By the early 2020s, DE VARGAS CENTER has been owned and operated by three different concerns; Nash Hancock & company (1973-1987), Weingarten Realty (1987-2010) and Fidelis Realty Partners (2010-).
Photo from Fidelis Realty Partners
In this snapshot, we see the mall's main entrance. The Ross store -its logo prominently positioned- is found at the end of the north-south shopping concourse.
Photo from Nicholas Eckhart
This contemporary view shows the west concourse of DE VARGAS CENTER. An Office Depot nameplate appears in the distance. This snapshot was taken before said store moved to a different location in the mall.
Photo from Nicholas Eckhart
The mall's southwest entrance hall is seen above. Storefronts for Radio Shack and Starbucks Coffee appear on the right.
Photo from Nicholas Eckhart
In 2014, Albertsons Companies acquired the United Supermarkets enterprise of Lubbock, Texas. In November 2018, the DE VARGAS Albertsons was rebranded as a Market Street operation (Market Street being an old United Supermarkets division).
Graphic from Albertsons Companies, Incorporated
DE VARGAS CENTER achieved its 50th year in business in late 2023. At this time, the mall still encompassed 361,500 leasable square feet. There were now forty-three in-mall stores, three outparcel structures and one "shadow anchor" (Market Street).
Paseo de Paralta and North Guadalupe Street
Santa Fe, New Mexico
The first fully-enclosed, regional-class shopping center in New Mexico's capital was officially dedicated on November 1, 1973. DE VARGAS CENTER was developed by Nash Hancock, a local auto dealer and real estate entrepreneur, and designed by Santa Fe architect William Lumpkins.
Construction commenced at a 25.2-acre parcel, located .8 mile northwest of the New Mexico State House, in late 1969. The mall site was where Spanish governor Diego de Vargas’ camp had been set up in 1692. At this time, de Vargas and his men were attempting to recapture Santa Fe, which had been occupied by Native Americans since the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.
DE VARGAS CENTER was built in three phases. The first consisted of a 1-level (58,500 square foot) Montgomery Ward, which opened its doors on October 28, 1970. Phase two added a single-level shopping mall. One of its first operational stores, a (25,000 square foot) Albertsons Food Center, welcomed first shoppers on June 27, 1973. A (30,000 square foot) TG&Y Family Center debuted on September 5, 1973. Twenty-five stores and services were in business by August 1st.
The mall displayed a combination of Pueblo Revival and Territorial Revival styles. Its enclosed shopping concourses extended for 1,030 feet, with a 60-foot-wide Center Court area. In its original state, DE VARGAS CENTER encompassed approximately 352,500 leasable square feet and contained forty-five stores and services.
In addition to those mentioned, original tenants included Margo's La Mode, House of Fabrics, G.C. Super Drugs, Furr's Cafeteria, The Shoe Box, Jerry's Perfect Pet Shop and the Card & Party Shop. The American Automated Theatres The Movies! -an in-mall twin- showed first features on February 16, 1974.
A subsequent mall expansion added a 1-level (50,000 square foot) J.C. Penney. Built on the west end of the complex, this dry-goods-only store debuted on November 5, 1975. Now fully-realized, DE VARGAS CENTER encompassed approximately 352,500 leasable square feet. J.C. Penney pulled up stakes on July 25, 1986.
The mall was sold to Houston-based Weingarten Realty in October 1987. Interior spaces were reconfigured and upgraded in 1988. The TG&Y Family Center was downsized -into 15,000 square feet- and rebranded as a McCrory's 5 & 10. This store began business in July 1988, but was soon rebranded as a Newberrys 5 & 10. The adjacent Albertsons took in former TG&Y space and re-opened as a (39,000 square foot) Albertsons Superstore.
Commercial competition arrived in the mid-1980s. VILLA LINDA MALL {5 miles southwest, in Santa Fe} was completed in July 1985. The complex was renamed SANTA FE PLACE in 2005. SANTA FE FACTORY STORES {7 miles southwest, also in Santa Fe} made its debut in October 1993. This venue would be renamed SANTA FE PREMIUM OUTLETS and SANTA FE OUTLETS before becoming FASHION OUTLETS SANTA FE, in 2007.
The abandoned J.C. Penney at DE VARGAS CENTER was retenanted by Houston-based Front Row, whose apparel store was dedicated on November 5, 1988. The Front Row chain was acquired by Oklahoma's C.R. Anthony Company (a.k.a Anthony's) in October 1990. The DE VARGAS Front Row unit was rebranded by Anthony's in November 1990. The store closed in July 1997. Its area was divided, with the largest space leased by Office Depot. This (22,500 square foot) store welcomed first shoppers on December 21, 1998.
Meanwhile, the cinema -now operated by United Artists- had been shuttered and reconfigured. It re-opened -as the Devargas 6- on May 22, 1992. A (28,000 square foot) Ross Dress For Less opened for business on July 20, 1996. Montgomery Ward went dark in December 1997.
The abandoned Wards sat vacant for nearly 4 years. Albertsons bought the structure, demolished it, and built a 1-level (67,000 square foot) unit. A grand opening was held on June 12, 2002. In the same year, the cinema was sold to Regal Entertainment. It was renamed the Regal Cinemas 6.
Fidelis Realty Partners, of Bellaire, Texas, acquired DE VARGAS CENTER in February 2010. The old Albertsons, at the southeast corner of the mall, had been vacant for 7 years. The store was divided into five retail spaces, with the largest being leased by Phoenix-based Sunflower Farmers Markets. Their store opened on August 12, 2009. Sprouts Farmers Market, also based in Phoenix, acquired the Sunflower chain. The DE VARGAS CENTER unit was rebranded by Sprouts in June 2012.
Cinemas 6 showed its final features in January 2017. The space was reconfigured as a new (14,700 square foot) Office Depot. This store opened on July 17, 2019. On the opposite side of the mall, a section of the old J.C. Penney was also reconfigured. The Alley Lanes & Lounge began business on October 4, 2019. The adjacent Office Depot space was remodeled by HomeGoods, who opened for business on March 4, 2021.
Sources:
Santa Fe New Mexican
Santa Fe Reporter
https://sfcomaps.santafecountynm.gov / Santa Fe County
http://devargascenter.com
https://cinematreasures.org
https://indianpueblo.org
Kruger, David Delbert. / "J. C. Penney in the Land of Enchantment: The Evolution of a National Department Store Chain in Twentieth-Century New Mexico." / New Mexico Historical Review (2014)
http://www.grocerydive.com
https://www.change.org / "Rename DeVargas Mall In Santa Fe" petition / James Morris
http://www.fashionoutletssantafe.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http://www.shopsantafeplace.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http://www.weingarten.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http://devargascenter.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
https://www.frpltd.com / Fidelis Realty Partners
