Southern California's Riverside Plaza

Stores in Riverside County's original shopping mall opened between 1956 and 1958. In this vintage view, we see the "googie-style" sign that promoted RIVERSIDE PLAZA in its early years.
Photo from Mitock & Sons

 

 

The mall was officially dedicated with a 2-day entertainment extravaganza, which was held in October 1957. Plazarama featured several local Los Angeles television personalities, recording stars and Jerry Colonna, well-known comedian, actor and musician. Free RC Cola was provided by the Mayfair Market.

Advert from Heers Associates

A rendering of the Harris Company branch that opened at RIVERSIDE PLAZA in September 1957. The 4-level store included a fountain, tea room, coffee shop and public auditorium. It also featured the first set of escalators in Riverside County.
Drawing from the Harris Company

Mid-century shoppers stroll the spacious RIVERSIDE concourse. Back in the day, it was referred to as the "Plaza Mall."
Photo from Mitock & Sons

In the late '50s,  the Inland Empire's RIVERSIDE PLAZA was promoted as "the largest, most modern shopping center east of Los Angeles." In its original incarnation, the mall contained fifty-three stores, with thirty-two office suites housed in the adjacent Security-First National Bank building. Free parking was provided for 3,000 autos.

RIVERSIDE PLAZA TENANTS 1959:

HARRIS' (with Allesandro Room restaurant, Coffee Shop, luncheonette and Public Auditorium) / F.W. WOOLWORTH 5 & 10 (with luncheonette) / W.T. GRANT (with luncheonette) / MAYFAIR MARKET supermarket / BUILDER'S EMPORIUM / Al-Le Maternity Shop / C.H. Baker Shoes / Dinnerhorn restaurant / Don 'n Jax Barber Shop / Doctor Norman Fox, Optometrist / Empire Silk / Engleman's men's wear / Farage's Custom Dress / Foods of the World / Foreman & Clark men's wear / G.K.C. / Gallenkamp Shoes / Henson's Shoes / Joyce Assessories / Kristy's / Leed's Qualicraft Shoes / Leonard's / Lerner Shops ladies' wear / Mission Bootery / Mode O'Day Frock Shop / Modern Woman ladies' wear / Moran Draperies / Morrow's Nut House / Mug 'n Brush Barber Shop / Niagara of Riverside / Nohrnberg Camera Shop / O.K. Hopkins TV / Orange Julius / Paul's Shoe Repair / Peter Pan Shop children's wear / Plaza Cleaners / Plaza Gift Shop / Plaza Jewelers / Plaza Laundramatic coin laundry / Plaza Toyland / Richard's / Riverside Plaza Stationers / Riverside Plaza Travel Service / Scissor & Comb Barber Shop / See's Candies / Silhouette International / Sweet's, Incorporated men's wear / The Californian / The Copper Penny restaurant / Thom McAn Shoes / Victorian Beauty Salon / Vincent's Drugs / Zegedy Bakery

The open-air mall was expanded toward the southeast in the mid-1960s. It gained a new Vons grocery and substantially larger Grants (in light gray). This store had relocated from a smaller location in the original mall.

RIVERSIDE PLAZA was roofed-in in 1984. The 632,000 square foot facility now had two anchor-sized stores; Harris' and Montgomery Ward. The latter had assumed the east anchor space. It had been rebranded, as a Grant City, in 1973 and was shuttered in 1975.

As stated, Montgomery Ward set up shop in vacant Grant City space in the mid-1970s. When the mall was enclosed in the mid-1980s, the store expanded. It took in space previously occupied by Builder's Emporium, which had closed in 1980.

Photo from http://www.raincrosssquare.com

The Harris' chain was bought -and co-branded- by Fresno-based Gottschalks in 1998. A circa-1999 snapshot shows a "Harris-Gottschalks" mall entry. The store's moniker was shortened to simply Gottschalks in the early 2000s. The RIVERSIDE PLAZA location served as the flagship location for the chain until the company's liquidation in 2009.

