Greater Seattle's Bellevue (Shopping) Square


Seattle-based Frederick & Nelson anchored the original cluster-type shopping center. The store, which carried only women's and children's merchandise, opened in August 1946. In 1956, F & N moved to a larger (full-line) location in the complex. This circa-'46 store then became a J.J. Newberry 5 & 10.

Built on the site of the Cheriton Fruit Garden strawberry farm, the original complex was laid out on a city street grid, similar to that used for Kansas City, Missouri's COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA. In the early days, the retail facility was known as either BELLEVUE SQUARE or BELLEVUE SHOPPING SQUARE. The "SHOPPING" reference had fallen out of use by the late 1960s. 

A circa-1948 aerial view of the SQUARE, looking toward the northwest. The original Frederick & Nelson store is seen in the center of the photo.
Photo from Eastside Heritage Center / Bellevue, Washington


A ground level view of the early complex. The famed Madrona Tree is seen in the background. It stood in front of the Clark's Crabapple Restaurant for several years.
Photo from http://bellevuesquareexpansion.com

Frederick & Nelson's second BELLEVUE SQUARE store was dedicated in August 1956. It encompassed 3 levels and 185,000 square feet. A primary feature was its Rhododendron Room restaurant.
Drawing from Marshall Field & Company


BELLEVUE SQUARE was expanded throughout the 1950s and '60s. Here we have a composite plan, covering the years between 1956 and 1967. The second Frederick & Nelson store is shown, along with a dry-goods-only J.C. Penney. This store began business in August 1958. A third anchor, Nordstrom Best, was dedicated in November 1967.

Clark's Crabapple Restaurant, a circa-1946 charter tenant. This snapshot was taken in 1969.
Photo from Eastside Heritage Center / Bellevue, Washington


Another 1969 snapshot. Here we see two of the businesses that fronted on Bellevue Way...on the east side of the shopping center.
Photo from Eastside Heritage Center / Bellevue, Washington

The BELLEVUE SQUARE Nordstrom Best was rebranded as a bona fide Nordstrom department store in December 1972. It was replaced with a new (and substantially larger) store in November 1981. Following the move, the original location seen here was divided into 2 levels of inline stores, which were incorporated into a new, fully-enclosed mall.
Photo from Eastside Heritage Center / Bellevue, Washington


In  1969, the Mamselle ladies' wear boutique and Mr. Paul's Hair Design salon were BELLEVUE SQUARE tenants.
Photo from Eastside Heritage Center / Bellevue, Washington

A 142 million dollar rebuild of BELLEVUE SQUARE got underway in the late '70s. The seven city blocks of the old shopping hub were merged into one. A 2-level, fully-enclosed mall was built. It incorporated the Frederick & Nelson and Nordstrom Best structures (in black). The new venue, completed in August 1984, spanned over one million leasable square feet, with a roster of 145 stores and services.

A yuletide view of The BELLEVUE SQUARE Macy's (nee' The Bon Marche).
Photo from www.realtor.com / "Seamark"


The Center Court's former Clock Tower. It was removed during a 2007-2008 face lift refurbishment.
Photo from www.flickr.com / "Jeslu"


Crate & Barrel and CORNER AT BELLEVUE SQUARE were a year 2000 addition.
Photo from www.crateandbarrel.com

By 2007, the SQUARE has been joined by two mixed-use facilities; BELLEVUE PLACE (1989) and LINCOLN SQUARE (2006). The three complexes are now promoted collectively as THE BELLEVUE COLLECTION.  Among the three, there are 250 stores and services, 18 sit-down restaurants, 700 luxury hotel rooms, a 16-screen movie megaplex and 10,000 parking spaces.

