Orange County Plaza

Orange County Plaza is a historic open-air shopping center at the intersection of Chapman Avenue and Brookhurst Street in Garden Grove, California. The property is notable for its early role in the development of suburban retailing in Orange County and for its successive identities as Garden Grove Mall, Garden Promenade, and The Promenade at Garden Grove. Although its original promotional material described it as Orange County's first regional shopping center, Anaheim Plaza had opened in 1955, before Orange County Plaza's major expansion. The project was announced in 1956 with a proposed cost of $10 million. Its first phase opened that year on approximately 10 acres and contained 20 stores with about 60,000 square feet of gross leasable area. Initial tenants included Thriftimart, a supermarket, and Economart, a drugstore. The center expanded substantially in 1959, adding about 35 acres, 40 stores, and approximately 275,000 square feet of additional leasable area. The expanded center contained 60 stores in total and was promoted as the largest shopping center in Orange County at the time. The 1959 expansion introduced several department-store, grocery, variety-store, and drugstore anchors. J. C. Penney opened a 40,000-square-foot location, while W. T. Grant operated a 20,000-square-foot variety store. Safeway moved its nearby operation into a 22,500-square-foot space at the center, and Thrifty Drug occupied approximately 17,000 square feet. Hartfield's, a junior department store, occupied another 10,000 square feet. Plans had also identified Penney's, Newberry's, Grant's, and a proposed Rankin's department-store branch as tenants; the Rankin's branch ultimately did not open. By 1979 the property was known as Garden Grove Mall and underwent a reported $5 million renovation. National Lumber became a new anchor, and Wineman's Department Store opened a 10,000-square-foot east-end location. When Wineman's was acquired by Boston Stores in 1984, the store was converted to the Boston Stores format. The renovated center also included businesses such as McDonald's, Straw Hat Pizza, Citizens Savings and Loan, Bank of America, and See's Candies. The property continues to function as a community shopping center under the name The Promenade at Garden Grove. Its reported gross leasable area is approximately 353,217 square feet. The current tenant mix includes Walmart, Regal Cinemas, Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, 24 Hour Fitness, Aldi, PetSmart, and Dollar Tree. Walmart is described as Garden Grove's second Walmart and opened at the site on July 16, 2014. The property previously included Costco, which opened there in 1987 and relocated in 1994. The center's long history reflects the transition from mid-century department-store-led suburban retailing to a diversified community-center format combining discount retail, grocery, entertainment, fitness, and specialty stores.

Orange County Plaza emerged during the postwar expansion of suburban Garden Grove and the broader Orange County retail market. The center was announced in 1956 as a large-scale commercial project planned for an estimated $10 million investment. Its first phase opened in 1956 with 20 stores and approximately 60,000 square feet of gross leasable area on a 10-acre site. The original tenant base included Thriftimart and Economart, providing supermarket and drugstore functions for the surrounding residential population. A much larger second phase opened in 1959. The expansion added about 35 acres, 40 stores, and approximately 275,000 square feet of gross leasable area. With 60 stores after expansion, the center was promoted as the largest shopping center in Orange County and as the county's first regional shopping center. That claim was challenged by the earlier opening of Anaheim Plaza in 1955, which had already included an anchor department store operated by The Broadway. The expanded Orange County Plaza used a conventional mid-century suburban retail configuration, combining department stores, a variety store, supermarkets, and a drugstore. Its principal 1959 anchors included a 40,000-square-foot J. C. Penney, a 20,000-square-foot W. T. Grant, a 22,500-square-foot Safeway that relocated from across the street, a 17,000-square-foot Thrifty Drug Store, and a 10,000-square-foot Hartfield's junior department store. A Rankin's department-store branch had been discussed in project plans but never opened. The center later changed its identity to Garden Grove Mall. In 1979 it received a reported $5 million renovation that added National Lumber as an anchor and brought in a 10,000-square-foot Wineman's Department Store at the eastern end of the property. Wineman's remained until the chain was acquired by Boston Stores in 1984, after which the location was converted to Boston Stores. Other businesses associated with the renovated mall included McDonald's, Straw Hat Pizza, Citizens Savings and Loan, Bank of America, and See's Candies. These additions broadened the center beyond traditional department-store retail and strengthened its role as a neighborhood service hub. The property subsequently operated under the names Garden Promenade and The Promenade at Garden Grove. Its later history reflects the replacement and diversification of older anchors. Costco opened at the site in 1987 and relocated in 1994. Walmart later opened at the property on July 16, 2014, becoming Garden Grove's second Walmart. The present center is an open-air community shopping center with approximately 353,217 square feet of gross leasable area. Its reported tenants include Walmart, Regal Cinemas, Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, 24 Hour Fitness, Aldi, PetSmart, and Dollar Tree. The center therefore continues the original property's role while adapting its tenant mix to contemporary value-oriented retail, grocery, entertainment, fitness, and specialty services.