Photo from www.mitchglaser.com

The fully-enclosed RIVERSIDE PLAZA was eventually usurped by newer and larger shopping venues in its trade area. The past its prime property was demalled in the summer of 2003. It was replaced by the lifestyle center seen above and below.
Photo from http://www.vestar.com / The Vestar Development Company

Today's RIVERSIDE PLAZA encompasses approximately 475,000 leasable square feet and contains fifty-two store spaces. El Torito Cantina Autentica occupies space in a western store block. The upscale restaurant chain, with locations in Northern and Southern California, is known for popularizing the margarita cocktail in the United States.

Photo from http://www.vestar.com / The Vestar Development Company

RIVERSIDE PLAZA
Central and Riverside Avenues
Riverside. California

Riverside County's first shopping mall was built on a 47-acre tract, located 47 miles southeast of central Los Angeles, in the Magnolia Center district of Riverside. The open-air complex was designed by Los Angeles' Victor Gruen and Arthur L. Jacobson, of Riverside. It was developed by Heers Associates, a joint venture of Harold W. Heers, Carol D. Heers, Charles Heers and Walter S. Roeder.

One of the first operational stores at RIVERSIDE PLAZA, a Mayfair Market grocery, opened for business on June 28, 1956. Plazarama, a mall-wide dedication, was held on October 18th and 19th, 1957. This grand opening soiree featured such local Los Angeles TV personalities as Chuko the Clown (KABC), "Sheriff" John Rovick (KTTV) and "Skipper" Frank Herman (KTLA).

Entertainment was provided by recording artists including Bill Roberts, Tony Romano, Ula Wolf & her Latin-American Quintet and May Williams. Actor-comedian Jerry Colonna was on hand, as were Morey Amsterdam and Rose Marie. Children received free Popeye Popcorn, cotton candy and balloons and rode a mini-train and ferris-wheel.    

At this time, RIVERSIDE PLAZA housed fifty-three stores and services. Charter tenants included W.T. Grant, Lerner Shops, Vincent's Drugs, Mode O'Day Frock Shop, Foreman & Clark, Thom McAn Shoes, Baker's Shoes an F. W. Woolworth 5 & 10 and (26,000 square foot) Builder's Emporium

Plans had been announced for a 2-level (115,000 square foot), San Bernardino-based Harris Company in early 1956. The "California Contemporary" department store, designed by the firm of Burke, Kober & Nicolais, was officially dedicated on September 30, 1957.

Harris', which encompassed a total of 200,000 square feet on 4 levels, had only used 2 when the store opened. In June 1963, it began to utilize the third floor and now encompassed 165,000 square feet of shopping area. The mall was expanded toward the southeast in the mid-1960s. A new 1-level (83,200 square foot) W.T. Grant was dedicated on October 5, 1966. A (26,200 square foot) Vons supermarket was also built, which opened for business in June 1967.

RIVERSIDE PLAZA did not have a bona fide retail rival until October 1970, when TYLER MALL {4.7 miles southwest, in Riverside} was completed.

The Grants store was converted to a Grant City discount mart in 1973 and was shuttered in 1975. Montgomery Ward assumed the store space soon after. Work on a 30 million dollar mall renovation commenced in December 1983. Courts and concourses were enclosed. The Wards store was renovated and expanded into adjacent mall space. 40,000 square feet of retail area was added to the mall.

Inline stores, such as Radio Shack, Plaza Hairstyling and The Shirt Shack, were relocated. Sports Country, Limited, The Wherehouse records and Alan Dale's Baby News were enlarged. An International Food Court was also installed. The revitalized RIVERSIDE PLAZA was re-dedicated on November 3, 1984. The shopping facility now encompassed approximately 632,000 leasable square feet.

The enclosed version of RIVERSIDE PLAZA was soon to encounter new retail rivals. MORENO VALLEY MALL{6.6 miles southeast, in Moreno Valley} was dedicated in 1992. ONTARIO MILLS (1996) {11.9 miles northwest, in Ontario} opened in 1996.

By this time, RIVERSIDE PLAZA was in a downward spiral. A demalling-type redevelopment had been announced, but proved difficult to initiate. The renovation was initially held up by the complicated multiple ownership structure of the mall. Several tenants also objected to any modification of the existing building.

The two department stores anchoring RIVERSIDE PLAZA were going through major changes at the turn of the century. The Harris' chain was acquired by Fresno-based Gottschalks in 1998, with stores rebranded as Harris-Gottschalks. Within a few years, the Harris name was dropped from the official moniker of the RIVERSIDE PLAZA store.

