Country Club Centre
A long-established shopping center in Arden-Arcade, California, that evolved from a suburban strip center into a regional mall and later a mixed office-and-retail property.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Country Club Centre is a shopping center at the southwest corner of El Camino Avenue and Watt Avenue in Arden-Arcade, an unincorporated community in Sacramento County, California. Although it has a Sacramento postal address, the property is located in the Sacramento metropolitan area outside the incorporated city. The center is notable as one of the Sacramento region’s earliest suburban shopping developments and for its repeated transformation in response to changing retail patterns, competition from nearby shopping centers, anchor-store closures, and shifts from enclosed-mall retail toward office and service uses. The property opened on August 21, 1952, as a relatively small strip shopping center. Its original principal tenants were a 40,000-square-foot JCPenney and a Lucky supermarket. During the 1950s, the center expanded its tenant mix with retailers including Joseph Magnin, Walgreens, Woolworth, and Rhodes, a three-story department store that opened in 1954. Rhodes later became Liberty House in 1976, giving the western side of the property a major department-store anchor. Country Club Centre reached a larger regional-mall format during the 1970s. JCPenney closed its original location in 1971 and moved across Watt Avenue to the newer Country Club Plaza, while Woolworth also eventually moved there. In 1976, Montgomery Ward replaced Lucky as the eastern anchor, and Longs Drugs was added. The project also received an expanded covered mall and approximately six acres of additional parking. At that point, the center contained about 680,790 square feet of store space and was reported to be 89 percent leased, leading local coverage to characterize the redevelopment as a strong recovery from an earlier decline. The center’s position weakened during the 1980s and early 1990s. Liberty House closed in 1984, and Joseph Magnin disappeared after its parent chain entered bankruptcy and closed its remaining stores. The property passed through several absentee ownership arrangements before Sacramento developer Marvin “Buzz” Oates acquired it from Macerich in June 1987. A proposed renaming as Sacramento Place did not take effect. By the early 1990s, many interior mall spaces were vacant, with nearby Country Club Plaza and the expanded Arden Fair Mall intensifying competition. The interior wing connecting to the former Liberty House was demolished, and the former department-store building was converted to office use. Much of the remaining enclosed retail area was also adapted for offices. Large-format retail continued to occupy parts of the site. Pace Membership Warehouse opened in 1992 and was converted to Sam’s Club in 1994 after Walmart acquired Pace from Kmart. Montgomery Ward closed in 2001 when the chain ceased operations. A major renovation followed in 2002, including the opening of an Office Depot. Walmart opened in the former Montgomery Ward building in 2004. Longs Drugs eventually relocated to nearby Arden Way; that location later operated as CVS Pharmacy and closed on January 18, 2024. Tourmaline Capital Management acquired Country Club Centre in 2015 for a reported $56 million. At the time, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Michaels, and Anna’s Linens were among the principal anchors or large tenants. Anna’s Linens closed in 2015 after the chain filed for bankruptcy. In 2018, Sam’s Club closed on January 26 and Walmart closed on February 9. Michaels later relocated to the Howe ’Bout Arden shopping center, leaving Country Club Centre without a traditional anchor for the first time in its history. The property regained a major anchor on June 4, 2020, when the Sacramento area’s first Costco Business Center opened in the former Sam’s Club building. In 2021, the former Walmart building was demolished and part of its footprint was rebuilt as a smaller, single-story retail structure. The replacement space was intended for an Amazon Fresh store, but the project was put on hold during Amazon’s reevaluation of its grocery-store expansion and was subsequently nullified after Amazon announced plans in January 2026 to close its Amazon Fresh and smaller-format Amazon Go stores. By 2026, Costco Business Center remained the center’s principal active anchor, while much of the rest of the property was vacant or used for nontraditional retail and office purposes. The former Amazon Fresh-related space was reported to have been shuttered in July 2024.
