Macy’s made its Bay Area debut in 1945 by acquiring O’Connor, Moffatt & Co. in San Francisco—planting roots long before the suburban mall era took off. But it wasn’t until the 1960s that Macy’s ventured into the Central Valley and Sacramento, opening its first location in the state capital.
The real expansion came in 1995, when Macy’s parent company, Federated Department Stores, acquired longtime California rival Weinstock’s. By 1996, Weinstock’s was folded into Macy’s, and many of its Central Valley and Sacramento stores were rebranded—sometimes resulting in two Macy’s stores in a single mall.
As retail shifted in the 2000s, familiar names like Montgomery Ward, Mervyn’s, and Gottschalks vanished. Even Sears followed suit. The department store model has been shrinking, but Macy’s, for now, endures. While some locations have closed, many remain—reminders of a time when department stores shaped entire communities. Macy’s may not be what it once was, but it’s still here. And for now, we can still say hello to it tomorrow.
Macy's stores in Sacramento and the Central Valley
Macy's Downtown Plaza (1963-2025)
Opened in downtown Sacramento on November 4, 1963. The store opened 113 years after Rowland H. Macy's first attempt at a dry good store in Marysville during the Gold Rush. It failed, but upon his return to New York, he tried again in 1858 and succeeded. This venerable store closed in March 2025.
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| Macy’s Downtown Plaza in Sacramento, opened in 1963 as a modern anchor for the city’s evolving retail core. After more than 60 years of service, the iconic store closed its doors in 2025—marking the end of an era for downtown shopping in California’s capital. |
Macy's Stockton (1965)
Opened at Sherwood Manor Shopping Center (now Sherwood Place) in Stockton on August 5, 1965. With it came a separate auto center and restaurant.
Macy's Birdcage Walk (1979-1996)
Opened at Citrus Heights' Birdcage Walk in 1979. After their Sunrise Mall location opened in 1984, this store became Macy's Men's and Home. Closed in 1996 when Macy's acquired the Weinstock's store at Sunrise Mall. The store was demolished and replaced by Target.
Macy's Vintage Faire (1980)
Opened at Modesto's Vintage Faire Mall in 1980. A second store opened in 1996 when Macy's took over the former Gottschalks store, which had moved across the mall to the former Weinstock's.
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| Exterior view of Macy’s at Vintage Faire Mall in Modesto. This location opened in 1996 when Macy’s took over the former Gottschalks store, which had relocated across the mall into the old Weinstock’s building. |
Macy's Fashion Fair (1983)
Macy's finally came to Fresno with a new store at Fashion Fair Mall in 1983.
Macy's Sunrise (1984-2025)
After acquiring the old Liberty House store, Macy's opened at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights in 1984. With Macy's still at Birdcage Walk across the street, they moved the women's wear sections to this location. A second store opened in 1996 in the former Weinstock's, and the Birdcage Walk location closed. Both stores closed in March 2025.
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| Macy’s at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, originally the Liberty House store, which Macy’s acquired and opened in 1984. |
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| The second Macy’s at Sunrise Mall, opened in 1996 after replacing the Weinstock’s location, closed alongside the original store in March 2025. |
Macy's Arden Fair (1996)
Macy's inherited this Sacramento store when its parent bought Weinstock's in 1996.
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| Macy’s at Arden Fair Mall in Sacramento, originally opened as Hale’s department store, later rebranded as Weinstock’s, before becoming Macy’s in 1996. |
Macy's Country Club Plaza (1996-2019)
Opened in 1996 at Country Club Plaza in Sacramento. Macy's inherited this store when Federated Department Stores (Macy's parent) acquired Broadway Stores (parent of Weinstock's). It closed in 2019.
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| Macy’s at Country Club Plaza in Sacramento, originally a Weinstock’s store before Macy’s acquired it. The store closed in 2019. |
Macy's Roseville (2000)
Macy's opened at the Galleria at Roseville on August 19, 2000.
Macy's River Park (2009)
Opened at The Shops at River Park in Fresno, in the former Gottschalks, in 2009.
Macy's Tracy (2010)
Opened at West Valley Mall in Tracy, in the former Gottschalks, in 2010.
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