BELLEVUE SQUARE TENANTS 2007:

J.C. PENNEY (with Portrait Studio and Beauty Salon) / MACY'S / MACY'S HOME STORE / NORDSTROM (with Nordstrom Cafe & Ebar) / Abercrombie & Fitch apparel / Aerosoles shoes / Aldo Shoes / Allure Alterations & Nail Care / American Eagle Outfitters / Ann Taylor ladies' wear / Ann Taylor Loft ladies' wear / Apple Store / April Cornell / Arden B. / Auntie Anne's Pretzels /  Aveda Experience Centers / A|X Armani Exchange / Bailey, Banks & Biddle jewelers / Banana Republic Petites / Banana Republic Women / Bank of America / Barcelino / Bare Escentuals  cosmetics / Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream / BCBG Max Azria ladies' wear / Beauty Works cosmetics Bebe ladies' wear / Ben Bridge Jeweler / Blue Willi's / Bose home electronics / Brighton Collectibles / Brooks Brothers men's wear / Brookstone / Build-A-Bear Workshop / Cache / Cento & Fanti restaurant / Champs Sports / Chico's ladies' wear / Cinnabon / Cingular Wireless / Claire's Accessories / Clarks England / Club Libby Lu children's wear / Coach accessories / Coldwater Creek ladies' wear / Crabtree & Evelyn cosmetics / Crate & Barrelhouseware / David Lawrence / Eddie Bauer apparel / Excalibur Cutlery & Gifts / Express ladies' wear / Fabri Fine Jewelry, Limited / Fireworks / Foot Locker / Friedlander's Jewelers / GNC / GameStop / Gap Kids children's wear / Giovanni Crystal & Engraving / Godiva Chocolatier / GSS Jewelery / Guess? apparel / Gymboree / Harry & David retaurant / Helly Hansen / Helzberg Diamonds / Hollister Company apparel / Home Kitchen / Illuminations / Impress Rubber Stamp / InSpa / J.Crew apparel / J.Jill / Janeville / Janie & Jack children's wear / Johnston & Murphy / JoJo Kids / Kennelly Keys Musicm / Kenneth Behm Galleries / Kenzie / Kits Cameras / Kuhlman Company / L'Occitane en Provence cosmetics / Lady Foot Locker shoes / Lane Bryant / Learning Quest Toys / Lego / Lids hats / Lillie Rubin ladies' wear / Limited Too / Louie Permelia / Lucky Brand Dungarees / Lucy / Lululemon athletica / Lush / McDonald's hamburgers /  Made In Washington Gifts / Malm Luggage / Mariners Team Store / Mariposa ladies' wear / Market Optical / Mia & Maxx Hair Studio / Mimi Maternity & Motherhood Maternity / Mrs. Field's Cookies / Montblanc / Mora Iced Creamery / Movado / My Favorite Piroshky restaurant / New Balance / New York Cupcakes / Nine West shoes / Occhiali da Sole - Sunglass Boutique / Oilily / Optical Illusions / Orange Julius / Origins / Overlake Service League / Pacific Sunwear  apparel / Panda Express /  Paper Tree / Papyrus  stationers / Paula's Hallmark / Photazz / Pottery Barn houseware / Pottery Barn Kids / Puma / Qwest / Red Robin Gourmet Burgers / Ricenroll / Road / Rockport / Sanrio Gift Gate / Seattle's Best Coffee / Select Comfort / Sephora cosmetics / Seven / Sharper Image / Shoefly / Skechers shoes / Soma by Chico's / Something  Silver / Specialties Cafe & Bakery / Square One Gallery & Framery / Starbucks Coffee At The Lodge / Stride-Rite shoes / SunCoast Motion Picture Company / Sunglass Hut / Swarovski / Sweet Factory / Swim in / T-Mobile / Taco Del Mar / Talbots ladies' wear / Talbots Kids children's wear / Talbots Woman ladies' wear / Tall's Camera & Video / Teavana / The Body Shop / The Bombay Company home furnishings / The Cheresecake Factory / The Children's Place / The Discovery Channel Store / The Gap apparel / The Limited ladies' wear / The Right Start  / The Walking Company shoes / Tiffany & Company / Timberland / Timeworks / Tulley's Coffee / Tumi / Urban Dogs / US Bank ATM / Verizon Wireless / Victoria's Secret lingerie / Victoria's Secret Beauty / Watch World International / White House | Black Market / Williams-Sonoma housewares / World Wrapps / Zebraclub / Zumiez apparel


