Bayshore Mall
An enclosed shopping mall in Eureka, California, serving the far North Coast region.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Bayshore Mall is an enclosed shopping center in Eureka, California, near Humboldt Bay. Its location gives it a distinctive regional role: it is described as the only major mall on the California coast north of the San Francisco Bay Area and serves as one of the principal retail destinations for the far North Coast. The mall draws from Eureka and surrounding communities in Humboldt County and functions as a broader trade-area destination because large-scale shopping facilities are relatively sparse across the region. The property opened in 1988, during a period when population and retail demand in California's North Coast were supporting the development of a substantial shopping facility. Its original anchor lineup included Mervyn's, Gottschalks, JCPenney, and Sears, with Longs Drugs also operating at the center. Over time, the mall's tenant mix changed substantially as department-store chains retrenched, entered bankruptcy, or closed locations. JCPenney first reduced its presence by converting to an outlet format before departing. The former JCPenney area was subsequently divided between Bed Bath & Beyond and Borders, while Longs Drugs' space was eventually adapted for Petco. The late 2000s brought major disruption. Mervyn's entered bankruptcy proceedings and closed its Eureka store in December 2008. Gottschalks followed with a closure in July 2009, and Kohl's later opened in the former Mervyn's location. The cinema, as well as several apparel retailers including Old Navy and Gap, also left during this period. Borders closed in 2011 after its bankruptcy, while the former Gottschalks space was redeveloped for Walmart, which opened in 2012. Subsequent years brought additional tenants such as TJ Maxx, Ulta Beauty, Sports Authority, Staples, Planet Fitness, and the eventual return of Old Navy. Bayshore Mall has also been affected by wider retail-sector consolidation. Sears closed its store in December 2019 as part of a nationwide reduction by its parent company, and Pier 1 Imports announced the closure of its mall location in early 2020. Bed Bath & Beyond later shut its store following the retailer's 2023 bankruptcy and liquidation process. Other closures reflected the financial difficulties of chains such as Borders, Sports Authority, Sbarro, and the regional supermarket operator C&K Markets. Vacated areas have generally been reused for discount retail, specialty stores, fitness, food service, or other locally oriented businesses. The mall sustained nonstructural damage during the magnitude 6.5 earthquake offshore from Eureka on January 9, 2010. Reported effects included loosened ceiling and floor tiles and water damage from sprinkler activation, but engineering inspections found no structural damage. The property remains an active retail complex with roughly 40 stores reported in the reference material. Its principal anchors and major tenants have included Kohl's, Walmart, TJ Maxx, Ulta Beauty, Old Navy, Ross Dress for Less, Staples, Petco, and Sportsman's Warehouse. Bayshore Mall is served by local and regional public transportation, including Eureka Transit Service and Redwood Transit Service.
History
Bayshore Mall was developed in Eureka and opened in 1988 as retail demand expanded across California's North Coast. The property was named for its proximity to Humboldt Bay and became an important commercial destination for a wide geographic area. Its original department-store anchors were Mervyn's, Gottschalks, JCPenney, and Sears. Longs Drugs also operated at the center, although that store later closed after the chain relocated to and acquired a nearby PayLess location. Much of the former Longs space was eventually converted for Petco. During the early 2000s, the mall began adapting to changing department-store economics. JCPenney reduced its footprint and converted its operation to an outlet before leaving entirely. Bed Bath & Beyond and Borders subsequently occupied portions of the former anchor area. The property then experienced a succession of major closures during the national retail contraction of the late 2000s. Mervyn's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed its Eureka store in December 2008. Gottschalks filed for bankruptcy and closed in July 2009. Kohl's opened in the former Mervyn's location on September 27, 2009. Old Navy, Gap, and the local cinema operation also departed around this period. On January 9, 2010, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck offshore, approximately 27 miles from Eureka. Bayshore Mall experienced loosened floor and ceiling tiles and water damage when sprinklers activated. Engineering inspections found no structural damage, allowing the property to continue operating. Borders later closed in September 2011 after its bankruptcy. A Walmart redevelopment of the approximately 73,000-square-foot former Gottschalks area was submitted to the City of Eureka in 2011, and the store opened in June 2012. The early and mid-2010s brought further reconfiguration. Hometown Buffet closed at the end of 2011. TJ Maxx occupied the former Borders space in 2013, while Ulta Beauty and Sports Authority took space associated with the former cinema. Sbarro closed amid bankruptcy-related difficulties in 2014. Value-oriented apparel, office-supply, fitness, food-service, and local retail tenants subsequently filled some vacancies. Staples moved into space formerly associated with Hometown Buffet in 2015, and Planet Fitness later opened in part of the same broader area. Sports Authority closed in June 2016 after its parent company entered bankruptcy. A local pizza business and then a Mexican restaurant occupied the former Sbarro location. Old Navy returned on June 29, 2019, occupying the space vacated by Sports Authority. Sears announced in August 2019 that its Bayshore Mall store would be among 85 locations closed nationwide; the store ceased operations on December 1 of that year. Pier 1 Imports announced a local closure in January 2020 as part of a broader program affecting more than 400 stores. Bed Bath & Beyond eventually left in 2023 following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the shutdown of the chain's remaining stores. The property continues to operate as a regional retail center. Reference material describes approximately 40 stores and identifies Kohl's and Walmart as anchors, with TJ Maxx, Ulta Beauty, Old Navy, Ross Dress for Less, Staples, Petco, and Sportsman's Warehouse among the other significant occupants. A separate Ray's Food Place supermarket on the property closed at the end of 2013 after parent company C&K Markets filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; the building was later occupied by Sportsman's Warehouse. Eureka Transit Service and Redwood Transit Service provide public transportation access. Bayshore Mall's enduring role comes from its relative isolation from competing large malls and its ability to combine national chains with locally oriented food and service businesses.
