Published: November 3, 2006 · Last updated: September 23, 2026
When Eastridge Mall opened on May 17, 1971, it was promoted as the largest shopping mall in the West. Developed by Bayshore Properties and Homart Development Company, the East San Jose center brought more than 160 stores, four major department stores, and more than 1.7 million square feet of retail space to a former agricultural landscape.
But Eastridge was notable for more than its size. Its three-level design, dramatic Grand Court, fountains, commissioned artwork, bold colors, and unusual split-level layout represented a new approach to the regional shopping center. The mall was designed not simply as a place to shop, but as a destination and public space.
Early postcards captured that ambition. Their views of the Grand Court, department stores, fountains, sculpture, and brightly finished interiors preserve Eastridge as it appeared during its opening era, before decades of renovation transformed much of the original design.
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| 1971 postcard of Eastridge Mall’s Grand Court, centered on Jarman with the sleek plexiglass information booth gleaming below. The cascading red carpet, steel fountain sculpture, and triple-level design showcase the mall’s bold architectural ambition. |
The back of the postcard reads: "The 'Grand Court' area of the Eastridge regional shopping center in San Jose, California, features modern shaped plexiglass information booth and a spectacular sculpture in steel by the world famous sculptress, Stephanie Scuris. The center, which is constructed on three levels, boasts four major department stores and 146 other stores."
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| Annotated Apple Maps view of San Jose showing the location of Eastridge Mall, east of downtown, positioned off Capitola Expressway and Tully Road. |
A new era of mall design
Earlier enclosed malls had focused primarily on efficiency: department stores connected by corridors lined with smaller shops. Eastridge took a more ambitious approach. Architect Avner Naggar created a multi-level environment built around dramatic sightlines, expansive public spaces, and a soaring Grand Court that rose three stories at its center. Rather than simply moving shoppers from one store to another, the design encouraged visitors to linger and explore.
The mall's scale was matched by its attention to atmosphere. Landscape architect Lawrence Halprin and Associates helped shape the public spaces, while fountains, commissioned artwork, bold colors, and rich interior finishes transformed Eastridge into a destination in its own right. At a time when shopping centers were becoming important civic gathering places, Eastridge reflected the growing belief that a mall could be an experience as memorable as the stores themselves.
Built on former agricultural land in East San Jose, Eastridge helped usher in a new era of mall design in Northern California.
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| Ad announcing the grand opening of Eastridge Mall on May 17, 1971. Billed as “the largest in the West,” the mall promised fine stores, four major department stores, three climate-controlled levels, and a new era of Bay Area shopping. |
The Grand Court
The architectural centerpiece of Eastridge was the Grand Court.
Stretching three levels high between Macy's and Liberty House, the Grand Court served as the mall's central gathering space. Visitors arriving in the early 1970s encountered sweeping expanses of red carpeting, dramatic sightlines across multiple levels, and a large fountain crowned by a steel sculpture created by Stephanie Scuris.
Unlike many contemporary malls that emphasized retail efficiency above all else, the Grand Court was designed to create a sense of spectacle. The space felt almost theatrical, encouraging visitors to linger, meet friends, and experience the mall as a public destination.
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| 1970s postcard of Eastridge Mall's Grand Court, with Stephanie Scuris' steel sculpture rising from the central fountain beneath the three-story atrium. The red carpet and layered balconies emphasize the dramatic scale of the original design. |
The back of the card reads: "Eastridge Shopping Center, the largest in the West, is a shopper's paradise, comprising over 160 shops and four major department stores under one roof. The three climate controlled levels are unique in their bold design. Capitol Expressway, Tully and Quimby Roads, San Jose, California."
The sculpture remained one of the mall's defining features for decades before eventually being relocated to downtown San Jose.
A second postcard view looks across the Grand Court toward Macy's, showing just how much open space the original design created between the department stores.
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| Postcard of the Grand Court looking toward Macy’s at Eastridge Mall. The soaring center court stretches wide, showcasing Stephanie Scuris’ dramatic steel sculpture, gleaming under natural light. |
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| Newspaper clipping showing the Grand Court shortly after Eastridge Mall opened in 1971. The fountain and Stephanie Scuris sculpture anchored the three-story atrium, creating a dramatic public space that helped distinguish Eastridge from earlier generations of enclosed malls. Photo: San Francisco Chronicle, August 12, 1971. |
The department stores
At opening, Eastridge featured four major department stores: Macy's, Liberty House, Sears, and JCPenney. Together they anchored what was then one of the largest enclosed shopping centers in California.
The department stores were more than anchors on a leasing plan. They helped define the mall's visual identity and gave shoppers distinct destinations within the enormous complex.
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| A 1970s postcard captures Liberty House and Joseph Magnin, two of the stores that helped give Eastridge its distinctly 1970s retail identity. |
The Sears Court
The Grand Court was Eastridge's architectural showpiece, but the mall's smaller courts and concourses carried the same design language into the everyday shopping experience. The Sears Court postcard offers a glimpse of the interior away from the central atrium, with bold blue carpeting, storefronts, and a long sightline toward JCPenney.
