The ESCONDIDO VILLAGE of 2014. In the site plan, Home Depot (2002) is indicated in dark gray. Ralph's morphed into a Vallarta Market in 2008. It took them nearly 10 years, but WalMart finally opened an ESCONDIDO VILLAGE store (in light gray).
The ESCONDIDO VILLAGE SuperCenter held its grand opening in September 2013.
Photo from "Nordrike Field"
ESCONDIDO VILLAGE
East Valley Parkway and North Ash Street
Escondido, California
Greater San Diego's first fully-enclosed shopping center was built on a 40-acre site, located 27 miles northeast of the center city, in suburban Escondido. The site had once contained Ed Bulen's dairy farm. ESCONDIDO VILLAGE was developed by Escondido Village, Incorporated; a joint venture of Charles H. Richer, Bill Bettles and Ken Glazebrook. The complex was designed by the Brand-Worth & Associates firm of Los Angeles.
The 10 million dollar shopping facility encompassed approximately 230,000 leasable square feet and was anchored by a 2-level (60,000 square foot), San Diego-based Walker Scott. This store, which was the fourth branch in the chain, opened for business on April 6, 1964.
A mall-wide dedication was held on August 6, 1964, with twenty-six stores and services in operation. These included Hafter's Haggarty ladies' wear, Continental Coiffures, Benbough's Furniture, a (12,500 square foot) Ting's Drug, (20,000 square foot) Mayfair Market grocery and (11,500 square foot) T G & Y 5 & 10.
The complex was sold to Los Angeles-based Beneficial Standard Properties in 1968. It was renamed ESCONDIDO VILLAGE MALL. Ground was broken for a Southeast Wing expansion and new anchor store on May 13, 1970. This project would add thirty inline stores and a 2-level (120,000 square foot) Sears. Although this "New Mall" extension and Sears were adjacent to one another, they were not physically connected.
Sears welcomed first shoppers on May 5, 1971. "New Mall" stores opened between April 1971 and March 1972. As part of the expansion, the existing T G & Y store was enlarged into a (36,000 square foot) T G & Y Family Center. Other stores new to the mall included Golden State Fabrics, Orange Julius and The Land of Oz.
Photo from "Nordrike Field"
ESCONDIDO VILLAGE
East Valley Parkway and North Ash Street
Escondido, California
Greater San Diego's first fully-enclosed shopping center was built on a 40-acre site, located 27 miles northeast of the center city, in suburban Escondido. The site had once contained Ed Bulen's dairy farm. ESCONDIDO VILLAGE was developed by Escondido Village, Incorporated; a joint venture of Charles H. Richer, Bill Bettles and Ken Glazebrook. The complex was designed by the Brand-Worth & Associates firm of Los Angeles.
The 10 million dollar shopping facility encompassed approximately 230,000 leasable square feet and was anchored by a 2-level (60,000 square foot), San Diego-based Walker Scott. This store, which was the fourth branch in the chain, opened for business on April 6, 1964.
A mall-wide dedication was held on August 6, 1964, with twenty-six stores and services in operation. These included Hafter's Haggarty ladies' wear, Continental Coiffures, Benbough's Furniture, a (12,500 square foot) Ting's Drug, (20,000 square foot) Mayfair Market grocery and (11,500 square foot) T G & Y 5 & 10.
The complex was sold to Los Angeles-based Beneficial Standard Properties in 1968. It was renamed ESCONDIDO VILLAGE MALL. Ground was broken for a Southeast Wing expansion and new anchor store on May 13, 1970. This project would add thirty inline stores and a 2-level (120,000 square foot) Sears. Although this "New Mall" extension and Sears were adjacent to one another, they were not physically connected.
Sears welcomed first shoppers on May 5, 1971. "New Mall" stores opened between April 1971 and March 1972. As part of the expansion, the existing T G & Y store was enlarged into a (36,000 square foot) T G & Y Family Center. Other stores new to the mall included Golden State Fabrics, Orange Julius and The Land of Oz.
When all construction dust settled, ESCONDIDO VILLAGE MALL housed approximately 550,000 leasable square feet and contained eighty stores and services. A competitor, of sorts, opened in 1974. Known as VINEYARD MALL, this community-class complex was located one block east.
