MainPlace Mall

MainPlace Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located on the northern edge of Santa Ana, California, near Downtown Santa Ana and the Orange Crush interchange of the Santa Ana, Garden Grove, and Orange freeways. The property sits close to the boundary with the City of Orange and occupies a strategically accessible position in central Orange County. Its tenant mix has historically combined department stores, specialty retail, restaurants, fitness, furniture, and entertainment uses. The present mall was developed in 1987 on the site of an earlier open-air retail center known as Bullock's Fashion Square, later renamed Santa Ana Fashion Square. The earlier center opened in 1958 under the ownership of Los Angeles department-store operator Bullock's. Designed by Pereira & Luckman, it contained 32 stores and attracted major regional attention at opening. Its tenants included Bullock's, I. Magnin, Desmond's, Haggarty's, Mandel's, and the Jolly Roger restaurant. The center had parking for approximately 3,000 vehicles and was reported to have drawn roughly 40,000 visitors on opening day. After the original center experienced decline, JMB-Federated Realty Associates replaced most of the open-air development with a new enclosed mall. MainPlace opened in 1987 with Bullock's, Nordstrom, and J.W. Robinson's as its principal anchors. A further wing opened in November 1990, with May Company California becoming a fourth anchor in 1991. Subsequent department-store consolidations reshaped the property: Robinson's and May Company combined into Robinsons-May in the early 1990s, Bullock's became Macy's in 1996, and the former Robinsons-May women's and children's location was later converted for JCPenney. Ownership and branding changed several times. JMB Urban sold the mall in 2000 to the American operations of Rodamco, which sold its North American properties to Westfield Group in 2002. Under Westfield, the property was first branded Westfield Shoppingtown MainPlace and then Westfield MainPlace after the Shoppingtown designation was removed. In December 2015, Westfield sold the mall to a consortium led by Centennial Real Estate Company, with Montgomery Street Partners and USAA Real Estate Company also participating. MainPlace has faced strong competitive pressure from larger regional destinations, particularly South Coast Plaza, located several miles to the south. Westfield pursued revitalization efforts during the 2000s and announced a $50 million renovation program in 2014. Department-store changes continued: Macy's closed its separate men's and home store in 2012 and consolidated those categories into its principal location; the former J.W. Robinson's building was subsequently divided among 24 Hour Fitness, Ashley HomeStore, and an entertainment use. Nordstrom, an original MainPlace anchor, closed in 2017. By 2019, the mall had reportedly experienced 35 store closures and a $54 million decline in gross sales over a two-year period. A proposed $300 million transformation was announced that year. The concept called for removing the mall's central portion and creating a more open-air environment with a European-market-style food hall, an interactive children's play center, improvements to the movie theater, a grocery store, and two apartment communities containing approximately 700 residential units. Including nearby developments, the plan contemplated about 3,000 new residential units in the surrounding area. The redevelopment proposal reflects a broader shift from a conventional enclosed shopping mall toward a mixed-use, entertainment-oriented district. As of 2024, a FYE store had been announced for the property. The mall's current anchor lineup includes JCPenney, 24 Hour Fitness, Ashley HomeStore, Round1 Entertainment, DXL Men's Apparel, and Macy's, while the former Nordstrom anchor remains vacant.