After a long period of decline, Montgomery Ward's remaining 254 stores were shuttered in March 2001. Ward's demise was an additional obstacle to the reinvention of RIVERSIDE PLAZA. Its developers, the Newport Beach-based Kinney Company, moved quickly to acquire the now vacant store. Meanwhile, Krikorian Theatres had signed on to build and operate a megaplex cinema at a redeveloped RIVERSIDE PLAZA. This agreement was terminated. Signature Theatres came on board, as a future cinema operator, in July 2003. A lawsuit was filed by Krikorian.

Undaunted, the Kinney Company proceeded with the mall redevelopment. Demolition got underway in June 2003. The demalling was done in segments, with stores remaining open for business during the reconstruction.

The first new RIVERSIDE PLAZA tenants, a (16,700 square foot) Sav-On Drug and (10,000 square foot) Trader Joe's, were completed in late 2003. The eastern section of the new RIVERSIDE PLAZA lifestyle center debuted in late 2004. It was composed of an Entertainment District, Fashion District, Neighborhood District and Food Court; all traversed by a Main Street thoroughfare.

In addition to Gottschalks, the new shopping hub featured Islands Restaurant, Ooka Japanese Restaurant, California Pizza Kitchen, Citrus City Grill, Party America, a (20,000 square foot) Borders Books and (55,000 square foot) Vons supermarket. This store welcomed its first shoppers on November 3, 2004. The Signature Theatres chain was acquired by the Regal Entertainment Group in April 2004. The megaplex cinema started by Signature opened, as the Regal Riverside Plaza Stadium 16, on December 10, 2004.

The final section of RIVERSIDE PLAZA, a western store block or Orchard Shops, was completed 2 years later. El Torito Mexican Grill welcomed its first diners on August 14, 2006. When all construction dust settled, the redevelopment had cost over 80 million dollars (not including legal fees pertaining to the Krikorian litigation).

The 2009 bankruptcy of Gottschalks resulted in the RIVERSIDE PLAZA store closing in July. A 2-level (90,000 square foot), Los Angeles-based Forever 21 opened in a portion of the store space on August 15, 2009. This store was shuttered January 27, 2013. Another vacancy was created with the September 2011 shuttering of Borders Books. Its space was renovated into the shopping center's second Forever 21 location. This 1-level (20,000 square foot) store welcomed its first shoppers on August 3, 2013.

Now entirely vacant, the Harris' building was divided into five tenant spaces; including a (41,000 square foot) Nordstrom Rack, (20,000 square foot) Marshalls and (20,000 square foot) Jo-Ann Fabrics. Nordstrom Rack opened for business April 3, 2014, with Marshalls and Jo-Ann operations debuting on May 15 and 20, respectively.

A joint venture of the Phoenix-based Vestar Development Company and Swiss-based UBS Global Asset Management acquired RIVERSIDE PLAZA in September 2012. Vestar, who manages the complex, performed a 12 million dollar face lift of the property in the following year.

Sources:

The San Bernardino Sun
The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, California)
The Record-Gazette (Banning, California)
www.shopriversideplaza.com
www.raincrosssquare.com
www.bizjournals.com
http://www.calcontractor.com
www.caconstruction.com
http://shopriversideplaza.com

San Bernardino's Central City Mall

Signage proclaims San Berdoo's center city shopping hub. The fully-enclosed and air-conditioned complex was officially dedicated in October 1972.
Graphic from the San Bernardino Redevelopment Agency

One of the anchors of the CENTRAL CITY complex was the San Bernardino-based Harris Company. As the caption on this vintage postcard reads, "the store for all people" was established in 1905. The building depicted here was completed in 1927.
Graphic from the Boston Public Library

A circa-1959 view of downtown San Bernardino's 3rd Street. The area seen here eventually became the main concourse of CENTRAL CITY MALL. The Andreson Building (with the Bank of America sign) and Harris' store (with the US flag) were retained. The rest of the buildings in the foreground were demolished.
Photo from www.orangeempire.com / "Gedward"

CENTRAL CITY MALL took the place of six city blocks. The urban renewal-type shopping hub encompassed approximately 1 million leasable square feet. In addition to its three anchors and sixty-two inline stores, it included a multilevel parking garage and surface lots with a total capacity of 3,600 autos.

