland Mall came to life as one of the East Bay’s most modern shopping experiences. The future had no doors Featured in the May 1965 edition of Architectural Record, Southland Mall was celebrated for a novel idea: an enclosed mall wit...