MainPlace Mall developed from Bullock's Fashion Square, an open-air shopping center opened by the Los Angeles-based Bullock's department-store chain in 1958. Designed by Pereira & Luckman, the original center cost approximately $11.5 million and contained 32 stores. Its opening tenant roster included Bullock's and branches of I. Magnin, Desmond's, Haggarty's, and Mandel's, as well as the Jolly Roger restaurant. With parking for about 3,000 cars, the center attracted large crowds from across Orange County. As Bullock's developed similarly named properties elsewhere in Southern California, the Santa Ana center became known as Santa Ana Fashion Square. The original center later declined, and JMB-Federated Realty Associates undertook a major replacement project. Most of the open-air complex was demolished while the principal anchors were retained or repositioned. The resulting enclosed MainPlace Mall opened in 1987 with Bullock's, Nordstrom, and J.W. Robinson's as its principal department-store anchors. I. Magnin did not remain and closed in February 1987. The property expanded with a new wing in November 1990; May Company California became the fourth anchor when its store opened in May 1991. Department-store mergers and conversions substantially changed MainPlace during the 1990s and 2000s. In January 1993, Robinson's merged with May Company to form Robinsons-May. The existing May Company building became a Robinsons-May women's and children's store, while the former J.W. Robinson's site became a Robinsons-May men's and home store. Bullock's was converted to Macy's in May 1996. When Robinsons-May was acquired by Macy's and Bloomingdale's, the women's and children's store closed in September 2006. The former space later reopened as a JCPenney in March 2007, while the men's and home location was converted into a Macy's men's and home store. Ownership moved from JMB Urban to Rodamco's American operations in 2000. Rodamco then sold its North American portfolio to Westfield Group in 2002. Westfield initially renamed the property Westfield Shoppingtown MainPlace, later dropping Shoppingtown from the name in 2005. Westfield pursued improvements in response to competition from South Coast Plaza, one of the region's dominant shopping destinations. A $50 million renovation was announced in 2014. The mall's anchor configuration continued to contract. Macy's closed its separate men's and home store in 2012 and consolidated those categories into its main store. The former J.W. Robinson's building was divided among 24 Hour Fitness, Ashley HomeStore, and an entertainment operation. In December 2015, Westfield sold MainPlace to a group led by Centennial Real Estate Company, with Montgomery Street Partners and USAA Real Estate Company also involved. Nordstrom, an original anchor from the 1987 opening, closed in 2017. By 2019, MainPlace had reportedly lost 35 stores and experienced a $54 million decline in gross sales over two years. In response, a $300 million redevelopment plan was announced. The proposal sought to remove the center of the enclosed mall and create a more open-air, mixed-use environment. Planned components included a European-market-inspired food hall, an interactive children's play area, theater upgrades, a grocery store, and two apartment communities totaling about 700 units. Together with nearby residential construction, the broader area was expected to gain approximately 3,000 new housing units. The proposal illustrates the property's attempted transition from a conventional department-store mall into a district combining retail, dining, entertainment, and housing. The known tenant lineup includes JCPenney, Macy's, 24 Hour Fitness, Ashley HomeStore, Round1 Entertainment, and DXL Men's Apparel, while the former Nordstrom space remains vacant. A FYE store was announced for the property as of 2024.

1. 2024FYE tenant announced

   FYE is announced as a future tenant at MainPlace.

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2. 2019Mixed-use redevelopment plan announced

   A proposed $300 million project would introduce open-air retail, food, entertainment, grocery, and residential components.

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3. 2017Nordstrom closes

   Nordstrom exits MainPlace after serving as an original anchor for three decades.

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4. 2015MainPlace changes ownership

   Westfield sells the mall to a consortium led by Centennial Real Estate Company.

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5. 2014Westfield announces a $50 million renovation

   Westfield announces a major renovation intended to strengthen MainPlace against regional competition.

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6. 2012Macy's consolidates men's and home merchandise

   Macy's closes its separate men's and home store and moves those categories into its principal location.

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7. 2007JCPenney opens

   JCPenney takes over the former Robinsons-May women's and children's location.

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8. 2002Westfield acquires the property

   Westfield Group acquires Rodamco's North American properties, including MainPlace.

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9. 2000JMB sells MainPlace

   JMB Urban sells the mall to the American branch of Rodamco.

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10. 1996Bullock's becomes Macy's

    The original Bullock's anchor is converted to Macy's.

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11. 1993Robinson's and May Company combine

    The department-store merger creates Robinsons-May and leads to a redistribution of the mall's anchor spaces.

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12. 1991May Company California becomes a fourth anchor

    May Company California opens at MainPlace in May.

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13. 1990New mall wing opens

    MainPlace adds a new wing in November, supporting the later arrival of May Company California.

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14. 1987MainPlace Mall opens

    A new enclosed mall replaces most of the earlier Santa Ana Fashion Square center, opening with Bullock's, Nordstrom, and J.W. Robinson's as anchors.

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15. 1958Bullock's Fashion Square opens

    Bullock's opens an open-air shopping center on the future MainPlace site with 32 stores and approximately 3,000 parking spaces.

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A centrally located Orange County shopping and entertainment destination that has historically operated as a traditional enclosed regional mall and is being repositioned toward a mixed-use, open-air, food, residential, and experiential format.

• Department-store retailRetail1987

  MainPlace's traditional retail offer is anchored by department stores, principally Macy's and JCPenney. These stores provide broad assortments spanning apparel, accessories, beauty, home goods, seasonal merchandise, and other general department-store categories. The mall's department-store history also includes Bullock's, Nordstrom, J.W. Robinson's, May Company California, and Robinsons-May.

• Men's extended-size apparelApparel

  DXL Men's Apparel provides specialty men's clothing and accessories, with an emphasis on extended sizes. Its presence adds a focused apparel proposition beyond the general merchandise offered by the department-store anchors.

• Home furnishingsHome

  Ashley HomeStore represents the mall's furniture and home-furnishings component. The store occupies part of the former J.W. Robinson's/Macy's men's and home building, helping repurpose a large legacy anchor after department-store consolidation.

• Fitness servicesHealth and fitness

  24 Hour Fitness operates in a portion of a former department-store anchor. Its use reflects MainPlace's adaptation from a purely merchandise-oriented mall toward services and recurring-visit amenities.

