Few places on the Peninsula have been reinvented as often as Tanforan. Over more than a century, the San Bruno property has served as a racetrack, wartime detention center, regional shopping mall, transit-oriented retail center, and now a candidate for life sciences redevelopment. Each transformation reflected the changing priorities of the Bay Area itself.
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| Annotated Apple Maps view of San Bruno showing the location of Tanforan, positioned off I-380 at El Camino Real. |
From racetrack to retail center (1899–1970)
Before it was a shopping mall, the site was home to Tanforan Park racetrack, which opened in 1899 and gained national fame as a venue for thoroughbred racing. The racetrack is historically significant not only for hosting famous horses such as Seabiscuit, but also for serving as a temporary detention center for Japanese Americans during World War II.
A fire destroyed much of the grandstand in 1964, and the 40-acre property remained largely vacant for the rest of the decade.
By the late 1960s, neighboring Daly City was reaping the benefits of Serramonte Center, which had opened in 1968 and quickly became one of the Peninsula's premier shopping destinations. San Bruno officials saw an opportunity to transform the former racetrack into a commercial center of their own, capturing sales tax revenue and serving the rapidly growing suburbs surrounding San Francisco International Airport.
The result was Tanforan Park Shopping Center, though most residents would simply come to know it as Tanforan Mall.
Tanforan Mall opens
Developed by the Hapsmith Company of Beverly Hills, Tanforan Mall opened in the early 1970s. It gave San Bruno something it had never really possessed before: a regional shopping destination of its own.
The first anchor tenant, Sears, opened on October 28, 1970. The mall itself held a preview opening on March 11, 1971, with approximately 40 stores. JCPenney followed on May 17, 1972, and The Emporium opened on September 28, 1972. The final phase came in 1974 with the addition of a United Artists theatre.
Together, these three department stores formed the backbone of Tanforan Mall. The two-story enclosed mall offered more than 100 stores, a food court, ample free parking, and convenient access from Interstate 380.
A prominent feature of the mall was a bronze statue of Seabiscuit, commemorating the property's racetrack heritage. Following the 2005 redevelopment, the statue was relocated outside near the mall entrance, where it remained a popular landmark for years.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Tanforan thrived. Retailers such as Waldenbooks, Foot Locker, and Miller's Outpost helped establish the mall as a shopping destination for residents of San Bruno, South San Francisco, Daly City, Millbrae, and the broader Peninsula.
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| Artist’s rendering of Tanforan Mall, released in August 1971, depicting the planned design of the shopping center in San Bruno, California. |
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| Vintage advertisement announcing the grand opening of JCPenney at Tanforan on May 17, 1972. The event marked the arrival of one of the mall’s major anchor stores. |
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| Vintage newspaper advertisement for the grand opening of The Emporium at Tanforan on September 28, 1972. As a flagship anchor store, The Emporium brought fashion and department store elegance to the new mall. |
Reinvention and redevelopment (1990s–2005)
The first major change came during the 1990s.
After Macy's parent company acquired Emporium-Capwell, Tanforan's Emporium store closed rather than being converted to Macy's. For a shopping center built around three traditional department stores, losing one of its anchors represented a significant shift.
Target purchased the former Emporium building and opened on March 8, 1997, introducing a different type of anchor tenant. The change reflected broader trends in American retail as discount and big-box retailers increasingly replaced traditional department stores.
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| Vintage 1997 advertisement for the grand opening of Target at Tanforan, featuring special guest appearances by Barbie, Bozo the Clown, San Francisco 49ers fullback William Floyd, and “Days of Our Lives” star Bryan Dattilo. |
By the early 2000s, Tanforan itself was beginning to show its age. Nearby competitors such as Serramonte Center and Hillsdale Shopping Center had undergone substantial renovations, while changing consumer expectations favored newer retail environments.
In response, owner Macerich announced a $140 million redevelopment in 2003. Much of the original enclosed mall was demolished while major anchors, including Sears, remained open during construction.
When the center reopened in October 2005, it emerged with a new identity: The Shops at Tanforan.
The redevelopment introduced contemporary architecture by Altoon + Porter, new national retailers, an expanded food court adjacent to the BART station, and a 20-screen Century Theatres complex that opened in 2007. Direct access to BART and proximity to San Francisco International Airport helped reposition Tanforan as a transit-oriented retail destination for the Peninsula.
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| Architectural detail at The Shops at Tanforan in San Bruno, showcasing the mall’s striking design elements—from sweeping curves to open skylights—that blended modern retail with airy, contemporary style. |
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| Tanforan after its early 2000s renovation, with packed walkways, bright interiors, and a renewed energy that returned the mall to its place as a bustling retail hub on the Peninsula. |
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| The food court at Tanforan, a central gathering spot for shoppers to relax and enjoy a variety of dining options. |
The end of the regional mall (2018–present)
Despite the success of the redevelopment, broader changes in retail eventually caught up with Tanforan.
Sears closed in 2018 as part of the chain's nationwide decline. Although JCPenney, Century Theatres, the Apple Store, and several restaurants remained popular destinations, vacancies increased and foot traffic declined during the late 2010s and early 2020s.
In March 2022, the property was sold to Alexandria Real Estate Equities and SteelWave for redevelopment. JCPenney shuttered its location in 2025 following the company's ongoing nationwide store closures.
Plans call for the site to become a mixed-use campus centered on life sciences and research facilities, while also incorporating a memorial honoring the Japanese Americans detained at the former Tanforan Assembly Center during World War II.
If the project moves forward as proposed, Tanforan's time as a regional shopping mall will come to an end, marking yet another transformation for one of the Peninsula's most historically layered sites.
Legacy of Tanforan
Over more than a century, Tanforan evolved from racetrack to wartime detention center, from regional shopping mall to transit-oriented retail center, and now toward another chapter of redevelopment.
Each transformation reflected changing priorities in the Bay Area itself: recreation, wartime necessity, suburban growth, transit-oriented development, and the modern life sciences economy.
Whether remembered as Tanforan Park racetrack, Tanforan Mall, or The Shops at Tanforan, the property remains one of San Bruno's most historically significant places—a rare site whose history mirrors more than a century of change on the Peninsula.
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