This field guide documents many Macy's department store sites across the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey Bay. Each entry records the building’s original anchor tenant, architectural context, and current use.
Unlike a corporate history, this guide focuses on the physical remains of the stores themselves—the structures that still shape mall corridors long after the signage has changed.
Many of these sites began as standalone Macy's stores, while others occupied earlier department store anchors such as Emporium-Capwell or Liberty House. Together, they form a layered record of retail development across postwar California malls.
Macy's - Antioch
The last Macy's to open in the region in a former JCPenney building.
 |
| Macy’s opened at Somersville Towne Center in Antioch in 2004, replacing the former JCPenney. |
Macy's - Capitola
A former JCPenney conversion.
 |
| Macy’s at Capitola Mall opened in 2002, bringing a full-line department store to Santa Cruz County for the first time. |
Macy's - Concord (1)
One of the original anchors of the mall and one of their larger locations.
 |
| Macy’s at Sunvalley Mall in Concord, California, opened in 1967. |
Macy's - Concord (2)
Originally opened as Emporium-Capwell in 1981. Acquired after Macy's absorbed Emporium-Capwell.
 |
| Macy’s second location at Sunvalley Mall, which opened in a former Emporium-Capwell in 1996. |
Macy's - Cupertino
Originally built for Bullock's in 1975. Macy's inherited this store when it acquired Emporium-Capwell in 1996, but the store remained vacant until July 1997 when it became a Macy's clearance center. Later in 1998, it upgraded to a full-line store.
 |
| Macy’s at Vallco Mall in Cupertino, which opened as a Macy’s Clearance Center in July 1997 before upgrading to a full-line store in 1998. Originally a Bullock's, it remained in operation until 2015. |
Macy's - Daly City
The store was originally promised to Westlake Shopping Center, but Macy's banked on the enclosed mall trend instead.
 |
| Macy’s at Serramonte Center in Daly City, part of the mall’s original anchor lineup when it opened in October 1968. |
Macy's - Fairfield
The Fairfield store represented a new direction in architecture.
 |
| Exterior view of Macy’s at Solano Mall in Fairfield, which opened in August 1985 as part of the mall’s expansion into a full regional shopping destination. |
Macy's - Hayward
The store originally opened as Liberty House in 1972 before Emporium-Capwell leased the location in 1983.
 |
| Macy’s at Southland Mall in Hayward, rebranded in 1996 after Federated Department Stores acquired Broadway Stores. The building originally opened in 1972 as Liberty House. |
Macy's - Monterey
A compleley different design meant to complement the shopping center.
 |
| Macy’s at Del Monte Center in Monterey opened in 1967 and still serving as a key anchor of the shopping center. |
Macy's - Palo Alto
A design that introduced arches to the expanding shopping center.
 |
| Macy’s at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto. |
Macy's - Pleasanton (2)
Opened as Emporium-Capwell in 1980. Acquired after Macy's absorbed Emporium-Capwell.
 |
| Macy’s at Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton, a former Emporium-Capwell that became Macy’s in 1996. |
Macy's - Richmond (3)
Role: Converted anchor
Architect: Unknown
Original anchor: No
Operational years: 1998–2021
Predecessor store: Emporium-Capwell
Current use: Vacant
Opened as Capwell's in 1976, became Emporium-Capwell in 1990 before it closed in 1996. The building remained vacant until Macy's moved from its other location in the mall to this one in 1998.
 |
| Macy's set in a former Capwell's at Hilltop Mall in Richmond. |
Macy's - Salinas
Originally opened as The Emporium in 1972.
 |
| Macy's set in a former Emporium at Northridge Mall in Salinas. |
Macy's - San Rafael
Originally opened as The Emporium in 1964. Acquired after Macy's absorbed Emporium-Capwell.
 |
| Macy's set in the former Emporium at Northgate Mall in San Rafael. |
Macy's - Santa Rosa (1)
Built to complement the design of the shopping center.
 |
| Macy’s at Santa Rosa Plaza, which opened on August 8, 1981, as a key anchor of the new downtown shopping center in Sonoma County. |
Macy's Clearance Center - Santa Rosa (2)
Originally opened as Liberty House in 1980 before it closed in 1984. Macy's acquired the site, and turned it into a clearance center until Gottschalk's opened in 1996. Ultimately, the store was demolished for a new Target.
 |
| Macy's operated a clearance center at Coddingtown Mall after it acquired the former Liberty House space. It later became Gottschalks after Macy's closed the location. |
Macy's - Santa Rosa (3)
Originally opened as The Emporium in 1966. Acquired after Macy's absorbed Emporium-Capwell, then they closed their clearance center in the mall.
 |
| Macy’s at Coddingtown Mall in Santa Rosa, a former Emporium-Capwell location that became Macy’s in 1996. |
Macy's - Walnut Creek (1)
Originally opened in 1954 as Capwell's. Acquired after Macy's absorbed Emporium-Capwell.
|
| Macy's set in a former Capwell’s store at Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek. |
Macy's - Walnut Creek (2)
Originally opened as I. Magnin in 1967. After Macy's phased out the brand, they opened a Macy's Men & Juniors in 1996. The store closed after the larger Macy's across the street expanded.
 |
| The I. Magnin building at Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek, pictured in 2006 during its time as Macy’s. The building was later demolished as part of the shopping center’s redevelopment. |
Comments