CENTRAL CITY MALL TENANTS 1973:

HARRIS' (with Beauty Salon and restaurant ) / MONTGOMERY WARD (with Buffeteria Snack Bar, Beauty Salon and freestanding Auto Center) / J.C. PENNEY (with Coffee Shop, Beauty Salon and freestanding Auto Center) / F.W. WOOLWORTH 5 & 10 (with Harvest House Cafeteria) / ABC Kiddie Shop / Anita Shops ladies' wear / Arthur's Jewelers / Bank of California / Baskin-Robbins ice cream / Bob's Big Boy restaurant / Bourbon Tree delicatessen / C.H. Baker Shoes / Can Do Shops / Central City Pet Shop / Chess King men's wear / Doctor Coleman, Optometrist / Doctor Scholl's Footwear / Foxmoor Casuals ladies' wear / Fredric II Rubel Jewelers / GNC / Gene's ladies' wear / Grand Jewelers / Hallmark Cards / Hardy Shoes / Harris & Frank apparel / Hatch's Cards & Gifts / Hickory Farms of Ohio / House of Fabrics / Jeans West / Juvenile Shoes / Kathi's Wigs / Kinney Shoes / Lane Bryant ladies' wear / Last Word ladies' wear / Leeds Shoes / Maggi's ladies' wear / Masters Candies / Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio / Moran Draperies / Mrs. Stover's Candies / Nobby Shops ladies' wear / On The Go Travel / Orange Julius / Parklane Hosiery / Paul Allen Shoes / Petries ladies' wear / Pigeon ladies' wear / Roy's Snack Bar / Rug Crafters / Tie Shak / Tinder Box Tobacconist / Waldenbooks / Waterbed Warehouse / Weisfield's Jewelers / Viscount Records 

Court areas at CENTRAL CITY MALL were surrounded by "graceful arches," which were fitted with wrought iron grillwork. Mallway floors were done in red quarry tile.
Drawing from the San Bernardino Redevelopment Agency  

Initially successful, CENTRAL CITY MALL eventually succumbed to gangland violence and the inevitable draw of business to suburban-type shopping centers. By the late 1980s, the facility was in a downward spiral. It was given a modest face lift in 1991, with a new name bestowed; CAROUSEL MALL.
Photo from Library of Congress / John Margolies

The mall structure and footprint were left essentially the same during the early '90s redo. A reproduction, turn-of-the-century carousel was set up in East Court and new signage installed inside and out. Unfortunately, the mall renaming and repositioning failed to curtail its decline.

By the early 2000s, most CAROUSEL square footage was occupied by government offices. The complex was shuttered in August 2017. Over the years since then, various redevelopment plans came and went. The mall sat shuttered, boarded-up and awaiting revitalization. A renewal project got underway in April 2023.

Photo from www.sbeminentdomainabuse.com

CENTRAL CITY MALL
West 2nd and E Streets
San Bernardino, California

In the early 1960s, San Bernardino's central city was in decline. This downtown downturn was a result of several new shopping centers having been built on the city's outskirts. Plans were put in motion to redevelop the urban core using Rochester, New York's MIDTOWN PLAZA as an inspiration. In essence, the idea was to bring the suburban shopping experience to the center city.

Los Angeles' Victor Gruen Associates were hired to conceptualize an urban renewal shopping mall. The basic complex was designed by the Gruen firm, with anchor stores layed out by Burke, Kober, Nicolais & Archuleta, Maxwell Starkman & Associates and Ainsworth & McClellan.

The project was developed by a joint venture of the San Bernardino Redevelopment Authority, John S. Griffith Company, Harris Brothers, Montgomery Ward and J.C. Penney. Ground was broken in July 1969. A six-block area bounded by North E Street, West 4th Street, North G Street and West 2nd Street was leveled, leaving three structures standing.

The 2-level, fully-enclosed CENTRAL CITY MALL was built on the 43-acre site. The basic shell had been completed by December 1970. The structure incorporated the circa-1927 flagship of the San Bernardino-based Harris Brothers chain, who were to anchor the facility with a 4- level (188,900 square foot) store.

