Town Center Corte Madera, originally known as Corte Madera Center, officially opened its doors on July 17, 1958, bringing the suburban shopping boom to Marin County. Just a few months later, JCPenney joined the growing lineup, followed by Montgomery Ward, which opened on March 16, 1960. Like many mid-century shopping centers across the Bay Area, Corte Madera Center arrived with ambition and architectural flair. Designed for easy access just off U.S. Route 101, it featured large department stores alongside specialty retailers, a format that would become a standard in American retail. Today, Town Center Corte Madera stands as a revitalized open-air shopping hub, blending its historic roots with modern lifestyle and community-focused retail. A vintage postcard glimpse of Town Center Corte Madera One of the best glimpses we have of the center’s early years is a 1960s postcard, most likely taken not long after Montgomery Ward arrived. The scene is carefully staged—photographer Mike Robe...
Explore the malls, department stores, and shopping centers that helped shape postwar Northern California and the suburban communities that grew around them.