Lakewood Center

Lakewood Center is a super-regional shopping mall in Lakewood, California, serving the planned postwar community of Lakewood and surrounding parts of southeastern Los Angeles County. The property opened on February 18, 1952, as one of the defining commercial components of the Lakewood development. At opening, its four-level May Company-Lakewood department store measured approximately 346,700 square feet and was described as the largest suburban department store in the world. A smaller Butler Brothers department store occupied another location on the original property. The center expanded repeatedly as suburban retail formats evolved. Additional shops were added in the mid-1950s, while Bullock's and Buffums opened as freestanding department stores in 1965. JCPenney joined the mall in 1967, followed by a Pacific Theatres cinema in 1968. Montgomery Ward replaced Butler Brothers in 1975. The mall was enclosed in 1978, converting the originally open-air shopping environment into an enclosed regional center. Further growth came in the early 1980s through a second Pacific Theatres complex and a new wing anchored by Mervyn's. From the 1990s onward, Lakewood Center reflected the consolidation and restructuring of the American department-store and specialty-retail industries. Buffums liquidated in 1991, Bullock's closed in 1993, and the former Bullock's site was redeveloped for The Home Depot. The southern theater complex expanded into the former Buffums space, while the original theater was substantially rebuilt and reopened in 1999 as a sixteen-screen multiplex. Robinsons-May replaced the May Company nameplate in 1993, and later became Macy's following the 2006 merger of May Company with Macy's parent Federated Department Stores. The property underwent another substantial reconfiguration around 2000. A replacement Mervyn's store opened in August 2000, while the earlier Mervyn's building became part of a new mall wing leading to a newly built Macy's. Montgomery Ward closed during its chainwide liquidation, and its former location was demolished for a Target store that opened in 2003. The newer Macy's was later removed and replaced by a Costco warehouse, which opened in 2009. Mervyn's exited the center after its 2008 bankruptcy, and Forever 21 subsequently occupied the former Mervyn's space. Lakewood Center's cinema operations were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The remaining Pacific Theatres complex closed temporarily in March 2020 and did not resume operations under that operator. The Lakewood Center Theaters reopened under Starlight Cinemas on July 21, 2023. Forever 21 closed its Lakewood Center store in March 2025 in connection with the company's Chapter 11 proceedings, leaving the former space vacant apart from temporary use by Imaginarium 360. The center contains approximately 2,069,000 square feet of gross leasable area, placing it among the largest shopping malls in the United States by that measure. Its principal on-site anchors include Costco, JCPenney, Macy's, Round One Entertainment, and Target. Other major businesses around or adjacent to the mall property include 24 Hour Fitness, Albertsons, Best Buy, Burlington, and The Home Depot. The property is served by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Long Beach Transit bus routes. In August 2025, Macerich sold the center to Pacific Retail Capital Partners, Lyon Living, and Silverpeak for a reported $332 million, with plans for significant changes and possible mixed-use redevelopment.

Lakewood Center was developed as the principal retail destination for Lakewood, a planned suburban community created during the postwar expansion of Los Angeles County. It opened on February 18, 1952. The original center was open-air and included a prominent May Company department store, whose four-level building covered roughly 346,700 square feet. At the time of opening, the store was characterized as the world's largest suburban department store. Butler Brothers operated a smaller three-level department store on the property. The center grew during the 1950s and 1960s. A group of additional stores known as the Faculty Shops appeared around 1954 and 1955, although those shops were not directly connected to the main mall. Bullock's and Buffums opened freestanding department stores in 1965. In 1967, Lakewood Center expanded to accommodate a two-level JCPenney store. Pacific Theatres opened a two-screen cinema in the parking area in 1968, later expanding it to four screens in 1975. Butler Brothers closed in 1974, and Montgomery Ward replaced it in 1975 with a two-level store. The mall was enclosed in 1978, a major physical and commercial transformation that made it more competitive with enclosed regional shopping centers. In 1981, Pacific Theatres added a second cinema complex near Buffums. A new eastern wing opened in 1982 with a two-level Mervyn's, giving the center a broader barbell-style layout and strengthening its department-store mix. The 1990s brought extensive tenant turnover. Buffums ended operations in 1991 during its corporate liquidation. The southern theater complex expanded into the former Buffums space in 1992. Bullock's closed in 1993 following the bankruptcy of its parent, R.H. Macy & Co., and the building was later demolished for a Home Depot that opened in 1995. In the same period, May Company stores in the western United States were consolidated under the Robinsons-May name. The original Pacific Theatres complex closed in 1998 for a major reconstruction and returned in 1999 as a sixteen-screen multiplex. Lakewood Center was reconfigured again around 2000. A new single-level Mervyn's opened in August of that year, allowing the earlier Mervyn's structure to be converted into a retail wing connected to a newly built two-level Macy's. Montgomery Ward closed during its nationwide liquidation in March 2001. Its former building was demolished, and a two-level Target opened on the site in October 2003. When May Company owner Federated Department Stores acquired May Company in 2005, the Robinsons-May store was converted to Macy's in 2006. The newer Macy's building was then closed, demolished, and replaced by a freestanding Costco warehouse that opened in February 2009. The theater and apparel components also changed. The southern Pacific Theatres complex closed in 2008 and was replaced by a 24 Hour Fitness facility. Mervyn's filed for bankruptcy protection in 2008 and closed its stores in 2009. Forever 21 took over the Lakewood Center lease and operated a large store in the former Mervyn's building. That store closed in March 2025 during Forever 21's Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings; the space was subsequently described as vacant, with temporary use by Imaginarium 360. The remaining cinema closed temporarily in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and later closed permanently under Pacific Theatres. Starlight Cinemas reopened the Lakewood Center Theaters on July 21, 2023. The center currently functions as a large, mixed-format retail and entertainment complex with department stores, mass merchants, warehouse retail, services, restaurants, and entertainment. In August 2025, Macerich sold the property to Pacific Retail Capital Partners, Lyon Living, and Silverpeak for a reported $332 million. The new ownership group indicated that the property could undergo extensive changes, including possible mixed-use redevelopment.

