Before it was Cupertino Square and long before redevelopment talks dominated the headlines, Vallco Fashion Park was quietly trying to hold on.
In 2006, the mall was at a crossroads—literally and figuratively. The once-busy retail center in Cupertino, California still carried its original name but was preparing to rebrand itself as Cupertino Square in 2007 in a bid to regain relevance in a changing retail landscape.
Among the artifacts from this moment in time is a simple, utilitarian piece: the 2006 Vallco mall directory.
An unfancy directory for an uncertain time
The directory itself says a lot.
Printed in black and white on basic legal-sized paper, it was stuck in mall directory signs near entrances. Nothing glossy. Nothing fancy. Just a name, a map, and a list of tenants trying to hang on in a space that was clearly struggling.
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| Front page of the 2006 Vallco Fashion Park directory, highlighting the upcoming AMC Theatres (Spring 2007), dining options, mall hours, gift certificates, and leasing opportunities. |
Anchors still standing
At this time, JCPenney, Macy’s, and Sears remained as Vallco’s core anchor tenants—holdovers from its peak era. Their presence gave the mall some regional pull, but most smaller tenants had already moved on, or would soon follow.
Still open in 2006:
Foot Locker
Pacific Sunwear (PacSun)
GNC
Grain D’or Bakery (the reason I went that day)
Fresh Choice– a local favorite buffet-style restaurant
Dynasty Chinese Seafood Restaurant– technically located on the mostly-vacant lower level
And notably, the Ice Center of Cupertino, located in the basement level, continued to operate—long a draw for local families and skaters.
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| Mall directory map and store listings from Vallco Fashion Park in 2006. Anchor stores like Macy’s, JCPenney, and Sears are still present, along with a short list of retailers and the nearly vacant lower level. |
A lower level with not much below
The mall map in the directory shows a lower level, but with one big caveat: virtually no stores remained there, except for Dynasty Chinese Seafood Restaurant and the Ice Center. The rest was blank space—literally and symbolically.
For locals who remember walking the quiet, echoing corridors of Vallco during this period, it was clear that the center was in limbo. This directory confirms it.
From Vallco Fashion Park to Cupertino Square
Later in 2007, mall management rebranded the center as Cupertino Square, part of a broader attempt to modernize and re-energize the property. Renovations followed, including a new AMC Theatres, updated signage, new paint, and efforts to attract new tenants.
But the 2006 directory remains a reminder of a very specific moment—a mall in transition, hanging on between identities.
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