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| Postcard of the Sears Court at Eastridge Mall, featuring bold blue carpet and a clear view down the concourse toward JCPenney. Along the way, familiar storefronts like The Clothes Barn and Singer flank the path. |
The mystery level
One of Eastridge's most unusual design features was its split-level layout, an architectural choice that reflected the mall's emphasis on drama and exploration rather than simple efficiency.
Although commonly described as a three-level mall, portions of the building included an intermediate level that often confused first-time visitors. Elevators and stairways connected spaces that did not always align neatly with the mall's main floors, creating a layout unlike most Bay Area shopping centers.
For longtime shoppers, this "mystery level" became part of Eastridge's character. For others, it was simply confusing.
As retail design trends shifted toward openness and simplicity, these complex vertical relationships increasingly came to be viewed as obstacles rather than attractions.
Reinventing Eastridge
By the early 2000s, shopping mall design had changed dramatically.
In an effort to modernize the center, Eastridge introduced a series of renovations that altered many of its original architectural features. New skybridges were added to connect upper levels and improve circulation through the Grand Court.
While futuristic in appearance, the bridges interrupted the dramatic openness that had originally defined the central atrium.
Additional renovations followed. The fountain was removed, portions of the interior were reconfigured, and the intermediate level that had helped define Eastridge's unique character was eliminated. Much of the mall's original 1970s design language gave way to a more contemporary retail environment.
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| Pictured in 2003, Eastridge Mall's three-story skybridge, an effort to improve shopper flow and connect the three levels more efficiently. While futuristic in concept, the skybridges added visual clutter to the Grand Court and were ultimately removed during later renovations. Photo courtesy of Dean Lundstrom. |
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| 2003-era view of Macy's at Eastridge. Glass and steel architectural elements reflected the mall's modernization efforts, while much of the original 1971 structure still remained intact. Photo courtesy of Dean Lundstrom. |
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| 2003 view of Eastridge's distinctive elevator, located in the Grand Court. The elevator connected the mall's unusual split-level arrangement, a feature that contributed to Eastridge's reputation for having a "mystery level." Photo courtesy of Dean Lundstrom. |
Legacy of Eastridge
Today, Eastridge remains one of San Jose's important shopping centers, but its appearance differs significantly from the mall that opened in 1971.
The red-carpeted Grand Court, Stephanie Scuris' sculpture, fountain, and unusual multi-level layout have largely passed into memory. The postcards from Eastridge's opening era preserve those features at a moment when the mall's original vision was still intact.
They also show something that architectural plans and store directories cannot: what Eastridge actually felt like as a place. The scale of the Grand Court, the bold carpeting, the department-store storefronts, and the layers of balconies and open space reveal a shopping center designed to make an impression.
More than fifty years later, much of that original design has been altered. But the postcards remain a record of Eastridge at the beginning of its life—and of a period when regional malls were being designed as architectural statements, civic gathering places, and destinations in their own right.
Collection
Shopping centers that shaped retail history across Santa Clara County from the 1950s through today.
Comments
Eastridge was also the place where one could get up close and personal with contemporary art. The "seating pit", that popular icon of the 70's, was not only a cozy place to share with complete strangers, it also usually included a 30 ft high mass of crafted steel to get acquainted with. Somehow this became a signature of Taubman's malls and although I cannot say the seating pits were successful from a sociological, or even practical point of view, they were very cool nonetheless, and later included planters to soften them. The seating pits at Eastridge are long gone, and now Stoneridge is tearing theirs out for new "upscale seating". I haven't been to Hilltop in a while, but that might be the only hope for contemporaty 70's mall seating in the San Francisco region.
The randomness of all the steps looks very cool, but it was probably an insurance nightmare. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot of falls. I believe that today, handrails may be required for all steps like that.
The changes in elevation of the mall's levels had nothing to do with the topography of the building site. These were created deliberately as part of the formula for inserting the middle level along two sides of the grand court. The upper and lower levels at the Sears end were intentionally set higher than the upper and lower levels at the JCPenney end. At the grand court, the middle level was inserted on two sides and it played a role in the transition of the upper and lower levels between Sears and JCPenney. It was done in a similar manner at Woodfield, too. Only in that case, the JCPenney wing was higher and the Sears wing was lower.
With all that said - take a second look at the photo. There was a lot of care put in to using different colored tile to make the steps very distinguishable so that patrons would not fall on them. I don't ever remember the steps being problematic for any reason other than they could tire out shoppers and distract them from looking into the stores.
One of these days I'll have to get to Woodfield.
Eastridge did put in a series of ramps to comply with the ADA. However, the stairs are still there! In fact, there is a set of stairs on the second level from the center court towards Penney's. Those are new because of the removal of the mysterious middle level.
Scott
We were referring to the steps that are all over the floor of the lower level, particularly as seen in the photo going from the fountain sculpture back to Liberty House. While lovely to look at, those steps occur at random intervals and angles and surely were problematic to one degree or another. If you look closely near the Liberty House, you'll even see a set of steps with a small ramp through the middle -- all with no handrails. Although I haven't been to Eastridge in over a year, I'm fairly certain that these steps have all been taken out. That's not to say that all stairs are gone. Obviously, there are still stairs at Eastridge, but not the sea of random steps that are seen in this photo.
