Puente Hills Mall
Puente Hills Mall is a regional shopping center in City of Industry, California, best known as a filming location for the 1985 film Back to the Future.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Puente Hills Mall is a regional shopping center in City of Industry, California, serving communities in the eastern San Gabriel Valley and the wider Los Angeles County market. Developed by The Hahn Company, the center opened in stages from February 1974 through spring 1975, following the completion of the Pomona Freeway and the expansion of suburban retail development in the region. Its original cross-shaped layout was designed around large department-store anchors and a broad selection of smaller shops. The mall’s first major anchor was The Broadway, which opened on February 18, 1974, followed by J.W. Robinson’s, Sears, and JCPenney. By 1975, approximately 150 stores were operating, and the development announced plans for an adjacent 41-acre automobile, home-improvement, and home-furnishings retail district. This positioning made Puente Hills more than a conventional enclosed mall: it functioned as part of a larger retail destination serving automobile-oriented suburban communities. The property underwent significant changes during the 1990s. J.W. Robinson’s became Robinsons-May in 1993 following the merger of Robinson’s and May Company. The Broadway and JCPenney locations closed in 1996, during a period when occupancy reportedly fell to about half of the center’s capacity. The former Broadway space was converted into AMC Puente Hills 20, a 20-screen multiplex that opened on April 18, 1997. The redevelopment also brought in large-format and power-center-oriented tenants such as Burlington, 24 Hour Fitness, Ross Dress for Less, Circuit City, Linens ’n Things, Borders, and CompUSA. Additional anchor and tenant transitions followed in the 2000s. Robinsons-May became Macy’s after Federated Department Stores acquired May Department Stores in 2005. Several electronics and home-goods chains later left as a result of bankruptcy, store rationalization, or shifts toward online retail. In 2010, Round1 Bowling & Amusement opened its first United States location at the mall, combining bowling, arcade games, and other sports-entertainment activities. Toys “R” Us later occupied the former Circuit City space from 2011 until its nationwide closure in 2018. The mall has also changed its interior environment over time. A central fountain was replaced by a carousel in 1990, followed by a koi pond after the carousel was removed. The koi were later relocated, and a major interior renovation was completed in 2007. Some design elements incorporated feng shui concepts, reflecting the substantial East Asian and Asian American communities in nearby Industry, Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights, Walnut, and Diamond Bar. Puente Hills Mall has an unusually prominent place in popular culture because its south parking lot and surrounding storefronts were used as the fictional Twin Pines Mall, later renamed Lone Pine Mall, in Back to the Future. The mall appeared in the 1985 film’s opening time-machine sequence, with JCPenney and Robinson’s visible in the background. In October 2015, the property hosted replicas associated with the film, including the Twin Pines Mall sign and a DeLorean time-machine display. This association remains central to the mall’s public identity and visitor appeal. The center has experienced continuing anchor departures. Toys “R” Us closed in April 2018, Sears closed in September 2018, Forever 21 closed in January 2020, Macy’s closed in March 2022, Burlington was slated to close in March 2024, 24 Hour Fitness closed in June 2025, and Ross Dress for Less closed in January 2026. Reference material identifies AMC Theatres and Round1 as the final two remaining anchor operations as of March 2026. The property therefore represents a contemporary retail format increasingly centered on entertainment, dining, specialty stores, and adaptive reuse rather than the traditional department-store anchor model.
