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Exploring Factoria Square mall (now Marketplace at Factoria) in Bellevue – a look back at 1989 with the vintage directory

In 1989, Factoria Square mall in Bellevue, Washington was in its prime—buzzing with shoppers and anchored by a lineup that perfectly captured the late-1980s suburban retail boom. A newly unearthed mall directory from that year offers a nostalgic glimpse into a center that had just expanded in 1988, bringing new life and national brands to the Eastside.

Factoria Square mall directory cover — 1989

Front cover of the 1989 Factoria Square Mall directory displaying mall hours, information about the Walk for Life senior fitness program, and directions to the mall.
Factoria Square Mall 1989 directory cover featuring mall hours, Walk for Life senior fitness program, and directions.

At the heart of the mall’s appeal were its anchor stores: Mervyn’s, Target, Lamonts, Ernst, Pay 'n Save, and Safeway. Together, they formed a powerhouse mix of apparel, home improvement, pharmacy, and grocery—essentially a one-stop hub for families and weekend errands. The addition of Mervyn’s and Target in 1988 marked a turning point for the mall, coinciding with broader renovations and tenant additions aimed at turning Factoria into a serious competitor to larger Eastside retail centers.

1989 Factoria Square mall map and store directory

Map of Factoria Square Mall from 1989, displaying the layout and directory of stores across the mall, highlighting anchor locations such as Mervyn’s, Target, Lamonts, Ernst, Pay 'n Save, and Safeway
1989 Factoria Square Mall map and directory showing store layout, including anchors like Mervyn’s, Target, Lamonts, Ernst, Pay 'n Save, and Safeway.

While Lamonts brought regional flair with department store fashion, Target—already a rising star in the national retail landscape—anchored the mall's future. Ernst and Pay 'n Save served everyday needs, and Safeway made Factoria unique among malls by offering full grocery shopping in the same footprint as clothing, toys, and hardware.

One of the biggest challenges for mall designers and tenants in this era was balance: creating a walkable, indoor experience that felt both convenient and varied. In 1989, Factoria Square delivered just that, offering a mix of big-box reliability and neighborhood accessibility.

Then vs. now: Factoria Square mall to Marketplace at Factoria

Fast forward to today, and Factoria Square mall has been rebranded as the Marketplace at Factoria. Many of the original anchors have disappeared due to national closures or retail reshuffling—Mervyn’s, Lamonts, Ernst, and Pay 'n Save are all long gone.

  • Safeway is now Amazon Fresh
  • Pay 'n Save is now Rite Aid
  • Lamonts is now the Restoration Hardware Outlet and TJ Maxx
  • Ernst is now Old Navy and Ulta
  • Mervyn's is now T&T Supermarket
  • Nordstrom Rack was added in 2015

Today’s Marketplace at Factoria leans more into discount fashion, convenience stores, and large-format retail, reflecting shifting shopping habits and the evolution of brick-and-mortar in a digital age. The mall now includes entertainment and dining options, but no longer has the department-store-driven feel it had in the late ’80s.

Still, for those who remember the smell of popcorn at Pay 'n Save or shopping for back-to-school clothes at Lamonts, the 1989 directory is more than just a list of tenants—it’s a memory map of a very different era in Bellevue retail.

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