Ports O' Call Village
A themed waterfront shopping and entertainment complex formerly located along the main channel of the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, California.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Ports O' Call Village was a waterfront shopping, dining, and entertainment complex in San Pedro, California, situated along the main channel of the Port of Los Angeles. It operated from 1963 until 2020 and occupied a roughly 15-acre portion of a larger waterfront redevelopment area. Rather than presenting itself as a conventional enclosed shopping mall, the attraction was designed as an outdoor seaside village whose cobblestone paths linked specialty shops, restaurants, food sellers, and recreational attractions. The complex was conceived and built by David Tallichet, a World War II pilot who became a restaurateur and developed other themed dining properties, including the Castaway and 94th Aero Squadron restaurants. His concept for Ports O' Call Village combined international architectural references, live entertainment, and global food traditions. The resulting environment mixed New England maritime imagery with Spanish Colonial and Asian-inspired elements. Its most prominent restaurant initially used a Polynesian theme, with palm trees, a lagoon, wooden footbridges, and a waterside patio. The eclectic design was an important part of the attraction's identity, although contemporary observers sometimes criticized the use of historical and regional motifs as an artificial representation of California's maritime heritage. Ports O' Call Village contained 71 retail units at its largest documented scale. Tenants and attractions included souvenir and gift shops, sweetshops, fish markets, quick-service eateries, restaurants, and other specialty businesses. The waterfront setting also supported activities beyond retail. The site served as a departure point for whale-watching excursions and harbor cruises, and documented attractions included helicopter rides, a puppet theater, a sky tower, a pirate ship, and unusual themed restaurants. A transit terminal serving Regional Transit District and Long Beach Public Transportation buses opened near the Sky Tower in 1975. The Waterfront Red Car also served the site. The village developed an events-based role in San Pedro's visitor economy. Annual activities included the LA Woody Car Show in May, The Taste in San Pedro in August, and Lobster Fest in October. A balloon artist, Charles Ashbourne, performed for children in the Cutlas Square area from the complex's opening era into at least the mid-1990s. At its peak, the attraction reportedly drew approximately 1.1 million visitors annually, with attendance documented at that level by 1989. By the early 2000s, the property was showing signs of commercial weakness; only about half of its retail spaces were reportedly occupied in 2002. By 2012, it was commonly described as an ailing waterfront attraction, while newer developments such as Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles competed for visitors. Some portions of the complex were demolished in 2018. In 2013, the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners began a formal redevelopment process for the wider waterfront site. The Port of Los Angeles subsequently developed a public-access investment framework and, in March 2016, approved a 50-year lease for a planned San Pedro Public Market. That project envisioned restaurants, retail, fresh markets, offices, a waterfront promenade, outdoor spaces, and an open-air amphitheater. The market was still several years from opening in January 2020, and the redevelopment was rebranded as West Harbor in October of that year. Ports O' Call Village therefore ceased to operate as a distinct attraction, with its identity incorporated into the transition toward a new waterfront district.
History
Ports O' Call Village opened in 1963 along the main channel of the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro. The project was conceived and built by David Tallichet, a former World War II pilot who became known for developing themed restaurants and entertainment venues. Tallichet intended the property to function as an elaborately themed seaside destination, combining international architectural references, live music, global cuisine, and waterfront attractions. The site was developed as an open-air village rather than a standard enclosed retail center. Cobblestone streets connected shops and restaurants arranged in an intentionally eclectic setting that drew on New England maritime, Spanish Colonial, Polynesian, and Asian themes. The principal restaurant used a Polynesian concept featuring palm trees, a lagoon, wooden footbridges, and an outdoor patio that extended partly over the water. Although the architecture helped establish a distinctive visitor experience, it was also criticized by some observers as an artificial interpretation of California's seafaring traditions. At its documented full scale, the complex included 71 retail units. Its tenant mix comprised souvenir and gift shops, sweetshops, fish markets, restaurants, quick-service eateries, and other specialty businesses. Ports O' Call also functioned as an entertainment and excursion hub. Visitors could access harbor cruises and whale-watching boats, while other attractions included helicopter rides, a puppet theater, a pirate ship, and a sky tower. A bus terminal serving Regional Transit District and Long Beach Public Transportation services opened near the Sky Tower in 1975. The Waterfront Red Car later provided another public-transit connection. The attraction cultivated a calendar of recurring events, including the LA Woody Car Show, The Taste in San Pedro, and Lobster Fest. Performers also contributed to its family-oriented character; balloon artist Charles Ashbourne was associated with children's entertainment in the Cutlas Square section from 1963 until at least 1995. The village reportedly attracted about 1.1 million visitors annually by 1989, indicating that it had become a significant tourism and leisure destination within the Port of Los Angeles waterfront. Its commercial performance weakened over time. By 2002, only approximately half of the retail spaces were occupied. By 2012, Ports O' Call was being described as an ailing attraction, and competing waterfront destinations, including Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles, were drawing attention from visitors and tenants. The decline reflected broader questions about how the port's non-cargo waterfront should be used and modernized. In 2013, the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners called for redevelopment of the approximately 30-acre waterfront area that included the village. Public meetings and community input contributed to the Port of Los Angeles Public Access Investment Plan, released in 2015. In March 2016, the Board approved a 50-year lease for a proposed San Pedro Public Market. Plans called for restaurants, retail shops, fresh markets, offices, a waterfront promenade, outdoor public areas, and an open-air amphitheater. These plans represented a shift from the older themed village model toward a broader mixed-use public waterfront. Parts of Ports O' Call Village were demolished in 2018. In January 2020, a Port spokesperson said the replacement development would not open for several more years. The successor project was rebranded West Harbor in October 2020. Ports O' Call Village consequently ended its operation as a distinct shopping and entertainment complex after nearly six decades, while the waterfront remained part of a continuing redevelopment program.
