Few shopping centers in the Bay Area occupied a site with a history quite like Tanforan. Long before shoppers browsed department stores and food courts, this land was home to one of California's most famous racetracks, a wartime detention center, and eventually one of the Peninsula's largest shopping malls.
Originally developed by the Hapsmith Company of Beverly Hills, Tanforan Park Shopping Center opened in 1971 on the former racetrack site. Over the following decades, the property would reinvent itself several times, reflecting the changing priorities of the Bay Area itself.
 |
| Artist’s rendering of Tanforan Park Mall, released in August 1971, depicting the planned design of the shopping center in San Bruno, California. |
From racetrack to retail center (1899–1970)
Before it was a shopping mall, the site was home to Tanforan 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.
Tanforan Park Shopping Center opens
When Tanforan Park Shopping Center 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.
Together, these three department stores formed the backbone of Tanforan Park Shopping Center. 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.
 |
| Vintage advertisement announcing the grand opening of JCPenney at Tanforan Park Mall on May 17, 1972. The event marked the arrival of one of the mall’s major anchor stores. |
 |
| Vintage newspaper advertisement for the grand opening of The Emporium at Tanforan Park Mall on September 28, 1972. As a flagship anchor store, The Emporium brought fashion and department store elegance to the new mall. |
The first major change: Target replaces The Emporium
The first significant shift occurred during the 1990s.
After Macy's parent company absorbed Emporium-Capwell, the decision was made to close Tanforan's Emporium rather than convert it into a Macy's location. For a shopping center built around three major department store anchors, losing one of them represented a substantial change.
Target purchased the building and opened on March 8, 1997, bringing a different kind of anchor tenant to the property. The transition reflected broader changes taking place in American retail, as traditional department stores increasingly gave way to discount and big-box retailers.
 |
| Vintage 1997 advertisement for the grand opening of Target at Tanforan Mall, featuring special guest appearances by Barbie, Bozo the Clown, San Francisco 49ers fullback William Floyd, and “Days of Our Lives” star Bryan Dattilo. |
Reinvention as The Shops at Tanforan (2003–2005)
By the early 2000s, Tanforan was beginning to show its age. Competing centers such as Hillsdale Shopping Center and Serramonte Center had undergone substantial upgrades, while newer retail formats were changing consumer expectations.
In response, mall owner Macerich launched a $140 million redevelopment project in 2003.
The original interior mall was largely demolished, although major anchors such as Sears remained open during construction. When the center reopened in October 2005, it emerged with a new name: The Shops at Tanforan.
The redevelopment fundamentally reshaped the property. Among the most significant changes were:
- A new design by architects Altoon + Porter and developer Wattson Breevast
- A large food court positioned near the BART entrance
- New national retailers including Old Navy, Barnes & Noble, and Forever 21
- A 20-screen Century Theatres complex, which opened in 2007
The transformation repositioned Tanforan as a modern lifestyle-oriented shopping center with direct access to BART and close proximity to San Francisco International Airport.
 |
| 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. |
 |
| The Shops at Tanforan in full swing after its early 2000s renovation, with packed walkways, bright interiors, and a renewed energy that briefly returned the mall to its place as a bustling retail hub on the Peninsula. |
 |
| The food court at Tanforan Mall, a central gathering spot for shoppers to relax and enjoy a variety of dining options. |
Decline and redevelopment
Although The Shops at Tanforan enjoyed renewed popularity following its redevelopment, broader changes in retail eventually caught up with the center.
Sears closed in 2018 as part of the chain's nationwide decline. JCPenney shuttered its Tanforan location in 2020 during bankruptcy proceedings. Despite retaining popular attractions such as Century Theatres, the Apple Store, and a variety of restaurants, the center experienced rising vacancies and declining foot traffic throughout the late 2010s and early 2020s.
In March 2022, the property was sold for $328 million to Alexandria Real Estate Equities and SteelWave.
Plans call for the site to be redeveloped into a mixed-use campus featuring office and laboratory space, along with a public memorial honoring the Japanese Americans detained at the former racetrack during World War II.
As of 2025, demolition and redevelopment efforts are expected to be underway, marking the end of Tanforan as a traditional regional shopping mall.
Legacy of Tanforan
Few places on the Peninsula have reinvented themselves as dramatically as Tanforan.
Over more than a century, the site evolved from racetrack to wartime detention center to regional shopping center and, soon, to a new generation of commercial development. Each era left its mark on the property, reflecting the changing needs and priorities of the Bay Area.
Whether remembered as Tanforan Racetrack, Tanforan Park Shopping Center, or The Shops at Tanforan, the site remains one of San Bruno's most historically significant places—a rare location whose story mirrors more than a century of Peninsula history.
Comments