The East Bay's Fremont Fashion Center



Greater San Francisco's twenty-fifth mall-type retail complex was built in the East Bay suburb of Fremont. In its original state, the fashion mall covered around 332,700 leasable square feet and featured twenty-three stores and services. 
Graphic from Fritz B. Burns & Associates


The Capwell's chain anchored FREMONT FASHION CENTER. The store, which was the fifth branch in the Oakland-based chain, encompassed 187,000 square feet. It opened for business in February 1968.
Drawing from The Emporium-Capwell Company


The FASHION CENTER mall was built as an upscale counterpart of the decidedly middle-market FREMONT HUB. This complex, situated only .5 mile southwest, had opened in October 1962. It was anchored by Montgomery Ward and the first shopping mall-format Mervyn's (which was also the second store in that chain).
Photo from the Smith Novelty Company
Graphic from the Hapsmith Company