The Shops at Mission Viejo

The Shops at Mission Viejo is a regional shopping mall in Mission Viejo, California. The property opened in 1979 under the name Mission Viejo Mall and was originally organized around four department-store anchors: Bullock's, May Company, J.W. Robinson's, and Montgomery Ward. Its initial tenant mix and department-store configuration reflected the conventional enclosed-mall model of the late 1970s, while its location served the growing communities of southern Orange County. The center changed substantially over the following decades. The original three-screen Edwards movie theater closed in 1998 and was replaced that year by the larger Edwards Kaleidoscope cinema complex located across the street. Department-store consolidation also reshaped the mall. Robinson's and May Company operated as Robinsons-May from 1993, while Bullock's became Macy's in 1996. In 2000, Macy's expanded and remodeled its store, and Robinsons-May consolidated its two locations into the former May Company building. The former J.W. Robinson's space was subsequently redeveloped, including conversion into a food-court area. A major renovation and expansion completed in 1999 represented the mall's most important physical and commercial turning point. The project reportedly cost $150 million and introduced additional retailers, including Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. Nordstrom replaced Montgomery Ward, while the project also addressed longstanding criticism of the mall's dim interior lighting, which had been associated with energy-saving design choices from the 1970s. The brighter, expanded environment supported a broader retail proposition combining upscale and mid-market tenants. The property adopted the name The Shops at Mission Viejo during the remodeling and expansion period. In 2006, the former Robinsons-May location became a second Macy's store, focused on women's merchandise and home-related shopping. The other Macy's location, formerly the Bullock's store, was configured around men's, children's, and furniture departments. The mall also became notable for hosting the United States' second Microsoft Store, adding an experience-oriented technology retailer to its tenant mix. Saks Fifth Avenue closed in 2010; its former space later became a Forever 21 store. Forever 21 closed the location in 2019 during the retailer's bankruptcy proceedings, and the brand subsequently reopened in a smaller, non-anchor space. The property continued to add nontraditional amenities and retail uses. A children's play area opened to the public on February 17, 2018. In 2021, the former larger Forever 21 premises were converted for Dick's Sporting Goods. Round1, a Japanese arcade and entertainment operator, opened at the mall in 2024, strengthening the center's entertainment component. The reported anchor lineup as of 2024 consisted of two Macy's locations, Nordstrom, Round1, and Dick's Sporting Goods. Simon Malls manages the property and holds a 51% ownership interest. The mall's evolution illustrates the continuing adaptation of enclosed shopping centers through department-store replacement, food and entertainment uses, experiential amenities, and tenant repositioning.

The property now known as The Shops at Mission Viejo opened in 1979 as Mission Viejo Mall. Its original department-store anchors were Bullock's, May Company, J.W. Robinson's, and Montgomery Ward. The enclosed center was developed to serve Mission Viejo and surrounding southern Orange County communities, using the department-store-led format common to major American shopping malls of the period. The mall's early physical design was later criticized for inadequate interior lighting. The problem was associated with the energy-conscious construction and operating practices of the 1970s, which left portions of the center darker than shoppers expected. The property also included a three-screen Edwards theater. That cinema closed in 1998 and was replaced by the 10-screen Edwards Kaleidoscope complex across the street. The department-store landscape changed during the 1990s. Bullock's became Macy's in 1996, while May Company and J.W. Robinson's were combined under the Robinsons-May name in 1993. In 1999, the mall received a major renovation and expansion reportedly valued at $150 million. The work brightened the interior, increased the retail area, and introduced or accommodated important new tenants, including Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. Nordstrom replaced Montgomery Ward. During this period the property adopted the name The Shops at Mission Viejo, signaling a repositioning beyond its original local-mall identity. Further consolidation followed in 2000. Macy's remodeled and expanded its store, while Robinsons-May combined its two department stores into the former May Company building. The former J.W. Robinson's store was closed and substantially redeveloped, including its conversion into a food-court space. In 2006, after Robinsons-May ceased operating under that name, the former Robinsons-May location became a second Macy's. The two Macy's stores were given differentiated merchandise roles: the former Bullock's store focused on men's, children's, and furniture categories, while the newer Macy's location emphasized women's and home merchandise. The center's tenant mix subsequently combined upscale and middle-market retail. It was also associated with the second Microsoft Store in the United States, giving the mall a high-profile technology retail presence. Saks Fifth Avenue left in 2010, and its former premises later became a Forever 21 store. Forever 21 closed that larger location in 2019 amid the retailer's bankruptcy, although the brand later returned to a smaller, non-anchor space. The Shops at Mission Viejo continued adapting its space toward family services, sporting goods, and entertainment. A children's play area opened in February 2018. In 2021, the former larger Forever 21 premises were converted for Dick's Sporting Goods. Round1 opened in 2024, adding arcade and entertainment uses associated with the Japanese operator. The reported 2024 anchor group included two Macy's stores, Nordstrom, Round1, and Dick's Sporting Goods. Simon Malls manages the center and Simon Property Group's mall business owns a 51% interest. The property's history is therefore marked by repeated anchor replacement, interior modernization, retail consolidation, and the increasing importance of experiential and entertainment tenants.

