Mershops Shops at Montebello

Mershops Shops at Montebello is a regional shopping mall located primarily within Montebello, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The property contains approximately 758,504 square feet of leasable retail space and combines department stores, fashion retailers, specialty shops, food-service tenants, and entertainment-oriented uses. It is owned by Mershops and managed by Spinoso Real Estate Group. The mall was developed by Donahue-Schriber. Construction began in 1980, and the center opened for the 1985 holiday shopping season under the name Montebello Town Center. Its original anchor lineup consisted of JCPenney, Mervyn's, and May Company California. May Company California was converted to Robinsons-May in 1993, reflecting the consolidation of department-store operations in the western United States. The property underwent several significant tenant and physical changes over the following decades. Robinsons-May became a Macy's location in 2006. Mervyn's closed in 2008 after the retailer entered Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and its former space was later occupied by Forever 21 in 2009. A renovation program around 2010 introduced an updated center court and sought to add a more upscale mix of retailers, including Coach and Aldo. A further remodel in 2016 upgraded the food court, entryways, landscaping, signage, and outdoor seating; H&M's store was also remodeled as part of the work. Ownership and branding changed again in the late 2010s and 2020s. Pacific Retail announced ownership of the mall in January 2019 in a company social-media post, following an ownership transition involving Simon. Bridge Group Investments acquired the property in May 2022 for more than $90 million. In August 2025, the mall adopted the Mershops Shops at Montebello name after Bridge Group Investments rebranded as Mershops, a change applied across the group's property portfolio. The tenant roster has included Macy's, JCPenney, Macy's Home Store, H&M, Victoria's Secret, JD Sports, Aéropostale, and other specialty retailers, together with a food court. Forever 21 closed in 2025 during the retailer's Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. Plans described for the vacated space included subdividing it for a Yard House restaurant, additional retail or restaurant uses, and a Round1 entertainment venue on the upper level, with openings discussed for 2025 or 2026. Because these projects were described as planned or prospective, their final completion and operating status require verification. The mall also has a connection to popular culture: scenes from the 2002 comedy film The Hot Chick were filmed inside the property, including a shoplifting sequence in a Windsor store and an escalator scene near the former Robinsons-May location.

Development of the mall began in 1980 under Donahue-Schriber. The center opened during the 1985 holiday season as Montebello Town Center, with JCPenney, Mervyn's, and May Company California serving as its original department-store anchors. May Company California became Robinsons-May in 1993. The anchor lineup changed as the American department-store sector consolidated. Robinsons-May was converted into Macy's in 2006. Mervyn's ceased operations in 2008 after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and its former premises were taken by Forever 21 in 2009. A renovation program around 2010 introduced a redesigned center court and targeted a more premium specialty-retail mix, including Coach and Aldo. The mall was remodeled again in 2016. That work included improvements to the food court, entrances, landscaping, signage, and outdoor seating, as well as a remodel of the H&M store. Ownership changed during the late 2010s. Pacific Retail publicly identified itself as the mall's owner in January 2019, following an ownership transition involving Simon. Bridge Group Investments acquired the property in May 2022 for more than $90 million. In August 2025, Bridge Group Investments rebranded as Mershops, and the property became known as Mershops Shops at Montebello as part of the group's portfolio-wide naming change. The mall's tenant mix has included Macy's, JCPenney, Macy's Home Store, H&M, Victoria's Secret, JD Sports, Aéropostale, and a food court. Forever 21 closed in 2025 in connection with the retailer's Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The vacated space was described as a potential multi-use redevelopment: a Yard House, additional retail or restaurant space on the lower level, and a Round1 venue on the upper level. The cited material associates these projects with prospective openings in 2025 or 2026, but does not establish that all planned uses opened. The property has also appeared in popular culture. The 2002 comedy film The Hot Chick used parts of the mall for filming, including a shoplifting scene in a Windsor store and an escalator sequence near the former Robinsons-May store.

