The south facade of Emporium Santa Clara, which was the third branch of the San Francisco-based chain. Originally a freestanding store, it was incorporated into STEVENS CREEK PLAZA in the mid-1960s.
Photo from http://www.flickr.com / Arnold Del Carlo
San Francisco-based I. Magnin opened its STEVENS CREEK PLAZA location in April 1964. Most recently, the building has housed Copeland Sports and Sports Authority stores.
Photo from http://www.flickr.com / Arnold Del Carlo
STEVENS CREEK PLAZA
Stevens Creek and Winchester Boulevards
Santa Clara, California
This small shopping complex evolved from the 3-level (231,000 square foot) Emporium Santa Clara department store, which opened on March 8, 1957. A branch of the Bay Area-based Emporium chain, the freestanding store sat on a 24-acre plot, situated west of VALLEY FAIR CENTER. A (22,300 square foot) Safeway supermarket occupied a pad west of The Emporium.
STEVENS CREEK PLAZA was an open-air mall of fourteen stores and services. It was added to the existing Emporium. Tenants opened for business in April 1964 and included Roos-Atkins, Mark Fenwick ladies' wear, Werner Shoes, Granat Brothers Jewelers and a 2-level (32,000 square foot) I. Magnin.
Competing shopping malls sprang up in the region during the 1970s. These included EASTRIDGE CENTER (1971) {6.9 miles east, in San Jose}, OAKRIDGE MALL (1973) {6.4 miles southeast, also in San Jose}, VALLCO FASHION PARK (1976) {3.3 miles west, in Cupertino}, and SUNNYVALE TOWN CENTER (1979-2007) {5.5 miles northwest, in Sunnyvale}.