- 2023
Bed Bath & Beyond closes
[1]Bed Bath & Beyond leaves the mall following the chain's bankruptcy and liquidation of its stores.
- 2019
Old Navy returns and Sears closes
[1]Old Navy returns in June, while Sears closes on December 1 after announcing a nationwide store-reduction program.
- 2016
Sports Authority closes
[1]Sports Authority leaves after its corporate parent enters bankruptcy.
- 2013
TJ Maxx and Ulta Beauty arrive
[1]TJ Maxx takes the former Borders space, while Ulta Beauty opens in space formerly associated with the cinema.
- 2012
Walmart opens
[1]Walmart opens in the redeveloped former Gottschalks space in June.
- 2011
Borders closes
[1]Borders shuts its mall store in September after entering bankruptcy.
- 2010
Earthquake causes nonstructural damage
[1]An offshore magnitude 6.5 earthquake damages tiles and causes sprinkler water damage, but inspections find no structural impairment.
- 2009
Kohl's opens and Gottschalks closes
[1]Gottschalks closes in July, while Kohl's opens in the former Mervyn's location in September.
- 2008
Mervyn's closes
[1]Mervyn's bankruptcy leads to the closure of its Eureka store in December.
- 2004
Former Longs Drugs space is adapted for Petco
[1]After Longs Drugs closes and relocates elsewhere in Eureka, most of its mall space is converted for Petco.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping center and broad retail destination serving Eureka and the far North Coast of California.
Department store · 2009
Kohl's
A major anchor retailer offering apparel, footwear, accessories, home goods, beauty products, and seasonal merchandise. Kohl's opened at Bayshore Mall in 2009 in the former Mervyn's location.
General merchandise · 2012
Walmart
A large-format general merchandise store occupying the redeveloped former Gottschalks space. Its assortment typically spans household goods, apparel, electronics, groceries, health products, and everyday essentials.
Off-price retail · 2013
TJ Maxx
An off-price retailer selling discounted apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and seasonal products. It opened in the former Borders area in 2013.
Beauty retail · 2013
Ulta Beauty
A specialty beauty retailer combining cosmetics, skincare, haircare, fragrance, personal-care products, and salon-related services. The store opened at the mall in 2013.
Apparel · 2019
Old Navy
A family-oriented apparel retailer offering casual clothing, denim, accessories, and seasonal merchandise. Old Navy originally operated at the property, departed in 2009, and returned in 2019.
Pet supplies and services · 2004
Petco
A specialty pet retailer offering food, supplies, accessories, and related animal-care products. Petco occupies most of the space formerly used by Longs Drugs.
Outdoor retail
Sportsman's Warehouse
An outdoor and sporting-goods retailer occupying the former Ray's Food Place building on the property. Its product range is oriented toward hunting, fishing, camping, shooting sports, and outdoor recreation.
Brand decisions
2019
Bring Old Navy back to the mallOtherBackground
Old Navy had left Bayshore Mall in 2009, while the former Sports Authority location became available after that retailer's 2016 bankruptcy-related closure.
Action taken
Old Navy returned to the property on June 29, 2019.
Aftermath
The return restored a previously established apparel tenant and helped reuse a vacant large-format retail space.
2011
Redevelop former Gottschalks space for WalmartStrategyBackground
Gottschalks closed in 2009 after bankruptcy, leaving an approximately 73,000-square-foot anchor space vacant.
Action taken
A Walmart redevelopment plan was submitted to the City of Eureka during 2011, followed by the store's opening in June 2012.
Aftermath
The project converted a former traditional department-store anchor into a large-format general merchandise destination.
2009
Replace former Mervyn's anchor with Kohl'sStrategyBackground
Mervyn's closed its Eureka store after entering bankruptcy, leaving a major anchor vacancy.
Action taken
Kohl's opened in the former Mervyn's location on September 27, 2009.
Aftermath
The replacement preserved a major department-store presence as the mall's original anchor lineup contracted.
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