After over 56 years of operation, J.C. Penney threw in the towel. The store opened in the building seen above in August 1982 and closed in November 2014. The structure, now promoted as South Common Shops, was divided into seven tenant spaces, with the largest occupied by a (short-lived) 365 by Whole Foods Market.
Drawing from Kemper Development


By 2017, BELLEVUE SQUARE is the crown jewel of Kemper Development's BELLEVUE COLLECTION. Its new South Common Shops are indicated in dark gray. The adjacent LINCOLN SQUARE development has just been expanded southward, adding stores, restaurants, residential units, office suites, underground parking and a 6-screen "Dine-in" movie megaplex.


Ever evolving and expanding, BELLEVUE SQUARE could soon have a high-rise "boutique hotel" and residential tower in its midst. The structures seen on the left are being proposed for the southeast corner of the shopping center block (which is currently occupied by a parking garage).
Drawing from http://bellevuesquareexpansion.com  
BELLEVUE (SHOPPING) SQUARE
Bellevue Way and Northeast 8th Street
King County (Bellevue), Washington

Greater Seattle's first post-war shopping center was developed on a 34.3-acre site. This was located 9 miles east of Seattle's center city, in an unincorporated section of King County. BELLEVUE (SHOPPING) SQUARE was designed by the Bliss Moore, Jr. & Associates firm and was developed by Kemper Freeman, Senior and his father Miller. They obtained permission from the US government to build a movie theater, utilizing scarce construction materials available, in 1945.

The Sterling Entertainment Organization Bel-Vue Theatre opened on March 20, 1946. A 1-level (20,000 square foot), Seattle-based Frederick & Nelson welcomed first shoppers on August 20, 1946. This store was the first suburban shopping center branch of Chicago-based Marshall Field & Company (with F & N having been a subsidiary since 1929).

A center-wide grand opening was held as part of Frederick & Nelson's dedication. Eight stores and services set up shop. These included the Clark's Crabapple Restaurant, Candy Kane Restaurant, First National Bank of Bellevue, Johnson's Ice Cream and Bellevue Square Barber Shop. The Food Center supermarket opened its doors on August 24, 1946. This store re-opened, as an A & P supermarket, on March 3, 1949.

In March 1953, the complex became part of the newly-incorporated city of Bellevue. Additional stores were added over the following years. Frederick & Nelson moved into a 3-level (158,000 square foot) building on August 8, 1956. Nordstrom's Shoes made its debut in July 1958. J.C. Penney dedicated a 3-level (52,200 square foot) store on August 7, 1958.

By the late 1960s, the "SHOPPING" reference had been dropped from the official name of BELLEVUE SQUARE. It had been expanded into a fifty-store retail hub. Tenants included Karl Larson's Village Shoes, Florsheim Shoes, Mamselle & Mr. Paul's Hair Design, Pacific National Bank and a  J.J. Newberry 5 & 10. A 2-level (67,500 square foot) Nordstrom Best was dedicated on November 5, 1967. This store was refitted with a Nordstrom nameplate in December 1972.

Major retail hubs in the BELLEVUE SQUARE trade area included CROSSROADS CENTER (1964) {3.2 miles northeast, in Bellevue}, TOTEM LAKE MALL (1973) {6.5 miles northeast, in Kirkland}, FACTORIA MALL (1975) {3 miles southeast, also in Bellevue} and -eventually- REDMOND TOWN CENTER (1997) {5.2 miles northeast, in Redmond}.

Kemper Development embarked on a total rebuild of their shopping center in 1979, with an official ground breaking being held on February 29, 1980. Sections were demolished as a fully-enclosed mall was completed. The Frederick & Nelson and Nordstrom structures were retained and became part of the new mall.

Three anchor stores were built. The first, a 3-level (180,000 square foot) Nordstrom, was dedicated on November 5, 1981. This was followed by a 3-level (200,000 square foot) J.C. Penney, which welcomed first shoppers on August 18, 1982. Seattle-based The Bon Marche opened a 3-level (180,000 square foot) store in August 1984. With its completion, BELLEVUE SQUARE encompassed approximately 1,090,000 leasable square feet and housed 145 stores and services.

