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The mall that killed a parking meter (and then died)

Foothill Square, once a vibrant shopping mall in Oakland, was a product of its time, opening in 1962 with a bold design by Welton Becket & Associates and landscaping by Lawrence Halprin & Associates. Located between MacArthur and Foothill Boulevard, the mall had a pedestrian-focused layout, featuring a central walkway—an innovative idea for the era.

Built by the Draper Company, Foothill Square was anchored by community staples like Lucky Stores, Thrifty Drug Store, and an S.S. Kresge Co. five-and-dime, not the department stores seen in larger malls. The center became a gathering point for locals, reflecting a time when free parking was king. In fact, to mark the beginning of construction in 1961, a ceremonial "burying of a parking meter" symbolized the mall’s commitment to customer convenience.

Jerome C. Draper, Jr. (left) holding a shovel behind a casket with a parking meter.

The mall's design was ahead of its time, combining modernist architecture with lush landscaping. The trees and greenery that once defined its charm are still fondly remembered, even as the years passed.

However, by the early 2000s, Foothill Square began to show signs of aging. The mall’s glory days were behind it, and it struggled to keep up with the changing retail landscape. The once-pristine sign along the MacArthur Freeway became a rusted reminder of better days, and much of the shopping center began to fall into disrepair.

View of the interior mall in July 2011.
Grand trees still there.

In the face of its decline, the decision was made to redevelop the site. Foothill Square’s iconic pedestrian mall was set to be demolished in 2011, and the shopping center's front buildings would be torn down. While the redevelopment promised revitalization, it was bittersweet for many, especially as the mall's design—once considered groundbreaking—was lost to time.

When Foothill Square was a mall (2011).

Though Foothill Square was de-malled, it remains a nostalgic memory for many who remember it as a symbol of a time when malls were community hubs—places not just for shopping, but for gathering and creating memories. And so, the mall that once "buried a parking meter" also became another casualty of the evolving retail world, now a reminder of a different era.

Scott Parsons

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Comments

Hushpuppy212 said…
I used to drive by this center when I took the MacArthur Freeway from San Francisco to my office in Pleasanton. I got off the freeway once to have a look but it wasn't worth the trip (and this was in the late 80's!). I remember H. Liebes, the San Francisco-based women's store, had a branch here until they closed in 1971.
11:23 AM
Unknown said…
Emeryville stole the regional mall role from Oakland long ago.
4:00 PM
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