- 2020
Ports O' Call Village ceases operation as a distinct complex
[1]The village's operating era ends, while the successor waterfront project is rebranded West Harbor later in the year.
- 2018
Demolition begins on portions of the village
[1]Parts of the original complex are demolished as the waterfront redevelopment advances.
- 2016
San Pedro Public Market lease approved
[1]A 50-year lease is approved for a proposed mixed-use public market redevelopment on the site.
- 2013
Waterfront redevelopment process begins
[1]The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners calls for redevelopment of the broader site containing Ports O' Call Village.
- 2002
Occupancy declines
[1]Only about half of the documented retail spaces are reported to be occupied.
- 1989
Annual attendance reaches documented high level
[1]The attraction is reported to draw approximately 1.1 million visitors annually.
- 1975
Waterfront bus terminal opens
[1]A terminal serving Regional Transit District and Long Beach Public Transportation buses opens near the village's Sky Tower entrance.
- 1963
Ports O' Call Village opens
[1]David Tallichet's themed waterfront shopping and entertainment complex begins operating in San Pedro along the Port of Los Angeles main channel.
Products and positioning
A destination-oriented waterfront entertainment village combining themed architecture, specialty retail, seafood and international dining, family attractions, and harbor recreation. Its appeal depended on atmosphere and visitor experience as much as on conventional shopping.
Retail · 1963
Souvenir and gift shops
Specialty stores formed a core part of the open-air village's retail mix, serving visitors seeking souvenirs, gifts, and other destination-oriented merchandise. The shops were integrated into the themed promenade rather than organized inside a conventional enclosed mall.
Food retail · 1963
Fish markets and seafood businesses
Fish markets and seafood-oriented businesses reflected the complex's location beside the Port of Los Angeles. They complemented the restaurants and helped give the village a food-and-waterfront identity in addition to its souvenir retail.
Dining · 1963
Themed restaurants and quick-service eateries
Ports O' Call offered restaurants and quick-service food outlets built around the attraction's international and maritime themes. Its principal restaurant used a Polynesian setting with a lagoon, palms, footbridges, and a waterside patio.
Tourism and recreation
Waterfront excursions
The village served as a departure point for whale-watching boats and harbor cruises. These offerings extended the site beyond shopping and dining by connecting its visitor experience directly to the working harbor and surrounding coastline.
Entertainment
Family attractions
Documented attractions included a sky tower, pirate ship, puppet theater, helicopter rides, and children's performances. These features supported the village's positioning as a family-oriented seaside entertainment destination.
Marketing campaigns
- LA Woody Car Show
San Pedro · Los Angeles
An annual May car show listed among the recurring public events associated with Ports O' Call Village.
- The Taste in San Pedro
San Pedro · Los Angeles
An annual August food and community event held as part of the village's recurring event calendar.
- Lobster Fest
San Pedro · Los Angeles
An annual October seafood-oriented festival associated with the waterfront complex.
Brand decisions
2020
Rebrand the successor waterfront project as West HarborStrategyBackground
The planned replacement for the former village was still several years from opening, according to a Port of Los Angeles statement reported in January 2020.
Action taken
The San Pedro Public Market redevelopment was rebranded West Harbor in October 2020.
Aftermath
Ports O' Call Village remained a historical name for the former attraction rather than the operating identity of the replacement development.
2016
Approve a 50-year lease for San Pedro Public MarketM&ABackground
Redevelopment planning sought to replace or transform the older village with a more contemporary public waterfront combining commerce, dining, offices, and open space.
Action taken
The Board of Harbor Commissioners approved a 50-year lease for the planned San Pedro Public Market project.
Aftermath
The project was later rebranded West Harbor, and portions of the original village were demolished during the transition.
2013
Redevelop the Ports O' Call waterfrontStrategyBackground
The aging village faced declining occupancy and competition from newer waterfront destinations, while the Port of Los Angeles was considering a broader modernization of its public-facing waterfront.
Action taken
The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners initiated a redevelopment process for the larger waterfront area containing the village.
Aftermath
The process led to a public-access investment framework and eventually to plans for a new mixed-use waterfront development.
Recent events
- 2020
Waterfront replacement project rebranded as West Harbor[1]
Other
The planned successor development to the Ports O' Call site was rebranded from San Pedro Public Market to West Harbor. Ports O' Call Village had operated through 2020.
- 2018
Parts of Ports O' Call Village demolished during waterfront transition[1]
Other
Portions of the former village were demolished as redevelopment plans for the San Pedro waterfront advanced.
- 2016
Board approves long-term lease for San Pedro Public Market[1]
Other
The Board of Harbor Commissioners approved a 50-year lease for a planned San Pedro Public Market on the Ports O' Call site, with retail, dining, market, office, and public-space components.
- 2015
Public Access Investment Plan sets framework for San Pedro waterfront[1]
Other
The Port of Los Angeles released a plan intended to provide a sustainable framework for investment in public-serving, non-cargo waterfront projects and programs.
- 2013
Port of Los Angeles begins formal redevelopment planning for Ports O' Call waterfront[1]
Other
The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners called for redevelopment of the larger waterfront area that included Ports O' Call Village, beginning a transition away from the existing attraction.
Sources2 sources
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