ESCONDIDO VILLAGE was acquired by the Los Angeles-based El Caze Escondido Partnership in February 1984. The company was headed by Dan Selleck, with his brother -actor Tom Selleck- being an investor. A 12 million dollar mall renovation got underway in September 1984.
The West Mall concourse was demolished, with stores opened to the parking area. This new strip center housed tenants such as Big 5 Sporting Goods, The Wherehouse records, Animal Emporium, Radio Shack and a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. The East Mall was shifted southward, with stores along its north side given greater width. Tenants in this new concourse included Miller's Outpost, Moskatel's arts & crafts, The Affordables and Hickory Farms of Ohio.
Walker Scott expanded into adjacent court area, with the enlarged store encompassing 76,600 square feet. Two new mall entrances were built, with new lighting, signage and wood parquet flooring installed in all common area. The mall's exterior was also given a face lift.
A revitalized ESCONDIDO VILLAGE MALL was officially dedicated on October 31, 1985. The final segment of the renovation created a 10-vendor Food Court in the breezeway linking the "New Mall" with Sears. This open food facility, covered with a silicon fabric tent, was completed in November 1985.
The renovation was done as a formidable competitor was entering the scene. The 6-anchor NORTH COUNTY FAIR {4 miles south, in Escondido} snatched the 15-year-old Sears from ESCONDIDO VILLAGE. The store closed February 18, 1986 and re-opened, at NORTH COUNTY FAIR, the following day.
Los Angeles-based Fedco was signed to retenant the vacant Sears. They renovated and expanded the store to 204,000 square feet. Fedco opened on October 15, 1986. By this time, competition from NORTH COUNTY FAIR had sent the "VILLAGE MALL" into a downward spiral. By April 1991, only eight stores were in operation.
In an effort to reposition their struggling shopping facility, El Caze Escondido embarked on another major renovation. Walker Scott had been shuttered on February 12, 1989. The vacant store was razed along with the center section of the mall. The enclosed concourse on the east end of the complex was gutted and reconfigured as an open-air strip center.
The center mall space was filled by a 1-level (45,600 square foot) Ralph's supermarket and 1-level (27,400 square foot) PayLess Drug. Ralph's opened for business in December 1992, with Pay Less Drug making its debut on March 17, 1993. The newly-demalled shopping hub, now promoted as ESCONDIDO VILLAGE, encompassed 457,000 leasable square feet and contained nineteen stores and services.
Soon after the demalling, a second retail rival joined the fold. ESCONDIDO PROMENADE {2.2 miles southwest, also in Escondido} was dedicated in 1994. Fedco at ESCONDIDO VILLAGE was in operation until the fall of 1999. The vacant store was razed and replaced by a 1-level (110,000 square foot) Home Depot, which began business in January 2002.
A proposal to extend Harding Street through the ESCONDIDO VILLAGE site had been proposed as far back as 1999. By 2003, the street extension proposal was being given serious consideration. The thoroughfare was needed to give access to a prospective Wal-Mart, that would be built on 11 acres lying behind the shopping center.
This proposal was stymied by Ralph's, who cited a "non-compete" clause in their lease (they did not want rivalry from the grocery side of a new Wal-Mart SuperCenter). Hence, the Wal-Mart deal fell through in 2006. With the shuttering of Ralph's, in December 2007, the opportunity to court a new discount retailer presented itself again.
ESCONDIDO VILLAGE was acquired by the Los Angeles-based El Caze Escondido Partnership in February 1984. The company was headed by Dan Selleck, with his brother -actor Tom Selleck- being an investor. A 12 million dollar mall renovation got underway in September 1984.
The West Mall concourse was demolished, with stores opened to the parking area. This new strip center housed tenants such as Big 5 Sporting Goods, The Wherehouse records, Animal Emporium, Radio Shack and a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. The East Mall was shifted southward, with stores along its north side given greater width. Tenants in this new concourse included Miller's Outpost, Moskatel's arts & crafts, The Affordables and Hickory Farms of Ohio.
Walker Scott expanded into adjacent court area, with the enlarged store encompassing 76,600 square feet. Two new mall entrances were built, with new lighting, signage and wood parquet flooring installed in all common area. The mall's exterior was also given a face lift.