• 2025

  Property is rebranded as Mershops Shops at Montebello

  [1]Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org

  The mall adopted the Mershops name after its owner changed its identity from Bridge Group Investments to Mershops.

• 2022

  Bridge Group Investments buys the mall

  [1]Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org

  Bridge Group Investments acquired the property for more than $90 million.

• 2019

  Pacific Retail identifies itself as owner

  [1]Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org

  Pacific Retail announced ownership of the mall through a January company social-media post.

• 2016

  Mall remodel

  [1]Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org

  The property remodeled its food court, entryways, landscaping, signage, and outdoor seating, while also remodeling H&M.

• 2010

  Renovation program advances

  [1]Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org

  A renovation program introduced an updated center court and sought to add higher-end specialty stores.

• 2009

  Forever 21 takes former Mervyn's space

  [1]Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org

  The former Mervyn's premises became a Forever 21 location.

• 2008

  Mervyn's closes

  [1]Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org

  Mervyn's ceased operations after entering Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

• 2006

  Robinsons-May becomes Macy's

  [1]Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org

  The former Robinsons-May department store was converted to Macy's.

• 1993

  May Company California becomes Robinsons-May

  [1]Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org

  The May Company California anchor was converted to a Robinsons-May store.

• 1985

  Montebello Town Center opens

  [1]Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org

  The mall opened for the 1985 holiday season with JCPenney, Mervyn's, and May Company California as its original anchors.

• 1980

  Construction begins

  [1]Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org

  Donahue-Schriber began construction of the shopping center.

Regional shopping center serving Montebello and surrounding communities through a mix of department stores, national specialty retailers, dining, and planned entertainment uses.

• Department stores · 1985

  Department-store retail

  The mall's department-store offering has historically included JCPenney and Macy's, with Macy's occupying the former Robinsons-May location. These anchors provide broad assortments spanning apparel, accessories, beauty, seasonal merchandise, and other general retail categories.

• Apparel and accessories

  Fashion and specialty retail

  The specialty-retail mix has included national brands such as H&M, Victoria's Secret, JD Sports, and Aéropostale, alongside other fashion and accessory stores. The tenant mix has changed over time as the center has renovated spaces and replaced departing retailers.

• Home goods

  Macy's Home Store

  Macy's Home Store represents the property's home-furnishings and household-goods component, complementing the mall's fashion-focused stores and department-store merchandise.

• Food service · 1985

  Food court and dining

  The property includes a small food court and has pursued dining expansion as part of later space planning. A Yard House restaurant was identified as a proposed use for part of the former Forever 21 space, but the cited material does not confirm final opening.

• Entertainment

  Round1 entertainment venue

  Round1 was identified as a planned use for the upper level of the former Forever 21 space. The proposal would add an entertainment component to the mall's traditional retail and dining offer; its completed operating status is not established in the available material.

• 2025

  Rebrand the property under the Mershops identityStrategy

  Background

  Bridge Group Investments rebranded itself as Mershops as part of a portfolio-wide corporate identity change.

  Action taken

  The shopping center was renamed Mershops Shops at Montebello.

  Aftermath

  The property continued operating under the new name, while planned tenant changes included possible restaurant, retail, and entertainment uses in the former Forever 21 space.

  Source

• 2016

  Modernize common areas and selected tenant spaceStrategy

  Background

  The property undertook another remodel to update the visitor experience and refresh a major fashion anchor.

  Action taken

  Work covered the food court, entryways, landscaping, signage, outdoor seating, and H&M's store interior.

  Aftermath

  The mall continued operating with an updated physical environment and refreshed food-service and fashion-retail areas.

  Source

• 2010

  Refresh the center court and broaden the specialty-retail mixStrategy

  Background

  The mall pursued a renovation intended to modernize the common areas and attract a more upscale selection of specialty tenants.

  Action taken

  The program included a redesigned center court and plans involving retailers such as Coach and Aldo.

  Aftermath

  The renovation was expected to be completed in June 2010, although the available material does not provide a detailed post-project assessment.

  Source

1. 1Mershops Shops at Montebelloen.wikipedia.org