BIGMallrat | Retail history of Northern California

This field guide documents many Mervyn's department store sites across the Northern California, primarily in malls. 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 Mervyn's stores, while others occupied earlier department store anchors. Together, they form a layered record of retail development across postwar California malls. San Jose Location:  Princeton Plaza Role:  Purpose-built Architect : Unknown Original anchor:  No Operational years:  1969–2008 Predecessor store:  None Current use:  Orchard Supply Hardware Opened August 14, 1969. An 82,500-square-foot store, and the fifth in the growing chain. It was their largest store at the time. Alameda Location:  Sou...