A revitalized ESCONDIDO VILLAGE MALL was officially dedicated on October 31, 1985. The final segment of the renovation created a 10-vendor Food Court in the breezeway linking the "New Mall" with Sears. This open food facility, covered with a silicon fabric tent, was completed in November 1985.
The renovation was done as a formidable competitor was entering the scene. The 6-anchor NORTH COUNTY FAIR {4 miles south, in Escondido} snatched the 15-year-old Sears from ESCONDIDO VILLAGE. The store closed February 18, 1986 and re-opened, at NORTH COUNTY FAIR, the following day.
Los Angeles-based Fedco was signed to retenant the vacant Sears. They renovated and expanded the store to 204,000 square feet. Fedco opened on October 15, 1986. By this time, competition from NORTH COUNTY FAIR had sent the "VILLAGE MALL" into a downward spiral. By April 1991, only eight stores were in operation.
In an effort to reposition their struggling shopping facility, El Caze Escondido embarked on another major renovation. Walker Scott had been shuttered on February 12, 1989. The vacant store was razed along with the center section of the mall. The enclosed concourse on the east end of the complex was gutted and reconfigured as an open-air strip center.
The center mall space was filled by a 1-level (45,600 square foot) Ralph's supermarket and 1-level (27,400 square foot) PayLess Drug. Ralph's opened for business in December 1992, with Pay Less Drug making its debut on March 17, 1993. The newly-demalled shopping hub, now promoted as ESCONDIDO VILLAGE, encompassed 457,000 leasable square feet and contained nineteen stores and services.
Soon after the demalling, a second retail rival joined the fold. ESCONDIDO PROMENADE {2.2 miles southwest, also in Escondido} was dedicated in 1994. Fedco at ESCONDIDO VILLAGE was in operation until the fall of 1999. The vacant store was razed and replaced by a 1-level (110,000 square foot) Home Depot, which began business in January 2002.
A proposal to extend Harding Street through the ESCONDIDO VILLAGE site had been proposed as far back as 1999. By 2003, the street extension proposal was being given serious consideration. The thoroughfare was needed to give access to a prospective Wal-Mart, that would be built on 11 acres lying behind the shopping center.
This proposal was stymied by Ralph's, who cited a "non-compete" clause in their lease (they did not want rivalry from the grocery side of a new Wal-Mart SuperCenter). Hence, the Wal-Mart deal fell through in 2006. With the shuttering of Ralph's, in December 2007, the opportunity to court a new discount retailer presented itself again.
Target announced plans for a store, to be built on the site originally slated for Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, The Great Recession caused Target to pull out of the deal in February 2008. In October 2012, ground was finally broken for an ESCONDIDO VILLAGE WalMart. The 1-level (158,000 square foot) store held its grand opening on September 12, 2013.
Today, the 253,000 square foot ESCONDIDO VILLAGE strip center is managed by San Diego-based James Crone & Associates. Stores include Vallarta Market (which opened in the Ralph's space in April 2008), Planet Fitness and Big 5 Sporting Goods.
Sources:
The San Diego Union-Tribune
The Los Angeles Times
Today, the 253,000 square foot ESCONDIDO VILLAGE strip center is managed by San Diego-based James Crone & Associates. Stores include Vallarta Market (which opened in the Ralph's space in April 2008), Planet Fitness and Big 5 Sporting Goods.
Sources:
The San Diego Union-Tribune
The Los Angeles Times
The Times-Advocate (Escondido, California)
www.nctimes.com
www.ci.escondido.us
infodome.sdsu.edu
www.dshistory.com
http://www.jamescrone.com
www.ci.escondido.us
infodome.sdsu.edu
www.dshistory.com
http://www.jamescrone.com
FAIR USE OF ESCONDIDO VILLAGE IMAGE:
The photograph from the Escondido Public Library illustrates a key moment in the mall's history that is described in the article. The image is not replaceable with free-use or public-domain image. The use of the image does not limit the copyright owners' rights to distribute the images in any way. The image is being used for non-profit, informational purposes only and its use is not believed to detract from the original image in any way.