Frederick &  Nelson closed for good on May 25, 1992. New York City-based Saks Fifth Avenue was courted as a replacement, but the deal fell through. It was, then, decided not to lease the anchor space to a single retailer. The building was sectioned into forty-five inline stores The first opened in August 1993. Eventually there would be F.A.O. Schwarz, Ann Taylor and Brooks Brothers. 

The basement was utilized as a (51,000 square foot) The Bon Marche Home Store. The BELLEVUE SQUARE mall was renovated a few years later. Nordstrom was expanded by 90,000 square feet (now encompassing 270,000 square feet).

An auxiliary shopping complex, known as THE CORNER AT BELLEVUE SQUARE, was completed in the year 2000. It encompassed 120,000 square feet on 2 levels. Stores included Crate & Barrel, P.F. Chang's China Bistro and ZTejas Southwestern Grill. The mall now spanned 1.3 million square feet and housed over 200 stores and services.

The Bon Marche was rebranded as a Bon-Macy's on August 1, 2003 and received a bona fide Macy's nameplate on March 6, 2005. A 40 million dollar renovation of the shopping venue got underway in 2007. No new retail area was added, but several of the major inline stores, such as Williams-Sonoma, Banana Republic and Pottery Barn, expanded into adjoining space. Likewise, the interior of the mall was given a face lift. New flooring, lighting, seating and landscaping were installed. The project was completed in November 2008.

J.C. Penney had operated stores at BELLEVUE SQUARE since 1958. The circa-1982 store was shuttered on November 1, 2014. The building was gutted and reconfigured as the "South Common Shops," which housed 2 levels of inline stores.

A (16,000 square foot), Tokyo-based Uniqlo ["yoo-nee-klo"] became the first to open for business, on November 6, 2015. It was followed by a 1-level (26,000 square foot), Spain-based Zara, which debuted on November 11, 2015. On September 14, 2016, a 1-level (30,500 square foot) 365 by Whole Foods Market welcomed first shoppers.

Sources:

The Seattle Times
The Seattle Star
The Catholic Northwest Progress (Seattle, Washington)
Eastside Heritage Center / Bellevue, Washington
http://www.bellevuesquare.com
http://www.cinematreasures.org
http://www.neighborhoods.com /Bellevue Square History
http://www.historylink.org /Essay # 4143/Alan J. Stein/February 2003
"Bellevue: Its First 100 Years"/Lucille McDonald/Bellevue Historical Society/2000
King County, Washington tax assessor website
Seattle's Northgate Center


The Bon Marche ["mar-shay"], a division of the Allied Stores holding company, anchored NORTHGATE CENTER. The Jet City's revolutionary retail complex was the first in the world to incorporate all of the components of a (quote-unquote) "shopping mall."

Looking in on the Burnett Brothers of Northgate jewelry store, at the original NORTHGATE CENTER.
Photo from University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, Negative DM5345


The store encompassed 2,400 square feet. Here we see its high-end Mid-Century Modern interior.
Photo from University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, Negative DM5342


A totem pole, carved by local artisan Dudley C. Carter, was installed at the mall in late 1952. The original complex was decorated using a Native American motif. This was based on works of art created by the Duwamish and Suquamish Nations that are indigenous to Seattle and Washington State.
Photo from Smith-Western

NORTHGATE CENTER opened in April 1950, but it would take 2 years to fill all of its eighty store spaces. When fully-leased, the complex encompassed approximately 800,000 square feet, with free parking for 5,000 autos. Stores faced onto a central Miracle MallA kiddie ride area was installed in Northgate Square (the mall's center court). This particular feature would be copied in nearly every shopping mall built over the next 15 years.