On another topic, does anyone have old Eastridge directories from the original Taubman era? I don't recall if I've ever seen the original Eastridge logo or not. It would also be interesting to see the list of tenants. Does anyone know what that store is on the lower level, two floors below Jarman and directly below what appears to be Eastpoint Imports? What is the tenant to the right of Eastpoint Imports on the middle level?
Compared to what it used to be like, it's a lot flatter... the stairs are grouped together now. But, they still have them in unusual places and a number of sets that makes it weird. I couldn't imagine it any worse!
The store two down from Jarman? I blew up the picture and could make out "The V--- Two"
Sound familiar?
Scott
Scott
Good work. Thanks. I wonder if The Wax Tree might have been a candle shop, something like Wicks 'n' Sticks. Okay, so what's the tenant to the right of the Eastpoint Imports on the middle level? My guess is that it's some kind of restaurant.
I talked it over with a friend and we think the restaurant on the mid level with the striped awnings was a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. Above that on the top level is the World's Fare Restaurant which was like a food court. Bottom level with the white windows is See's Candies.
Here I was trying to figure out the store between Farrell's and Eastpointe. Petite Sophistocate? :)
Scott
Between The Wax Tree and See's Candies is Albert's Hosiery. Never had reason to go inside one, but I know that at one time they had three locations in Woodfield. Hot Sam pretzels also had three locations in Woodfield. Did any stores have multiple locations in Eastridge? I don't mean relocating from one space to another, but rather multiple locations that coexisted.
So, you got me!
It looked like a Farrell's to me... or TGIFriday's.
Scott
She thinks it was a burger place or Swenson's Ice Creamery.
Scott
But if it was a restaurant, it wouldn't surprise me. My parents and I drove all the way down from Richmond many times to visit Eastridge in the early 70's, and I remember seeing a lot of things that I'd never seen before.
Taubman obviously opted for a lot of experimentation at Eastridge, which was consistent with the fact that the San Jose area was often the "launching point" for many new retail concepts, largely becuase of available land. In fact, I remember a small shop(I think on the middle level) that was a combination Far east gift shop with a small tea and sandwich shop attached. That was wild, though it didn't last long. Anyone remember that?
BTW, what did they do with the middle level in the renovation? Did they knock it out and combine it either the upper or lower levels, or does it still exist and just hidden and closed off?
If I recall, the Eastridge JC Penney was the last Bay Area store that opened with the 60's era "Penneys" logo. J.C. Penney himself died not too long after that and I think that's when they switched back to using the "JC", possibly as a tribute.
The mystery goes on.
Scott
I looked up the location of Todai and now realize that's where Farrell's was located. I think we even ate there once at my insistence -- upper level, near Penney's, on the south entrance to the mall. Too bad they are not still around. It's interesting how Friday's is doing so well on a similar concept.
I only remember the Bumbleberry's that was located in Fremont...lots of purple decor to say the least. Not sure there was one in Eastridge.
I noticed in the pics at Steve's site that there was also a Tiffany's at Eastridge which I absolutely have no recollection of. I noticed there was one in the old pics of Northridge Mall as well. Anyone have any insight into what Tiffany's was??
Alas, I'll have to take a drive down to Eastridge sometime soon to figure out what they have turned the place into. The last time I was there was just before the remodeling. Judging by the lease plan, the upper level has a strange dead end on the south side that used to be the Liberty House wing. Doesn't look like good mall design, but I'll have to see what it's like in person.
I also read that the AMC theaters (that were supposed to go in the demolished Liberty House spot) were built instead over by Sears because the approach to the Reid-Hillview airport imposed restrictions. I assume these are the same restrictions that caused Taubman to throw up their hands on the property.
@Dean: Tiffany's was a chain of bakeries that were found in malls nationwide. They seemed to be everywhere and suddenly they were nowhere. I don't know if any remain, but I haven't seen one in more than ten years.
I'd take a fresh loaf of french bread over to trade for some summer sausage. I was sitting on the roof of sears eating my summer sausage lunch when a small plane comming in for a landing at Ried hill view airport wheel clipped the top of the building flipped and skidded upside down on the roof
noone was hurt and I was outa there in a hurry.
Thank you,
Desperately Seeking Tonia
the department store that was close to Judy's. Does anyone else remember if Express was there around 1984-87?
Seems to me..Farrell's was on the side of the mall. See's candies are still a household favorite..we have that in kiosks in the malls here in Minnesota. Yes..we have the Mall of American and yes it's HUGE...but when you are small child that was wowed by the biggest mall in the West, the MOA wasn't so big...though I know it is...very impressive. My childhood memories are always with Eastridge and Woolworth's MALTS!!!! yum...great, fun memories with my brothers...btw I had a no boys 5th birthday...they were aloud though cuz they didn't count. Thanks for reading my memories of ERM...