History
Puente Hills Mall was developed by The Hahn Company in City of Industry, California, after the Pomona Freeway improved access to the eastern San Gabriel Valley. The center opened over approximately a year, beginning with The Broadway on February 18, 1974. J.W. Robinson’s opened in March, Sears followed, and JCPenney began operations on April 16, 1975. By March 1975, the mall had about 150 shops, and by September it reported 152 stores. Plans were also announced for a neighboring 41-acre retail district focused on automobiles, home improvement, and home furnishings. The original center used a cross-shaped enclosed-mall design anchored by traditional department stores. During the 1990s, the retail landscape changed substantially. J.W. Robinson’s became Robinsons-May in 1993. The Broadway and JCPenney closed in 1996, and the mall’s occupancy reportedly fell to roughly 50 percent around the time of JCPenney’s departure. The former Broadway building was converted into AMC Puente Hills 20, which opened on April 18, 1997. The redevelopment introduced a greater mix of entertainment, fitness, off-price retail, electronics, and home-goods tenants. In 1998, the center added or accommodated several large-format tenants, including Ross Dress for Less, Circuit City, Linens ’n Things, Spectrum Club, Burlington Coat Factory, Borders, and CompUSA. Robinsons-May later became Macy’s after Federated’s acquisition of May Department Stores in 2005. Borders left in 2006, while Linens ’n Things, Circuit City, and CompUSA closed between 2008 and 2009. The closures reflected both chain-specific financial problems and broader changes in electronics and home-goods retailing. Puente Hills also reworked its communal interior spaces. A large central fountain was replaced by a carousel in 1990. The carousel was eventually removed after the owner determined that its operation was losing money, and an East Asian-style koi pond took its place. The pond was gone by 2006, with the koi moved to Sycamore Lake at Rose Hills Memorial Park. A full interior makeover followed in 2007. Some of the center’s design changes incorporated feng shui principles, a reference to the influential Asian immigrant and Asian American populations in surrounding communities. The entertainment orientation became more pronounced in 2010, when Round1 Bowling & Amusement opened its first U.S. store at the mall. The venue replaced a former Linens ’n Things space and offered bowling and arcade games. Toys R Us subsequently moved into the former Circuit City location in June 2011, but closed in April 2018 during the chain’s nationwide liquidation. Sears closed in September 2018 after being included in a national closure plan. Forever 21 announced its mall closure in December 2019 and completed it in January 2020. Macy’s announced its departure in January 2022 and closed in March of that year. Reference material later records closures involving Burlington, 24 Hour Fitness, and Ross Dress for Less, leaving AMC and Round1 as the remaining anchor operations as of March 2026. The mall’s most durable cultural association comes from Back to the Future. Filmed in January 1985, the property’s south parking lot represented Twin Pines Mall, later renamed Lone Pine Mall in the film. The sequence shows Doc Brown testing the DeLorean time machine, with JCPenney and Robinson’s visible in the background. The location became a point of interest for fans, including an early gathering connected to the date featured in the movie. In October 2015, Puente Hills Mall reinforced the association with displays reproducing the fictional mall sign and other film-related props. This film legacy gives the property an identity beyond its retail tenants and supports its continuing recognition among movie-location visitors.
- 2015
Back to the Future anniversary display
[1]The mall hosted replicas and displays related to its role as a filming site for Back to the Future.
- 2010
Round1 opens first U.S. location
[1]Round1 Bowling & Amusement opened its first American venue at Puente Hills Mall.
- 2007
Interior renovation
[1]The mall completed a major interior makeover after the removal of its central koi-pond attraction.
- 1997
AMC Puente Hills 20 opens
[1]A 20-screen AMC multiplex opened in the former Broadway building.
- 1996
Major department-store closures
[1]The Broadway and JCPenney locations closed, creating space for a substantial repositioning of the property.
- 1993
Robinson’s becomes Robinsons-May
[1]J.W. Robinson’s was rebranded as Robinsons-May after the relevant department-store merger.
- 1975
Initial development completed
[1]JCPenney opened on April 16, 1975, and the mall reported approximately 152 stores later that year.
- 1974
First phase opens
[1]The Broadway opened on February 18, 1974, beginning the phased opening of Puente Hills Mall.
Products and positioning
A suburban regional shopping and entertainment center whose identity has evolved from a department-store-led mall into an entertainment-oriented destination with strong pop-culture recognition.