History
Country Club Centre began operations on August 21, 1952, at the southwest corner of El Camino and Watt Avenues in the Sacramento area. It was among the region’s earliest suburban shopping centers and initially operated as a small strip center anchored by a 40,000-square-foot JCPenney and a Lucky supermarket. The property expanded during the 1950s, adding Joseph Magnin, Walgreens, Woolworth, and a three-story Rhodes department store in 1954. Rhodes later became Liberty House in 1976 and served as the western department-store anchor. The center’s retail format changed substantially in the 1970s. JCPenney left in 1971 for the newer Country Club Plaza across Watt Avenue, and Woolworth also relocated there. In 1976, Montgomery Ward replaced Lucky as the eastern anchor. Longs Drugs was added, the covered mall was extended, and roughly six acres of parking were created. The enlarged property contained approximately 680,790 square feet of store space and was reported to be 89 percent leased, prompting favorable local commentary about its recovery. The 1980s brought a sharper decline. Liberty House closed in 1984, followed by Joseph Magnin after its chain entered bankruptcy. The center passed through several absentee ownership arrangements and was considered for a possible renaming as Sacramento Place, although that name was never adopted. In June 1987, Sacramento developer Marvin “Buzz” Oates purchased the property from Macerich. Competition from Country Club Plaza and the expanding Arden Fair Mall contributed to vacancies in the interior mall. During the early 1990s, the wing linking the Liberty House building was removed for parking and rear access, the former department-store structure was converted into offices, and many interior retail spaces were repurposed for office use. Large-format warehouse retail became increasingly important. Pace Membership Warehouse opened in 1992 and changed to Sam’s Club in 1994 after Walmart acquired Pace from Kmart. Longs Drugs later moved to nearby Arden Way; that successor location eventually operated as CVS Pharmacy and closed in January 2024. Montgomery Ward, the last conventional department-store anchor, closed in 2001 when the chain went out of business. The center received a substantial renovation in 2002, and Office Depot opened there. Walmart subsequently occupied the former Montgomery Ward building in 2004. Tourmaline Capital Management purchased the property in 2015. The center then included Walmart, Sam’s Club, Michaels, and Anna’s Linens among its major tenants. Anna’s Linens closed that year after its chain filed for bankruptcy. In 2018, Sam’s Club closed on January 26 and Walmart closed on February 9. Michaels later relocated to the Howe ’Bout Arden center, leaving Country Club Centre without a major anchor for the first time since its early development. A major replacement arrived on June 4, 2020, when Costco opened the Sacramento area’s first Costco Business Center in the former Sam’s Club location. In 2021, the former Walmart building was demolished and part of the site was rebuilt as a smaller retail structure. Amazon Fresh was proposed for the replacement space, but the opening was placed on hold while Amazon reassessed its grocery-store operations. The plan was later nullified after Amazon announced in January 2026 that it would close its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores. By 2026, Costco Business Center was the principal active anchor, while much of the remainder of the property was vacant or used for offices and other nontraditional retail purposes.
- 2026
Amazon Fresh plan is nullified
[1]The planned Amazon Fresh store does not proceed after Amazon announces the closure of its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go formats.
- 2021
Former Walmart site is redeveloped
[1]The former Walmart building is demolished and part of its footprint is rebuilt as a smaller retail structure.
- 2020
Costco Business Center opens
[1]Costco opens the Sacramento area’s first Costco Business Center in the former Sam’s Club location.
- 2018
Major anchors depart
[1]Sam’s Club and Walmart close, and Michaels later relocates, leaving the center without a traditional anchor.
- 2015
Tourmaline Capital Management purchase
[1]Tourmaline Capital Management buys the property for a reported $56 million.
- 2004
Walmart opens
[1]Walmart takes over the former Montgomery Ward building.
- 2002
Major renovation
[1]The center undergoes a substantial renovation and adds Office Depot.
- 2001
Montgomery Ward closes
[1]Montgomery Ward shuts its store as the national chain ceases operations.
- 1994
Pace becomes Sam’s Club
[1]The warehouse store is rebranded as Sam’s Club after Walmart acquires Pace from Kmart.
- 1992
Pace Membership Warehouse opens
[1]A Pace Membership Warehouse opens in the southwest corner of the center.
Products and positioning
A historically important Sacramento-area shopping center that has shifted from conventional suburban mall retail toward large-format warehouse retail, neighborhood services, offices, and mixed-use occupancy.
