Westminster Mall (California)
Westminster Mall is an enclosed, two-level shopping mall in Westminster, California, United States. Opened in August 1974, the mall features anchor stores JCPenney, Macy's, and Target, with one vacant anchor space last occupied by Sears. It is owned and managed by Washington Prime Group.
 The main entrance to Westminster Mall in April 2022 | |
| Location | Westminster, California, United States |
|---|---|
| Address | 1025 Westminster Mall |
| Opening date | August 7, 1974 |
| Developer | Homart Development Company |
| Management | Washington Prime Group |
| Owner | Washington Prime Group |
| No. of stores and services | 122 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 4 (3 open, 1 vacant) |
| Total retail floor area | 1,195,000 sq ft (111,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 2 |
| Website | westminstermall |
Westminster Mall is situated on the corner of Goldenwest Street and Bolsa Avenue in Westminster, California.
History
In the 1920s, the world's largest goldfish farm was relocated to the area where the mall stands today. Construction of the mall began in the 1970s.[1] Westminster Mall opened for business on August 7, 1974,[2] with May Company, Sears and Buffum's, with J. W. Robinson's being added in 1975 as the mall's fourth anchor store.[3]
Three of the mall's anchors changed names in the 1990s. Buffum's closed in May 1991 due to the chain being liquidated. By January 1993, Robinson's and May Company merged to form Robinsons-May. As a result, the May Company store was rebranded Robinsons-May, and the J. W. Robinson's was closed as one of the 12 Robinson's and May Company stores closing as part of the merger. The closed Buffum's store became a Robinson's-May Home Store in March 1993 and in November of that same year, the closed Robinson's store became a JCPenney, which had relocated from Huntington Center Mall (now Bella Terra).[4] In 2002, the Robinsons-May Home Store building was torn down for a new Macy's. When Federated Department Stores (now Macy's, Inc.) purchased Robinsons-May and other May Co. names in September 2006, Macy's moved to the Robinsons-May building, and the former Macy's location soon became a Target. Old Navy was added as well. In 2008, the mall underwent a renovation, relocating the carousel and constructing a play area in its place. The Grand Re-opening was on November 15, 2008. In 2015, the Todai Seafood and Sushi buffet closed and Luxe Buffet replaced it.
In 2015, Sears Holdings spun off 235 of its properties, including the Sears at Westminster Mall, into Seritage Growth Properties.[5]
Gymboree and Crazy 8 closed on August 12, 2017, as part of a plan to close 300 stores nationwide.
On January 4, 2018, it was announced that Sears would be closing as part of a plan to close 103 stores nationwide. The store closed in April 2018, making it the last original anchor store to close.[6] As of January 2021, the space is still vacant.
As of 2023, Spencer Gifts is the last long-term tenant remaining from the opening era of the mall in their original location on the upper level. They were temporarily moved downstairs during the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][8] John's Incredible Pizza shuttered its doors this year due to the mall management to repurposing the space, only leaving Buena Park and Carson locations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Westminster Mall saw a dramatic decline in sales, due to many of its business laying off employees, and their closures. In addition to the financial struggles at the Mall, the rise in online shopping also took a toll on the Mall's revenue. Because of this, in April of 2023, the City of Westminster approved a redevelopment plan to utilize the mall's main building, for mixed-use housing, lodging and retail. This will result in the destruction of parts of the mall's side wings. The plans will start sometime between early to mid 2025.
Transit Access
OCTA Routes 25 & 64
References
- "City of Westminster - History". www.westminster-ca.gov. Archived from the original on October 5, 2007.
- "Multi-level mall due to open". Los Angeles Times. August 6, 1974. Retrieved October 4, 2009.
- "Robinson's Opening in the Westminster Mall". Los Angeles Times. April 13, 1975. Retrieved October 4, 2009.
- "Penney to move store to Westminster". Long Beach Press-Telegram. February 10, 1993. Retrieved October 4, 2009.
- "At Westminster Mall | Seritage".
- "Sears Closing Westminster Mall Location by April". January 4, 2018.
- Hirsh, Lou (April 27, 2023). "Developer Looks to Overhaul Orange County Mall Site With New Apartments, Hotel". CoStar. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- Fry, Hannah (February 26, 2023). "O.C. malls, fading from their hip glory days, may get new lives as apartments". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
