Almaden Plaza in San Jose, California, stands as a reflection of changing suburban retail trends—beginning life in the late 20th century as Almaden Fashion Plaza, a modest open-air mall anchored by The Emporium, and eventually evolving into today’s familiar neighborhood center, now anchored by Costco and a mix of big-box and lifestyle retailers.
This post takes a look back at the mid-2000s version of the plaza, with exclusive photographs taken before its next wave of reinvention.
From Almaden Fashion Plaza to Almaden Plaza
Originally opened as Almaden Fashion Plaza on August 8, 1968, the 35-acre center was designed in a more traditional shopping plaza format with open-air walkways, modest anchor tenants, and a layout that encouraged strolling. Both The Emporium and the shopping center were built by the Emporium Capwell Corporation, a first for the corporation as owner-operator of an entire shopping center.
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| Vintage ad for Almaden Fashion Plaza in San Jose, proudly promoting itself as the "Headquarters for Fashion" with 20 stores including Roos/Atkins, See’s Candies, House of Fabrics, and Waldenbooks—reflecting the center’s stylish suburban appeal in its early years. |
The arrival of The Emporium gave the center a regional identity, placing it on par with other mid-sized malls in the Bay Area.
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| Vintage ad for The Emporium’s grand opening at Almaden Fashion Plaza on August 8, 1968, featuring its distinctive Mission-style roof. Designed by architect Welton Becket, this store was a twin to their Fremont location, bringing upscale shopping to San Jose. |
By February of 1969, the second unit of Almaden Fashion Plaza opened, bringing with it 33 more stores.
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| February 1969 ad announcing the grand opening of Unit Two at Almaden Fashion Plaza, featuring 33 new shops including Harry’s Delicatessen, Baskin-Robbins, and Evelyn’s Coiffures, alongside the plaza’s signature circular light design. |
But like many malls of its era, the closure of The Emporium in 1996 signaled a turning point. The once-iconic “E” logo left a visible label scar on the building for years to come.
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| The faded “E” label scar from The Emporium, still visible in 2005—a decade after the department store’s closure. |
Almaden Plaza in 2005: before the shift
In the mid-2000s, Almaden Plaza retained its open-air feel, though signs of transformation were already appearing. These 2005 photographs offer a glimpse of the center in transition.
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| Open-air interior of Almaden Plaza in San Jose, photographed in 2005, before major redevelopment. |
While some areas remained vibrant, others felt dark and underutilized—especially in covered corridors where smaller tenants like See’s Candies were tucked away.
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| Covered walkway at Almaden Plaza in 2005, with overhanging signs including See’s Candies and other local retailers. |
Despite this, the center still carried charm in its details—like the decorative lamp posts dotting the walkways.
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| A decorative lamp post detail at Almaden Plaza in 2005, reflecting the center’s late-1960s aesthetic. |
A neighborhood center with staying power
Even in 2005, parts of the plaza remained active with visible foot traffic and retail engagement. Shops like Ross Dress for Less, See’s, and restaurants attracted a steady local crowd.
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| Front of Almaden Plaza in 2005, with active storefronts and visible signage for popular retailers. |
A new era: Costco and the reinvention of Almaden Plaza
In 1996, Almaden Plaza entered a new chapter with the arrival of Costco, one of the country’s most powerful retail anchors. Built on the expansive parking lot, Costco’s addition marked a strategic shift away from traditional mall retail and toward big-box convenience and essential shopping.
The warehouse giant took over a large section of the center’s parking lot, instantly transforming foot traffic and helping revitalize the plaza’s ecosystem. Surrounding stores—including Petco, Trader Joe’s, and TJ Maxx—benefited from the constant stream of shoppers drawn to Costco’s high-volume model.
What was once Almaden Fashion Plaza—a modest suburban mall—is now a dependable mixed-use plaza that continues to serve the Almaden Valley and South San Jose communities.
Looking back, and moving forward
Though the open-air walkways and mall-style signage may be gone, these images from 2005 serve as a nostalgic time capsule. They remind us of a different phase in Bay Area retail, one that balanced fashion, local shops, and quiet courtyards before the retail shift toward convenience and big-box scale.
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