Anaheim Plaza
A shopping center in Anaheim, California, that began as Orange County's first regional shopping mall and was later redeveloped as a power center.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Anaheim Plaza is a shopping center in Anaheim, California, with origins as one of Southern California's early postwar suburban malls. The property opened in 1955 under the name Broadway Orange County Center and was subsequently known as Anaheim Center before adopting the Anaheim Plaza name. It is notable for being the first shopping mall in Orange County and for having been designed by Los Angeles architect Welton Becket, whose work also included a number of important mid-century Southern California commercial and civic buildings. The original complex was organized around The Broadway department store, which opened on October 14, 1955. The store was a substantial regional retail facility, measuring approximately 208,000 square feet, employing about 1,000 people, and providing parking for roughly 5,000 cars. Shops in the surrounding center opened progressively during the weeks and months after the department store's debut. In February 1963, J. W. Robinson's became the second major anchor. The center was enclosed and substantially renovated in 1974 in a project costing $4 million, carried out under the ownership of Prudential Life Insurance Company. The renovation coincided with the adoption of the Anaheim Plaza name. Mervyn's joined the property as a third anchor in July 1977. During the 1980s, the retail environment around Anaheim Plaza changed. More affluent residents increasingly moved toward Anaheim Hills and other parts of southern Orange County, while the surrounding area became more working-class and increasingly Hispanic. Competition also intensified. The opening of MainPlace Mall in nearby Santa Ana in September 1987 drew customers and attracted Robinson's, which opened a store there during the same month. Robinson's consequently closed its Anaheim Plaza location in January 1988. By 1992, the mall was reported to be only about 35 percent occupied, reflecting both changing demographics and the growing pressure from newer regional shopping destinations. The original regional mall era ended in 1993. The Broadway closed in January, and the enclosed mall was demolished in August, with the Mervyn's building preserved. A newly constructed open-air or strip-style shopping center opened on the site in November 1994. The replacement development measured approximately 547,000 square feet and reportedly cost $30 million. Walmart opened at the center in January 1995, adding a large-format mass retailer to the redeveloped property. Mervyn's remained at the site until late 2008, when the chain was liquidated. Its former space was subsequently occupied by Forever 21 and later by Burlington. Other tenants and anchors identified in descriptions of the center include El Super, Smart & Final, Petco, Ross, TJ Maxx, and Walmart. Several of these spaces have changed occupants over time, including locations formerly associated with OSH, Gigante, OfficeMax, and CompUSA. As of 2023, Anaheim Plaza functioned primarily as a power center rather than as the enclosed regional mall it had been from 1955 through 1993. Its significance therefore lies both in its continuing retail use and in its place in the history of Orange County suburban commerce.
History
Anaheim Plaza began as Broadway Orange County Center in 1955, during the rapid expansion of automobile-oriented suburban retail in Southern California. The property was designed by Welton Becket and was described as Orange County's first shopping mall. The Broadway department store opened on October 14, 1955, while the surrounding shops opened in stages during the following weeks and months. The anchor was built at a reported cost of $8.5 million and contained approximately 208,000 square feet. It employed around 1,000 people and served customers arriving by car, with parking for about 5,000 vehicles. Brown McPherson was the store's first manager. The center was later known as Anaheim Center before its 1974 renovation and renaming. In February 1963, J. W. Robinson's opened as a second department-store anchor. Prudential Life Insurance Company, identified as the center's owner at the time, completed a $4 million renovation in 1974. The work enclosed the center, changing its physical character and supporting the Anaheim Plaza identity. Mervyn's was added in July 1977, giving the property three major department-store anchors. The mall's fortunes weakened during the 1980s. Residential and demographic patterns around the property changed as higher-income customers moved toward Anaheim Hills and southern Orange County, while the immediate area became more working-class and increasingly Hispanic. At the same time, newer regional destinations competed for the same shoppers. MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana opened in September 1987, and Robinson's opened there as well. Robinson's closed its Anaheim Plaza store in January 1988. By 1992, only about 35 percent of the mall was occupied. The original mall entered a major transition in 1993. The Broadway closed in January, and the enclosed center was bulldozed in August. The Mervyn's building survived the demolition. A new shopping center opened on the site in November 1994. The replacement center was approximately 547,000 square feet and reportedly represented a $30 million development investment. Its format was more consistent with an open-air power center than with the enclosed regional mall that had operated there for nearly four decades. Walmart opened in January 1995, further anchoring the property around high-volume general merchandise rather than traditional department-store shopping. Mervyn's continued until late 2008, when the chain was liquidated. The space was subsequently occupied by Forever 21, which later closed in 2020, and then by Burlington. Other tenant histories include El Super's location, formerly associated with OSH and Gigante; Smart & Final's location, formerly associated with OfficeMax; and TJ Maxx's location, formerly associated with CompUSA. Petco and Ross are also identified among the center's major tenants. By 2023, the property included El Super, Smart & Final, Petco, Ross, TJ Maxx, Walmart, and Burlington. Anaheim Plaza therefore represents two distinct retail eras: a mid-century enclosed regional mall anchored by department stores, and a later power center oriented toward discount, grocery, warehouse-style, and everyday-needs retail.