NORTHGATE CENTER TENANTS 1954:

THE BON MARCHE (with Legend Room Restaurant) / BUTLER BROTHERS / A & P supermarket / IGA FOODLINER supermarket  / F. W. WOOLWORTH 5 & 10 (with luncheonette) / J.J. NEWBERRY 5 & 10 (with luncheonette) / Albert's Beauty Salon / Alley's Camera & Photo / Bartell Drug / Bloch's / Buddy Squirrel's Nut Shops / Burnett Brothers Jewelry / Dent Candy / Doctor George O. Ulberg & Associates, Optometrists / Don Kennedy Real Estate (outparcel) / Don's Sporting Goods / Ernst Hardware / Eve Wilbur ladies' wear / Fahey-Brockman / Firestone Tire & Auto (outparcel) / Holmes Candy / Hopper-Kelly Company music / Hy-Lo Fashions / JK Grill / Mode O'Day Frock Shop / National Bank of Commerce / Nordstrom's Shoes / Northgate Fashions / Northgate Flower Box / Northgate Furniture Company / Northgate Maternity Shop / Northgate Building Medical & Dental Center / Northgate Self-Service Laundry / Northgate Theatre (single screen) / Pay 'N Save Drug (with luncheonette) / Patty Ann's Northgate Poultry, Eggs & Cheese / Singer Sewing Center / Tik-Tok Snack Bar / Queen City Fish Market / Textile House / Van de Kamp's Bakery / Watkins

A vintage aerial view of NORTHGATE CENTER, showing the southern section of the 12 million dollar complex.
Photo from Allied Stores Corporation Annual Report 1951


The nation's very first Shopping Mall Movie House opened at NORTHGATE CENTER in September 1951. The exterior of the structure was done in a "Late Moderne" style, while its interior reflected the Native American motif of the adjacent mall. The motion picture venue was in operation for over 50 years.


The image above, and two that follow, were taken in 1954. Here, we see the south end of the Miracle Mall shopping concourse. The mall's IGA Foodliner supermarket is seen on the right, with the two story structure in the distance housing a Woolworth 5 & 10. Van de Kamp's Bakery appears on the left.
Photo from http://archives.seattle.gov / Seattle Municipal Archives


Shoppers stroll the mall's center court area, known as Northgate Square. Leed's Qualicraft Shoes is seen on the right, with the Woolworth store on the left.
Photo from http://archives.seattle.gov / Seattle Municipal Archives


The north end of the Miracle Mall concourse is seen here. A J.J. Newberry 5 & 10 is on the right, with Fahey Brockman, a men's clothier, on the left.
Photo from http://archives.seattle.gov / Seattle Municipal Archives


Clark's Restaurant opened a NORTHGATE CENTER location in 1958.
Photo from https://archive.org / Lost Mall Memories / Times We Lost


In late 1962, work was completed on a "Sky Shield," which covered the mall's open courts and concourses. It provided some degree of protection from the elements, but was not a fully-enclosed and air-conditioned structure.
Photo from Meredith L. Clausen / Permission for use granted


The NORTHGATE anchor department store was enlarged in the early 1960s. The new & improved "Bon" was dedicated in August 1963. In addition to the its existing Legend Room restaurant, there were now the Corner House coffee shop and Men's Grill cocktail lounge.
Graphic from the Allied Stores Corporation


This mid-'60s snapshot shows the recently-expanded Bon Marche. Its Legend Room restaurant is seen on the left.
Photo from Allied Stores Corporation Annual Report 1966

In a mid-1960s-vintage aerial, we see recent modifications to the shopping complex. A Best's Apparel store has filled in the original center court. Moreover, an extended South Wing is anchored by a shiny new Penneys.
Photo from Malls of America Blogspot 
Graphic from Alstores Realty Corporation


The south end of the mall, as it appeared following the mid-'60s expansion. The south portal of a service tunnel may be seen.
Photo from Meredith L. Clausen / Permission for use granted


By the time of a circa-1965 site plan, the entire structure (not just the central shopping concourse) is known as NORTHGATE MALL. The complex was still open-air, albeit with the "Sky Shield" semi-enclosure. It would be reconfigured as a fully-enclosed facility in 1974.