Membership warehouse retail · 2020
Costco Business Center
The Costco Business Center is the principal active anchor at Country Club Centre as of 2026. It opened on June 4, 2020, in the former Sam’s Club warehouse. The format focuses on bulk merchandise, business supplies, food-service products, groceries, and other large-volume goods, giving the property a warehouse-oriented retail role after the departure of Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Michaels.
General merchandise retail · 2004
Walmart
Walmart operated as a major anchor at Country Club Centre from 2004 until its closure on February 9, 2018. It occupied the former Montgomery Ward building and provided broad general merchandise, grocery, and household retailing. The building was demolished in 2021, with part of the footprint rebuilt as a smaller retail structure.
Membership warehouse retail · 1994
Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club operated in the southwest portion of Country Club Centre after the former Pace Membership Warehouse was rebranded in 1994. The warehouse club served as one of the property’s principal anchors until it closed on January 26, 2018. Its building was later reused by Costco Business Center.
Department store · 1952
JCPenney
JCPenney was one of Country Club Centre’s two original anchors when the center opened in 1952. Its store measured approximately 40,000 square feet. JCPenney closed the location in 1971 and relocated across Watt Avenue to the newer Country Club Plaza.
Supermarket · 1952
Lucky
Lucky served as the original supermarket anchor when Country Club Centre opened in 1952. The store was later replaced as the eastern anchor by Montgomery Ward during the center’s 1976 expansion.
Department store · 1976
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward became the center’s eastern anchor in 1976, replacing Lucky. It remained the last traditional department-store anchor at Country Club Centre until closing in 2001 when the chain went out of business. Walmart later occupied the building.
Department store · 1976
Liberty House
Liberty House occupied the former Rhodes department-store building at the west end of the center. It became the western anchor in 1976 but closed in 1984. The building was later converted into office space, and its connecting interior mall wing was removed.
Office supplies · 2002
Office Depot
Office Depot opened during the center’s 2002 renovation. The store later relocated across Watt Avenue to Country Club Plaza in 2013 and subsequently closed.
Grocery retail
Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh was planned for part of the retail structure rebuilt after the former Walmart building was demolished in 2021. The store did not open after Amazon paused expansion to reassess its grocery operations, and the proposal was later nullified following Amazon’s announced closure of its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores.
Brand decisions
2021
Redevelop the former Walmart siteStrategyBackground
Walmart had vacated the center in 2018, leaving its former large-format building unused.
Action taken
The building was demolished and part of the site was rebuilt as a smaller single-story retail structure intended for Amazon Fresh.
Aftermath
The Amazon Fresh plan was put on hold and ultimately did not proceed.
2020
Open the Sacramento area’s first Costco Business CenterProduct launchBackground
The 2018 closures of Sam’s Club and Walmart had left the center without a major anchor.
Action taken
Costco opened a Costco Business Center in the former Sam’s Club building on June 4.
Aftermath
Costco Business Center became the property’s principal active anchor as of 2026.
2002
Renovate and reposition the propertyStrategyBackground
The property had suffered from declining enclosed-mall traffic, vacant interior spaces, and competition from nearby shopping centers.
Action taken
Country Club Centre underwent a full renovation and added an Office Depot store.
Aftermath
The center continued operating with a combination of large-format retail, office uses, and adapted former mall space.
1994
Convert Pace Membership Warehouse to Sam’s ClubGeneration changeBackground
Pace Membership Warehouse had opened at the property in 1992, while Walmart acquired Pace from Kmart in 1993.
Action taken
The warehouse club location was rebranded as Sam’s Club.
Aftermath
Sam’s Club became one of the center’s principal large-format anchors until its closure in 2018.
1976
Re-anchor and expand the shopping centerStrategyBackground
The center had experienced a decline after tenant departures and competition from newer retail developments.
Action taken
Montgomery Ward replaced Lucky, Longs Drugs was added, the covered mall was extended, and approximately six acres of parking were created.
Aftermath
The expanded property reached approximately 680,790 square feet of store space and was reported to be 89 percent leased.
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