- 2020
Forever 21 location closes
[1]The Forever 21 store occupying the former Mervyn's and later retail space closed; Burlington subsequently occupied the location.
- 2008
Mervyn's closes
[1]Mervyn's left the center during the liquidation of its chain.
- 1995
Walmart joins the center
[1]Walmart opened at Anaheim Plaza in January.
- 1994
New power-center format opens
[1]A new approximately 547,000-square-foot shopping center opened in November.
- 1993
Original mall demolished
[1]The Broadway closed in January and the original mall was demolished in August, except for the Mervyn's building.
- 1988
Robinson's closes
[1]Robinson's closed its Anaheim Plaza store after opening a location at MainPlace Mall.
- 1977
Mervyn's opens
[1]Mervyn's became the third major anchor in July.
- 1974
Renovation and Anaheim Plaza renaming
[1]A reported $4 million renovation enclosed the center and established the Anaheim Plaza name.
- 1963
J. W. Robinson's becomes the second anchor
[1]J. W. Robinson's opened at the center in February.
- 1955
Broadway Orange County Center opens
[1]The Broadway opened on October 14, followed by the staged opening of surrounding mall shops. The property became Orange County's first shopping mall.
Products and positioning
A community-oriented power center serving everyday shopping, grocery, discount retail, apparel, pet supplies, and general merchandise needs in Anaheim. Historically, it was positioned as a regional enclosed mall with department-store anchors; after its 1993 demolition and 1994 redevelopment, its role shifted toward large-format and value-oriented retail.
Department stores · 1955
Department-store retail
The original Anaheim Plaza was anchored by The Broadway, J. W. Robinson's, and Mervyn's. These department stores supplied apparel, home goods, accessories, and other broad merchandise categories and defined the property's regional-mall identity from the 1950s through the early 1990s.
Shopping-center services and merchandise · 1994
Power-center retail mix
The redeveloped property shifted toward large-format and value-oriented retail. Its documented tenant mix includes grocery, general merchandise, discount apparel, pet supplies, off-price goods, and household products, serving routine shopping needs rather than functioning primarily as an enclosed regional mall.
Brand decisions
1994
Launch the redeveloped shopping centerStrategyBackground
The redevelopment followed the closure and demolition of the original enclosed mall.
Action taken
A replacement center of approximately 547,000 square feet opened in November at a reported cost of $30 million.
Aftermath
Anaheim Plaza operated in a power-center format, later adding Walmart and other everyday-needs retailers.
Redevelopment cost. $30 million (1994)
1993
Replace the regional mall with a power centerStrategyBackground
Declining occupancy, competition from MainPlace Mall, anchor-store departures, and changing local market conditions weakened the enclosed mall.
Action taken
The original mall was demolished in August, while the Mervyn's building was retained for a new development.
Aftermath
A new approximately 547,000-square-foot shopping center opened in November 1994, with a retail mix centered on large-format and value-oriented tenants.
1974
Enclose and reposition the centerStrategyBackground
The property underwent a major renovation under Prudential Life Insurance Company, changing the open center into an enclosed mall.
Action taken
The center was enclosed, renovated at a reported cost of $4 million, and renamed Anaheim Plaza.
Aftermath
The work reinforced the property's regional shopping-mall format and preceded the addition of Mervyn's as a third major anchor.
Renovation cost. $4 million (1974)
Sources1 sources
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