BIGMallrat | lost malls, department stores, and Bay Area retail history

In 1986, Southland Mall in Hayward, California was in its retail prime. Located along the I-880 corridor, the mall served as a key shopping destination for southern Alameda County—anchored by big-name department stores and packed with national chains, local boutiques, and a thriving food court. This vintage directory offers a rare look back at Southland Mall during an era when malls were more than retail—they were community hubs. A brief history of Southland Mall Southland Mall originally opened in 1964, developed by Bayshore Properties. The original layout was anchored by JCPenney and Sears, and it featured a single-level interior corridor lined with specialty shops. In the 1970s, the mall expanded and added a Liberty House anchor and ice rink to keep pace with retail trends and consumer expectations. By 1986, Southland had undergone a big renovation, including adding a new lower level food court under JCPenney. Shoppers could find everything from apparel and electronics to music s...

Southland Mall in Hayward will always be the mall that defined my "mall senses." The swoosh of air as you opened the doors, the sound of birds chirping and water trickling, and the smell of popcorn with a hint of chlorine. 1957: the birth of Palma Ceia Shopping Plaza The story of Southland Mall begins in December 1957, when ground was broken on a new project named Palma Ceia Shopping Plaza. The developer, Branden Enterprises, was also responsible for the adjacent Palma Ceia Village, a 1,400-home suburban housing development in Hayward. The shopping center was designed by the acclaimed architecture firm John Graham & Associates, known for projects like Seattle’s Northgate Mall and the Space Needle. Plans called for a massive open-air retail center featuring: A flagship Sears store Two future department stores: JCPenney and Kahn’s of Oakland Multiple inline tenants A unique 6-lane roadway design—Southland Drive—which would originally cut through the mall to...