• 2025

  Ownership changes

  [1]Lakewood Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Macerich sold Lakewood Center to Pacific Retail Capital Partners, Lyon Living, and Silverpeak for a reported $332 million, with possible mixed-use redevelopment under consideration.

• 2023

  Lakewood Center Theaters reopen

  [1]Lakewood Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Starlight Cinemas resumed movie-theater operations at the center on July 21.

• 2009

  Costco opens

  [1]Lakewood Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A freestanding Costco warehouse opened after the earlier Macy's building was demolished.

• 2003

  Target opens

  [1]Lakewood Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A two-level Target store opened on the site formerly occupied by Montgomery Ward.

• 1999

  Sixteen-screen multiplex opens

  [1]Lakewood Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The original Pacific Theatres cinema was rebuilt and reopened as a larger sixteen-screen complex.

• 1995

  The Home Depot opens on the former Bullock's site

  [1]Lakewood Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The former Bullock's building was demolished and replaced by a Home Depot.

• 1978

  The center is enclosed

  [1]Lakewood Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Lakewood Center transitioned from an open-air format to an enclosed regional mall.

• 1967

  JCPenney opens at the mall

  [1]Lakewood Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A two-level JCPenney store was added at the southern end of the mall.

• 1965

  Bullock's and Buffums join the property

  [1]Lakewood Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Two freestanding department stores expanded the center's regional draw.

• 1952

  Lakewood Center opens

  [1]Lakewood Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The shopping center opened on February 18 as the commercial core of the planned Lakewood community, with May Company and Butler Brothers as its principal department-store anchors.

A large, multigenerational regional shopping and entertainment destination anchored by department stores, mass merchants, a warehouse club, dining, services, and leisure venues.

• Retail · 1952

  Department stores

  Lakewood Center's department-store role has historically included May Company, Robinsons-May, Macy's, Bullock's, Buffums, Montgomery Ward, Mervyn's, and JCPenney. The department-store mix has changed repeatedly as national chains consolidated, rebranded, or entered bankruptcy.

• Retail · 2003

  Mass-market and warehouse retail

  The center's current large-format retail offer includes Target and Costco, supplemented by nearby or surrounding operators such as Albertsons, Best Buy, Burlington, and The Home Depot.

• Entertainment · 1968

  Entertainment and leisure

  Entertainment uses at the property have included Pacific Theatres multiplexes, Lakewood Center Theaters under Starlight Cinemas, Round One Entertainment, and 24 Hour Fitness. These uses have helped broaden the center beyond conventional shopping.

• 2025

  Sale and proposed repositioningM&A

  Background

  The property changed ownership during a period of tenant turnover and broader redevelopment pressure affecting large shopping centers.

  Action taken

  Macerich sold Lakewood Center to Pacific Retail Capital Partners, Lyon Living, and Silverpeak. The buyers indicated that substantial changes and possible mixed-use redevelopment could follow.

  Aftermath

  The long-term redevelopment program and its final scope remain to be established.

  Reported sale price. $332 million (August 2025)

  Source

• 2009

  Conversion of a former Macy's site to CostcoStrategy

  Background

  After Macy's consolidated its Lakewood operations into the larger former Robinsons-May building, the newer Macy's structure became surplus space.

  Action taken

  The newer Macy's building was demolished and replaced with an unattached Costco warehouse.

  Aftermath

  The property added a warehouse-club anchor and further diversified its retail format.

  Source

• 2003

  Replacement of Montgomery Ward with TargetGeneration change

  Background

  Montgomery Ward closed during a chainwide liquidation, leaving a large department-store site available for redevelopment.

  Action taken

  The former Montgomery Ward building was demolished and replaced by a two-level Target store.

  Aftermath

  The change shifted the site from a traditional department-store format toward a mass-market general-merchandise model.

  Source

• 1978

  Enclosure of the open-air centerStrategy

  Background

  The original open-air retail format faced a market increasingly shaped by enclosed regional shopping malls.

  Action taken

  Lakewood Center was converted into an enclosed mall.

  Aftermath

  The enclosure supported the center's continued expansion and long-term positioning as a large regional shopping destination.

  Source

1. 1Lakewood Centeren.wikipedia.org