The first newly-built store to open was a 2-level (139,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward, which welcomed its first shoppers on July 26, 1972. Fifty-one stores were dedicated, along with the mall, on October 11, 1972. A 3-level (207,800 square foot) J.C. Penney commenced operation on March 28, 1973.

When fully-leased in January 1978, CENTRAL CITY MALL spanned approximately 1 million leasable square feet and housed 100 stores and services. Charter tenants included Foxmoor Casuals, Nobby Shops, Hickory Farms of Ohio, Orange Julius and a 2-level (60,000 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10 (with Harvest House Cafeteria). The American Multi-Cinema Central City 4 was installed in Lower Level mall space, adjacent to Montgomery Ward. This venue showed its first features on April 15, 1973.

CENTRAL CITY MALL was initially a successful venture. However, gangland violence at the shopping center had started a downward spiral by the early 1980s. Potential customers stayed away and shopped, instead, at INLAND CENTER MALL (1966) {1.1 mile south, in San Bernardino}.

By the early 1990s, the struggling CENTRAL CITY MALL was in dire need of reinvention. A 2 million dollar face lift was performed, with a $300,000 merry-go-round installed in East Court. New stores were brought in, such as Lerner New York, M & R Clothiers, Champs Sports and Lady Footlocker. Moreover, the shopping facility was renamed. It would be known, from this time onward, as CAROUSEL MALL. An official re-dedication was held November 5, 1991.

Unfortunately, the revitalization attempt fell short. The situation worsened with the completion of another commercial competitor. ONTARIO MILLS {14.5 miles southwest, in Ontario}, which opened for business in 1996.

By the turn of the 20th century, anchor stores at CAROUSEL MALL were pulling up stakes. Harris' went dark soon after the chain merged with Fresno-based Gottschalks, in 1998. Montgomery Ward was the next to close its doors, in March 2001. J.C. Penney shut down in 2003.

Vacant area in the mall was leased as offices for San Bernardino County, the San Bernardino Unified School District and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Soon after, a third retail competitor came on the scene. VICTORIA GARDENS {13.1 miles west, in Rancho Cucamonga} debuted in 2004.

CAROUSEL MALL was acquired by Miami Beach-based LNR Properties in February 2006. They proposed to redevelop the past-its-prime property as a residential mixed-use project. The existing mall would be demolished.

A severe housing slump caused LNR Properties to rethink -and scale down- their original proposal for a COURT STREET WEST redevelopment. This amended plan was rejected by the city government. Disenchanted, LNR sold their interest in the mall to Lynwood, California-based M & D Properties in January 2008.

M & D announced a 100 million dollar redevelopment scenario 3 months later. The existing mall would not be demolished, but renovated as a retail center. This was to be augmented by new housing units and a hotel. However, The Great Recession slammed the brakes on this plan.

CAROUSEL MALL continued to languish. The San Bernardino Economic Development Authority acquired the central section of the mall in an auction held in February 2011. However, any redevelopment of the property was stymied by the fact that the structure was now owned by three different entities.

A new initiative had surfaced by 2015. The City of San Bernardino entered into a joint venture with Los Angeles-based AECOM and the Newport Beach-based Fransen Company. CAROUSEL MALL would be redeveloped as part of the Theater Square Plan; which was a revitalization of an adjacent Regal megaplex.

Under said plan, CAROUSEL MALL would have been demolished. The Harris' and Andreson Buildings would be left standing and would have been worked into an open-air shopping, entertainment and residential facility that was to include large stretches of urban green space.

Fourteen tenants still in operation at CAROUSEL MALL were evicted in July 2017, with the shopping center officially closing on August 18 of the same year. Its iconic carousel was auctioned off in May 2018 in anticipation of the long-delayed mall redevelopment. This project finally got underway on April 24, 2023, when an 8 million dollar demolition commenced. If all goes as planned, the abandoned mall will be replaced by a mixed-use town center. This would include residential, retail and office components.

Sources:

The San Bernardino Sun

The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, California)

http://www.alexanderbuilding.com

www.labelscar.com / "Prange Way"

www.raincrosssquare.com / "Gedward"

City of San Bernardino Request for Council Action Staff Report / February 6, 2017

https://abc7.com

"Carousel Mall" article on Wikipedia