Exploring Sunvalley Mall in Concord – a look back at 1988 with the vintage mall directory

In 1988, Sunvalley Mall in Concord, California stood as a gleaming example of late 20th-century suburban retail—a boxy, two-level mall filled to the brim with department stores, specialty shops, and a distinct sense of '80s mall culture. The mall's official directory from that year is more than a guide—it’s a time capsule, capturing the final chapter of Sunvalley’s original design before its sweeping early '90s renovation.

Four anchors, endless possibility

Sunvalley was a powerhouse of retail, anchored by four major department stores:

Macy’s
Emporium-Capwell
Sears
JCPenney

Each corner of the mall was dominated by one of these giants, drawing in a mix of shoppers—from back-to-school parents to fashion-conscious teens. Inside, over 160 specialty retailers filled the mall's two linear levels, including mall-era staples like Contempo Casuals, MerryGoRound, B. Dalton Bookseller, and Docktor Pet Center.

Flat, boxy, and built for foot traffic

Before the 1991–1992 renovation, Sunvalley Mall had a strictly box-shaped, linear design—a no-nonsense layout optimized for efficiency over aesthetics. Shoppers navigated two straightforward levels connected not by elevators, but by escalators and a few staircases. In fact, the mall was notable for its complete lack of elevators, an unusual omission for a two-story shopping center of its size. Accessibility was handled by elevators in the department stores, or knowing which level to park in the immense garage.

For many, the escalator rides themselves were part of the experience—offering a full view of shoppers below, the sun-drenched terrazzo floors (at least on the upper level), and the central court with its fountain or seasonal display.

Not just shopping: entertainment included

The 1988 directory also boasted two standout attractions that made Sunvalley more than just a place to buy things:

The Sunvalley Ice Arena, located adjacent to the mall, gave visitors a place to skate year-round.
Sunvalley Cinema, tucked into the complex, offered a convenient moviegoing option—ideal for post-shopping downtime or weekend dates.

Together, they helped solidify Sunvalley as a regional hub of leisure and entertainment, not just commerce.

Hours, phones, and the human touch

The front side of the directory served as an all-in-one guide to mall life: store names and direct-dial phone numbers (no apps needed), mall hours, and a reminder of customer services available at the information desk—stroller rentals, lost and found, and friendly in-person assistance.

The layout featured smiling models in quintessential 1980s outfits—big hair, shoulder pads, and probably pastel color palettes if they were in color—mirroring the crowds you'd actually see coming out of Command Performance or Benetton on a Saturday afternoon.

A scan of the front of Sunvalley Mall’s 1988 directory. The page includes an alphabetical list of store phone numbers, mall hours of operation, available guest services, and directions to the mall. The design is clean and functional, with bright colors and photos of smiling models dressed in classic 1980s fashion, evoking the era’s pop-culture aesthetic.

Front of the 1988 Sunvalley Mall directory, featuring a complete store phone list, mall hours, services, and directions—topped off with cheerful 1980s-style imagery straight out of a sitcom.

Mapping a pre-renovation mall

The mall map printed on the reverse side of the directory reflects a time before the sweeping renovations of the early 1990s gave Sunvalley its now-familiar angled concourses in the center court, updated skylights, and opening up the floor between the upper and lower levels. If I recall correctly, this was just after the lower level entrance to Sears was opened up to the mall.

In 1988, Sunvalley was pure function: a rectangular grid of retail lined with clean, boxy storefronts, simple signage, and white and brown tiled corridors. This was a mall built for movement and convenience, with very little of the visual flair that would define its post-renovation years.

A scan of the back of Sunvalley Mall’s 1988 directory, displaying a detailed illustrated map of the two-level mall. The layout is rectangular and grid-like, reflecting the pre-renovation design. Major department stores—Macy’s, Emporium-Capwell, Sears, and JCPenney—anchor the corners. The map also highlights Sunvalley Ice Arena and the Cinema, with clearly marked store locations, entrances, and escalators but no elevators.

Back of the 1988 Sunvalley Mall directory showing a full-color map of the mall’s original boxy layout, with anchor stores Macy’s, Emporium-Capwell, Sears, and JCPenney, plus the Sunvalley Ice Arena and Cinema.

Looking back

The 1988 Sunvalley Mall directory captures the mall at a turning point—still thriving in its original design, but on the cusp of a transformation that would reshape it for the 1990s and beyond. This was a time when malls were cultural epicenters, where you could spend an entire day shopping, skating, catching a movie, and having a slice of pie at Anna Miller's Coffee Shop—all without checking your phone.

Today, as the retail world continues to evolve, the 1988 directory stands as a nostalgic reminder of how malls once were: sprawling, social, tactile, and unmistakably analog.

BIGMallrat | lost malls, department stores, and Bay Area retail history

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