1. 2014Walmart opened

   Walmart opened at the center on July 16, 2014, becoming Garden Grove's second Walmart.

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2. 1994Costco relocated

   The Costco operation associated with the center relocated after operating at the site.

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3. 1987Costco opened at the property

   Costco opened at the shopping-center site before relocating elsewhere in 1994.

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4. 1984Wineman's converted to Boston Stores

   Following Boston Stores' acquisition of Wineman's, the Wineman's location at the mall was converted to the Boston Stores format.

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5. 1979Garden Grove Mall renovation

   A reported $5 million renovation introduced National Lumber, Wineman's Department Store, and additional food, financial, and service tenants.

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6. 1959Major expansion completed

   The second phase added approximately 35 acres, 40 stores, and about 275,000 square feet of gross leasable area, bringing the center to roughly 60 stores.

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7. 1956Project announced and first phase opened

   Orange County Plaza was announced as a proposed $10 million shopping-center project, and its first phase opened with 20 stores and approximately 60,000 square feet of gross leasable area.

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Historic open-air community shopping center serving Garden Grove and nearby Orange County neighborhoods through a broad mix of value retail, grocery, entertainment, fitness, and everyday services.

• The Promenade at Garden GroveCommunity shopping center

  The property's current open-air community-shopping-center identity. It provides a diversified tenant mix serving everyday shopping, grocery, discount retail, entertainment, fitness, pet care, and household needs. Reported major tenants include Walmart, Regal Cinemas, Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, 24 Hour Fitness, Aldi, PetSmart, and Dollar Tree.

• Orange County PlazaHistoric shopping center1956

  The original name of the Garden Grove shopping center, used from its opening in 1956 and especially associated with the substantial 1959 expansion. Its early format combined supermarkets, drugstores, variety retail, junior department-store merchandise, and department-store anchors.

• 2014Walmart opened at the centerProduct launch

  The center's later tenant strategy emphasized large-format value retail alongside entertainment, grocery, fitness, and specialty stores.

  What changed. Walmart opened a store at the property on July 16, 2014.

  Aftermath. The Walmart became Garden Grove's second location for the retailer and formed part of the center's contemporary anchor mix.

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• 1979Major renovation and tenant repositioningStrategy

  Operating as Garden Grove Mall, the center refreshed its facilities and sought to broaden its tenant mix beyond its earlier department-store and grocery configuration.

  What changed. The property underwent a reported $5 million renovation and added National Lumber, Wineman's Department Store, restaurants, financial services, and other specialty tenants.

  Aftermath. The renovation expanded the center's everyday-service role and its reported gross leasable area reached approximately 345,000 square feet.

  Renovation cost. $5 million (1979)

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• 1959Expansion into a regional-scale shopping centerStrategy

  The initial 1956 center was a relatively small 20-store neighborhood development. Developers pursued a substantially larger second phase to add department-store and grocery anchors and position the property as a major Orange County retail destination.

  What changed. The project added approximately 35 acres, 40 stores, and 275,000 square feet of gross leasable area, while introducing J. C. Penney, W. T. Grant, Safeway, Thrifty Drug, and Hartfield's.

  Aftermath. The expanded property reached approximately 60 stores and was promoted as the largest shopping center in Orange County at the time, although the claim that it was the county's first regional shopping center was historically disputed.

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1. Orange County Plaza