A view of the Food Court, which opened at NORTHGATE MALL in November 1997. In essence, it replaced The Legend Room, the upscale restaurant that operated as part of the mall's Bon Marche anchor store between April 1950 and January 1995.
Photos from www.coffman.com / Coffman Engineers


A snapshot of the mall's Southeast Entrance. All primary entries in the complex were rebuilt, using a Big Timber motif, as part of the 1997 remodeling.
Photo from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group


The interior shopping concourse at NORTHGATE MALL was also refurbished at this time.
Photo from Wikipedia /  "Marcusaxavier77"

We zoom through time over 10 years, to the year 2008. The 1997 Food Court remodel is shown in dark gray. An Urban Village Streetscape (in light gray) was built between 2005 and 2007. This renovation included the conversion of a Gottschalks (nee' Lamonts) into Bed Bath & Beyond and DSW stores.

The image above, and the three that follow, are "Simonized" views of the Streetscape at NORTHGATE MALL.
Photo from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group


The NORTHGATE Nordstrom is seen on the left of this image. The store opened, in February 1965, as a Best's Apparel. After a 5-year Nordstrom Best stint, it became a bona fide Nordstrom.
Photo from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group


From this vantage point, we see Ram Restaurant & Brewery and Romano's Macaroni Grill.
Photo from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group


Anchoring the Streetscape addition was the Barnes & Noble seen here. It opened for business in November 2007.
Photo from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group


A snapshot of a Northgate-bound trainset on Seattle's Link light rail system. A route connecting downtown's Westlake Station with a Northgate terminal was built in two phases. The first opened in 2016, with the second commencing revenue service in the fall of 2021. Unfortunately, by the time train service reached the mall, it was being redeveloped.
Photo from www.soundtransit.org / Central Puget Sound Transit Authority 


A view of the "vibrant, bustling urban mixed-use environment" that has replaced America's first shopping mall. The structure was unceremoniously demolished in 2020. The new NORTHGATE STATION features mall tenants Bed, Bath & Beyond, Nordstrom Rack and Barnes & Noble. New tenants include 32 Bar & Grill and the Kraken Community Iceplex.
Drawing from www.simon.com / Simon Property Group
NORTHGATE CENTER
Northeast Northgate Way and 5th Avenue Northeast
King County (Seattle), Washington

Seattle's NORTHGATE CENTER holds the distinction of being the world's- first (quote-unquote) "shopping mall." When construction of the center began in the late 1940s, there were only a handful of regional-class, suburban shopping centers in the United States. Examples of these would include CRENSHAW CENTER {Los Angeles}, PARK FOREST PLAZA {outside of Chicago}, RIDGEWAY CENTER {Stamford, Connecticut} and TOWN & COUNTRY DRIVE-IN SHOPPING CENTER {outside of Columbus, Ohio}.

NORTHGATE CENTER was the first retail hub to be arranged around a lengthwise shopping concourse, with stores facing each other on either side. It was also the first mall-type facility to be anchored by a large department store branch.

Originally an open-air structure with a single retail level and service basement, NORTHGATE CENTER was designed by Seattle's John Graham, Junior. The complex was developed by a joint venture of the Alstores Realty Corporation (a division of Allied Stores) and Seattle's Benjamin B. Ehrlichman and W. Walter Williams. It was located 7.5 miles north of center city Seattle, on a 62-acre tract in King County's unincorporated Maple Leaf community.

The grand opening of the primary anchor, Seattle-based The Bon Marche ["mar-shay"], was held April 21, 1950. Mrs. Winifred E. Hines (a veteran Bon Marche employee) cut a ceremonial ribbon. Mr. Rex Allison (President of Allied Stores) was also in attendance. "The Bon" encompassed 3-levels and 200,000 square feet. 

Seventeen other businesses opened on July 25, 1950, including a (20,000 square foot) IGA Foodliner and (5,000 square foot) Nordstrom's Shoes. A 3-level (34,500 square foot) J.J. Newberry 5 & 10 was dedicated on October 4, 1950, with a 3-level (30,600 square foot) F.W. Woolworth welcoming first shoppers in November. In the following year, a 4-level medical and dental clinic joined the directory. 