• 2024

  Round1 opens

  [1]The Shops at Mission Viejoen.wikipedia.org

  Round1 opens an arcade and entertainment location at the mall.

• 2021

  Dick's Sporting Goods occupies former Forever 21 space

  [1]The Shops at Mission Viejoen.wikipedia.org

  A former large-format Forever 21 space is converted for Dick's Sporting Goods.

• 2018

  Children's play area opens

  [1]The Shops at Mission Viejoen.wikipedia.org

  The mall opens a new children's play area.

• 2006

  Former Robinsons-May location becomes a second Macy's

  [1]The Shops at Mission Viejoen.wikipedia.org

  The former Robinsons-May store is converted into a second Macy's location.

• 2000

  Department-store consolidation and Macy's expansion

  [1]The Shops at Mission Viejoen.wikipedia.org

  Macy's remodels and expands, while Robinsons-May consolidates its two locations and the former J.W. Robinson's building is redeveloped.

• 1999

  Major renovation and expansion completed

  [1]The Shops at Mission Viejoen.wikipedia.org

  A reported $150 million project expands and brightens the mall, adds major tenants, and supports the adoption of the current name.

• 1998

  Original Edwards theater closes

  [1]The Shops at Mission Viejoen.wikipedia.org

  The mall's three-screen Edwards theater closes, followed by the opening of a larger Edwards Kaleidoscope cinema across the street.

• 1996

  Bullock's becomes Macy's

  [1]The Shops at Mission Viejoen.wikipedia.org

  The Bullock's anchor is rebranded as Macy's.

• 1993

  Robinson's and May Company operate as Robinsons-May

  [1]The Shops at Mission Viejoen.wikipedia.org

  The Robinson's and May Company department stores are consolidated under the Robinsons-May name.

• 1979

  Mission Viejo Mall opens

  [1]The Shops at Mission Viejoen.wikipedia.org

  The property opens as Mission Viejo Mall with Bullock's, May Company, J.W. Robinson's, and Montgomery Ward as its principal anchors.

A regional enclosed shopping center combining department stores, fashion and specialty retail, sporting goods, dining, and family entertainment, with a tenant mix spanning upscale and mid-market shopping.

• Department store · 1996

  Macy's

  The mall has two Macy's locations. The former Bullock's building is associated with men's, children's, and furniture merchandise, while the former Robinsons-May building is oriented toward women's and home-related shopping.

• Department store · 1999

  Nordstrom

  Nordstrom became an anchor during the late-1990s expansion, replacing Montgomery Ward and contributing an upscale department-store component to the mall's repositioned tenant mix.

• Sporting-goods retailer · 2021

  Dick's Sporting Goods

  Dick's Sporting Goods occupies space formerly used by the larger Forever 21 location. Its presence adds sporting goods, athletic apparel, and equipment to the center's anchor lineup.

• Arcade and entertainment · 2024

  Round1

  Round1 is a Japanese arcade and entertainment operator whose 2024 opening expanded the mall's family and experiential offering beyond conventional retail.

• 2021

  Conversion of former Forever 21 premisesStrategy

  Background

  Forever 21 had closed its larger mall location in 2019 during the retailer's bankruptcy proceedings.

  Action taken

  The former large-format Forever 21 space was converted into a Dick's Sporting Goods location.

  Aftermath

  The change preserved an anchor-scale retail use while broadening the mall's sporting-goods offering.

  Source

• 2000

  Department-store consolidation and space redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The mall's Robinsons-May and Macy's operations were reorganized after changes in the department-store sector.

  Action taken

  Macy's remodeled and expanded its store, Robinsons-May consolidated two locations into one, and the former J.W. Robinson's space was redeveloped, including conversion into a food court.

  Aftermath

  The center moved toward a more efficient anchor configuration and added dining-oriented use to former department-store space.

  Source

• 1999

  Large-scale renovation and repositioningStrategy

  Background

  The mall faced criticism for dim interior lighting and needed to modernize its tenant mix and physical environment.

  Action taken

  A reported $150 million renovation and expansion brightened the interior, added retail capacity, brought in Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue, and supported the adoption of the name The Shops at Mission Viejo.

  Aftermath

  The property developed a broader upscale and mid-market positioning and continued to use department-store and specialty-retail anchors.

  Reported renovation and expansion cost. $150 million (1999)

  Source

1. 1The Shops at Mission Viejoen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Simon property page for The Shops at Mission Viejosimon.com