• Entertainment and amusementEntertainment

  Round1 Entertainment supplies an experiential attraction combining arcade-style amusement and other entertainment activities. The use supports MainPlace's strategy of adding destinations that are less dependent on conventional apparel retail.

• 2019Propose a mixed-use, open-air transformationStrategy

  By 2019, the mall had experienced numerous store closures and a reported decline in gross sales, increasing pressure to move beyond the conventional enclosed-mall model.

  What changed. The redevelopment proposal called for removing the central portion of the enclosed mall and adding an open-air environment, a European-market-style food hall, an interactive children's play center, theater upgrades, a grocery store, and two apartment communities.

  Aftermath. The proposal repositioned MainPlace as a potential mixed-use district combining retail, dining, entertainment, and housing. The plan envisioned approximately 700 units within the mall project and about 3,000 units in the immediate area when nearby developments were included.

  proposed redevelopment investment. $300 million proposed (2019)

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• 2015Sell MainPlace to a Centennial-led consortiumM&A

  Westfield sold the property as part of a change in ownership and operating control.

  What changed. A consortium headed by Centennial Real Estate Company acquired MainPlace, with Montgomery Street Partners and USAA Real Estate Company participating.

  Aftermath. The transaction ended Westfield's ownership of the mall and preceded a later focus on substantial mixed-use repositioning.

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• 2014Plan a major renovationStrategy

  Westfield sought to improve MainPlace's competitiveness amid pressure from South Coast Plaza and changing Orange County shopping patterns.

  What changed. Westfield announced a planned $50 million renovation of the mall.

  Aftermath. The announcement marked an effort to refresh the property, although later store closures and ownership changes led to a broader redevelopment concept.

  announced renovation investment. $50 million announced (2014)

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• 2002Transfer the property to WestfieldM&A

  Rodamco decided to sell its North American properties as part of a portfolio transaction.

  What changed. Westfield Group acquired the North American portfolio, including MainPlace, and rebranded the mall as Westfield Shoppingtown MainPlace.

  Aftermath. The mall became part of Westfield's North American operating platform; the Shoppingtown wording was later removed from the name.

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• 1987Replace the declining open-air center with an enclosed mallStrategy

  The earlier Bullock's Fashion Square/Santa Ana Fashion Square center had declined, prompting JMB-Federated Realty Associates to redevelop most of the property while retaining selected anchor operations.

  What changed. The developer constructed MainPlace as a new enclosed regional shopping mall, which opened with Bullock's, Nordstrom, and J.W. Robinson's.

  Aftermath. The project established the MainPlace identity and created a larger department-store-oriented retail destination in central Orange County.

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• 2024FYE store announced for MainPlace

  A FYE store was announced as a future tenant at MainPlace Mall.

  Product launch
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• 2019A $300 million mixed-use transformation is announced

  A redevelopment concept proposed converting the mall toward an open-air format and adding a food hall, children's play center, theater improvements, a grocery store, and approximately 700 new residential units.

  Other
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• 2017Nordstrom closes its MainPlace anchor

  Nordstrom, which had been an anchor since MainPlace opened in 1987, closed its store at the mall, leaving the property with a vacant former anchor location.

  Other
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• 2015MainPlace is sold to a Centennial-led consortium

  Westfield sold the mall to a consortium led by Centennial Real Estate Company and including Montgomery Street Partners and USAA Real Estate Company.

  M&A
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• 2014Westfield announces a major renovation program

  Westfield announced a planned $50 million renovation intended to improve the mall's competitiveness in the Orange County retail market.

  Other
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• 2007JCPenney opens in a former Robinsons-May space

  JCPenney opened in the former Robinsons-May women's and children's anchor location after that store closed during the Macy's and Bloomingdale's acquisition of Robinsons-May.

  Product launch
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• 2002Westfield acquires MainPlace through its North American portfolio transaction

  Following Rodamco's sale of its North American properties, Westfield Group took ownership and renamed the mall Westfield Shoppingtown MainPlace.

  M&A
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• 1996Bullock's location becomes Macy's

  The Bullock's department-store anchor was converted to Macy's, linking the property to Macy's broader consolidation of regional department-store operations.

  Other
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• 1990MainPlace adds a new wing and a May Company anchor

  A new wing opened in November 1990, followed by the opening of May Company California as the property's fourth anchor in May 1991.

  Other
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• 1987MainPlace opens as a new enclosed shopping mall

  Most of the earlier Santa Ana Fashion Square center was replaced by the enclosed MainPlace Mall. Bullock's, Nordstrom, and J.W. Robinson's served as the initial major anchors.

  Other
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1. MainPlace Mall
2. MainPlace Mall official website