NORTHGATE was the first shopping venue in the nation with a (quote-unquote) "mall movie house." The Sterling Entertainment Organization Northgate Theatre showed its first feature on September 28, 1951. NORTHGATE stores were dedicated in groups of five or so, with much media fanfare. By 1952, all eighty spaces were leased. 

Charter tenants included Singer Sewing Center, Ernst Hardware, Hopper-Kelly Company music, Fahey-Brockman, Mode O'Day Frock Shop, Northgate Furniture Company, the Tik-Tok Snack Bar and a freestanding Firestone Car Care Center.

In November 1952, local sculptor Dudley C. Carter (1891-1992) completed work on a 59-foot-high totem pole. This was installed in the center of a duck pond on the north end of the complex. In 1954, the mall and its surrounding area were annexed into the city limits of Seattle. By November 1962, a "Sky Shield" roof had been installed over the mall concourse. This was not a full-scale enclosure, but it did provide some shelter from inclement weather. 

In 1965, the Interstate 5 expressway was completed to points north, with an interchange installed at NE Northgate Way (formerly NE 110 Street). The opening of the new freeway had spurred construction of a 10 million dollar mall addition and renovation. A 2-level (49,900 square foot) Best's Apparel began business on February 1, 1965. J.C. Penney's 2-level (168,000 square foot) store was dedicated on August 18th. In all, twenty-five stores were added to the facility, including a Clark's Big Top Coffee Shop & Restaurant and QFC (Quality Food Center) supermarket.

On October 29, 1967, the Best's store was rebranded as a Nordstrom Best. It became a full-fledged Nordstrom with a subsequent rebranding in December 1972. By this time, the store  had been enlarged into a 3-level (122,200 square foot) structure. 

NORTHGATE re-opened, as a fully-enclosed and climate-controlled complex, on December 4, 1974. Soon after, a portion of the northeast section of the mall was gutted. A 3-level (84,600 square foot), Bellevue-based Lamonts opened for business on November 14, 1977. With these renovations, the mall housed over 123 stores.

The first commercial competitor of NORTHGATE had been completed in 1960. AURORA VILLAGE MALL {4.6 miles north, in King County (Shoreline)} was followed by ALDERWOOD MALL {8.6 miles northeast, in Snohomish County (Lynwood)} and EVERETT MALL {14.9 miles northeast, in Everett}. Both of these centers opened in 1979.

In November 1986, Canada's Campeau Corporation acquired the holdings of the Allied Stores holding company. Included in the transaction were five shopping malls; NORTHSHORE CENTER {Massachusetts}, BERGEN MALL {New Jersey}, COLUMBIA CENTER, TACOMA MALL and NORTHGATE CENTER {Washington State}. In December 1986, a joint venture was formed by Canada's Campeau Corporation and Ohio's Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation. 

DeBartolo assumed management of the five shopping centers in 1987. After the DeBartolo Corporation merged with Indiana's Simon Property Group, in 1996, NORTHGATE CENTER became a Simon Property Group holding. They performed an indoor-outdoor remodeling. Done between February and November 1997, the project installed new flooring, ceilings and a 10-bay Food Court. Mall entrances were also rebuilt.

At the turn of the 20th century, several major stores were being rebranded. Lamonts morphed into a  Fresno-based Gottschalks on August 31, 2000. This store closed in September 2006. The Bon Marche, now encompassing 319,900 square feet, was rebranded under the Bon-Macy's moniker on August 1, 2003. On March 6, 2005, the entire Bon-Macy's chain was "Macy-ated."

In late 2005, the movie theatre and medical clinic buildings at NORTHGATE were razed. An open-air "Urban Village Streetscape" was constructed along the western facade of the mall. This 100,000 square foot addition included ten new stores and casual dining restaurants. A multilevel garage was also built in the southwest parking area.