Cinema · 1997
AMC Puente Hills 20
A 20-screen multiplex that opened in 1997 in the former Broadway department-store building. AMC became one of the property’s principal entertainment anchors after the departure of several traditional department stores.
Entertainment · 2010
Round1 Bowling & Amusement
A sports-entertainment venue combining bowling, arcade games, and video-game activities. Its August 2010 opening was notable because it was Round1’s first location in the United States.
Retail · 1974
Department-store anchor program
The mall historically operated with anchors including The Broadway, J.W. Robinson’s, Robinsons-May, Sears, JCPenney, Macy’s, and other large-format retailers. Most of these operations have since closed or been replaced.
Marketing campaigns
- 2015Back to the Future anniversary displays
United States
Puente Hills Mall used its role as the fictional Twin Pines Mall in Back to the Future as a visitor-facing heritage feature, displaying replicas of the fictional sign, a time machine, and an associated vehicle in the parking lot.
Outcome. The activity reinforced the mall’s association with the film and its status as a recognizable movie-location destination.
Brand decisions
2010
Add Round1 as an entertainment anchorStrategyBackground
The mall was increasingly incorporating large-format and entertainment-oriented uses as traditional retail chains changed or withdrew.
Action taken
Round1 Bowling & Amusement opened its first U.S. location in a former Linens ’n Things space.
Aftermath
Round1 became one of the property’s enduring anchor operations and strengthened its entertainment-led positioning.
2007
Complete an interior makeoverOtherBackground
The mall had removed its carousel and later its koi-pond attraction as the property adjusted its common-area strategy.
Action taken
The owners carried out a full interior renovation, with some design changes reflecting feng shui principles.
Aftermath
The renovation modernized the enclosed center and aligned elements of its environment with the surrounding area’s demographic and cultural context.
1997
Convert the former Broadway space into a multiplexStrategyBackground
The Broadway and JCPenney closures contributed to lower occupancy and created a need to reposition part of the mall.
Action taken
The former Broadway department-store building was converted into AMC Puente Hills 20.
Aftermath
The multiplex became a major entertainment anchor and helped diversify the property beyond traditional department stores.
Recent events
- 2026
Remaining anchor mix shifts toward entertainment[1]
Other
Reference material reports the departures of Burlington, 24 Hour Fitness, and Ross Dress for Less, leaving AMC Theatres and Round1 as the final two anchor operations as of March 2026.
- 2022
Macy’s closes its Puente Hills Mall anchor[1]
Other
Macy’s announced in January 2022 that its Puente Hills Mall department store would close during the first quarter; the store closed in March.
- 2020
Forever 21 closes its Puente Hills Mall location[1]
Bankruptcy
Forever 21 announced the closure of the mall store as part of a broader California and national store-reduction program. The location closed in January 2020.
- 2018
Toys R Us closes its Puente Hills Mall store[1]
Bankruptcy
The mall’s Toys R Us location closed in April 2018 as part of the retailer’s nationwide store shutdown.
- 2018
Sears announces and completes closure[1]
Other
Sears selected the Puente Hills location for closure in a nationwide reduction plan; the store closed in September 2018.
- 2015
Puente Hills Mall hosts Back to the Future anniversary displays[1]
Campaign
The mall displayed replicas of the fictional Twin Pines Mall sign, a time machine, and a vehicle associated with the film in its parking lot.
- 2010
Round1 opens its first United States location at the mall[1]
Product launch
Round1 Bowling & Amusement opened a bowling and arcade entertainment venue at Puente Hills Mall, marking the Japanese chain’s first U.S. location.
- 1997
AMC Puente Hills 20 opens in former Broadway space[1]
Product launch
A 20-screen AMC multiplex opened in the former Broadway department-store building after the department store and JCPenney locations had closed.
- 1974
Puente Hills Mall opens in stages with major department-store anchors[1]
Other
The Broadway opened in February 1974, followed by J.W. Robinson’s and Sears, with the broader center reaching substantial operation by 1975.
Sources1 sources
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