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Exploring Bayfair Mall in San Leandro – a look back at the year 2000 with the vintage mall directory

In the early 2000s, Bayfair Mall in San Leandro, California was still a functioning regional shopping hub—albeit one showing early signs of the retail shifts that would define the next two decades. Before redevelopment, rebranding, and big-box tenants, the mall was still a classic enclosed shopping center, anchored by familiar names like Macy’s and Montgomery Ward.

But what exactly was inside Bayfair Mall in 2000? Thanks to this rare vintage directory from the turn of the millennium, we get a detailed look at the retail lineup, services, and layout of a mall caught between eras.

A glimpse at the Bayfair Mall directory – 2000 edition

Bayfair Mall 2000 directory showing department stores, specialty shops, and mall amenities.
Bayfair Mall’s 2000 directory — a snapshot of retail life at the turn of the century, including Macy’s, Montgomery Ward, and dozens of now-vanished mall staples. Complete store layout, including food court options, and mall services.

What you would have found at Bayfair Mall in 2000

The directory offers a rich catalog of both national chains and local favorites. Among the notable listings:

  • Anchor stores:

    • Macy’s

    • Montgomery Ward

  • Mall services:

    • Mall security and lost & found

    • Information booth

  • Specialty stores:

    • Macy's Woman, Waldenbooks, Annie's Hallmark, Future Paging & Cellular

    • Footlocker, Kids Footlocker, Lady Footlocker, Foot Action

    • Miller's Outpost, Mrs. Field's Cookies, Longs Drugs

  • Food court tenants:

    • Burger King, Sbarro, Subway Sandwich

    • Local favorites like Chinese Gourmet Express, Honey Treat Yogurt, and Two Pesos

  • Kiosk staples:

    • Cingular Wireless

    • Popcorn Factory

    • Piercing Pagoda

It’s a time capsule of early 2000s retail, right before the smartphone era, and before many anchor chains began consolidating or disappearing entirely.

Why this directory matters

Printed mall directories like this one are becoming increasingly rare—especially as digital signage has replaced physical maps. This paper relic from 2000 doesn’t just show where stores were; it shows what mattered to a regional shopping center at the dawn of the 21st century.

More than just a map, this directory captured a moment in time—just before the retail landscape began its dramatic shift toward online shopping and lifestyle centers.

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