The old Lamonts / Gottschalks building was gutted and reconfigured as a DSW (lower level) and Bed, Bath & Beyond (upper level). This latest group of renovations increased the gross leasable area of NORTHGATE MALL to approximately 1,046,000 square feet. There were now over 130 tenant spaces.

Seattle's Sound Transit built a Link light rail extension to the NORTHGATE MALL site. Construction began on the 3.2 route mile Westlake-to-University of Washington line in 2012. It began revenue service in 2016. A 4.3 route mile University of Washington-to-Northgate segment commenced revenue service on October 2, 2021. 

Meanwhile, in 2018, the Simon Property Group announced plans to substantially reconfigure NORTHGATE MALL. The three existing department stores, and much of the mall, would be demolished, leaving the North Wing, "Urban Village Streetscape" and various parking structures intact. 

A freestanding fitness center, NHL training facility, hotel and several residential buildings would be constructed.  J.C. Penney became the first anchor store to close. This transpired on May 3, 2019. Macy's (nee' The Bon Marche) went dark on July 21 of the same year, with Nordstrom being shuttered on August 9th.

Sources:

The Seattle Times
The Catholic Northwest Progress (Seattle, Washington)
The Youngstown Vindicator (Youngstown, Ohio)
Allied Stores Corporation Annual Reports 1949 and 1950
preservenet.cornell.edu/publications/Longstreth Branch Store.doc
http://www.historylink.org / Essay # 3186 / "Northgate Shopping Mall Opens On April 21, 1950" / David Wilma / 2001
Essay # 228 / "Northgate Beginnings: Jim Douglas Remembers" / Jim Douglas  / 1999
http://www.northgateshoppingctr.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http://www.cinematreasures.org
http://www.simon.com / Simon Property Group
King County, Washington tax assessor website
Comments by "Skylar"
"Link light rail" article on Wikipedia
Greater Seattle's Aurora Village Center


A vista view of the north side shopping hub. Its first phase opened for business in April 1960.
Photo from Smith-Western

The basic footprint of AURORA VILLAGE CENTER was completed with a 150,000 square foot Frederick & Nelson. Dedicated in July 1963, the 3-story store featured The Azalea Room, an upscale restaurant. "F & N" would anchor the mall for over 27 years.
Drawing from Marshall Field & Company


In its original, open-air configuration, AURORA VILLAGE CENTER housed over forty stores and services. Free parking was provided for 4,000 autos. The complex was the second Seattle shopping hub to be developed by the Continental West Company. The first, UNIVERSITY VILLAGE, was completed in 1956, with WESTWOOD VILLAGE opening for business in 1964. 

AURORA VILLAGE CENTER TENANTS 1963:

FREDERICK & NELSON (with beauty salon and Azalea Room restaurant) / J.C. PENNEY / F. W. WOOLWORTH 5 & 10 (with luncheonette) / LUCKY-BIG BEAR STORES supermarket / Andy's Village Inn / Bon Ton French Bakery / Buddy Squirrel's Nut Shops / Connie's Maternity Shop / Edward's Junior Boot Shop / Ernst Hardware / Gallenkamp Shoes / GI-EM Gift Shop / Herfy's Burgers / Joy Jacobs ladies' wear / Karmelkorn / Kinney Shoes / Klopenstein's men's wear / National Bank of Commerce / Nordstrom's Shoes / Pay 'n Save Drug (with luncheonette) / Singer Sewing Center / Turner Jewelers / Town Cleaners 

AURORA VILLAGE MALL, circa-1980. Ernst Home Center, Pay 'n Save Drug and Lucky stores moved from the mall proper, into freestanding structures, in the late 1960s. Nordstrom opened, as a second mall anchor, in March 1974. The complex was expanded and fully-enclosed, as part of a 2-phase renovation, between the years 1979 and 1980.


Unfortunately, by the late 1980s, the mall was in a downward spiral. It was razed and replaced by the open-air AURORA VILLAGE CENTER in 1994. In a contemporary aerial plan of the facility, we see that just a single structure, a bank surrounded in blue, was left standing during the demalling.
Original photo from www.googleearth.com