Town Center at Corte Madera

Town Center at Corte Madera is an upscale open-air shopping center located on Tamalpais Drive near U.S. Route 101 in Corte Madera, Marin County, California. It is one of two major retail properties in the city, positioned across the freeway from The Village at Corte Madera. Together, the centers contribute substantially to Corte Madera's retail-sales-tax base and function as an important commercial destination for nearby Marin County communities. The property's history reaches back to the late 1950s, when the original Corte Madera Center opened in 1958 beside Littleman's Supermarket, which had been established in 1952. The early center included a mixture of regional and national department-store and variety retailers, including J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward, and Woolworth. Louis Thomas, a men's apparel store that opened at the center in 1958, is identified with the property's earliest retail era and has continued operating there, providing a direct link to the original shopping-center development. The site was substantially redeveloped between 1985 and 1987 and emerged under the Town Center at Corte Madera name. The rebuilt property followed an open-air lifestyle-center model rather than the enclosed mega-mall format that was widespread in the United States during the same period. Its design used pedestrian paths, landscaped areas, prominent architectural towers, and outdoor storefronts intended to suit Marin County's mild climate and encourage a more community-oriented shopping experience. During the redevelopment period, Montgomery Ward closed and J.C. Penney expanded its facility, including the addition of a second story. In the more recent period, the center has been repositioned and physically updated to improve visibility, circulation, and environmental performance. Changes described for the property include removing some enclosure walls and arcades so that storefronts are easier to see and pedestrian movement is more direct. Landscaping work replaced substantial areas of turf with drought-tolerant planting, while energy-efficient LED lighting was introduced as part of the center's sustainability and infrastructure improvements. The complex encompasses approximately 370,000 square feet and combines everyday retail, specialty shopping, dining, and services. Retail anchors and major tenants identified in reference material include Safeway, Barnes & Noble, REI, and The Container Store, although the tenant mix can change over time. Public art and recognizable installations, including Ellie the Elephant and The Cat and the Mouse, contribute to the center's identity beyond its retail function. The property is owned through 770 Tamalpais Drive, Inc.; the ownership of that corporation is attributed to Colliers. No separate publicly listed parent company or stock ticker is identified for the shopping center.

Town Center at Corte Madera developed from the original Corte Madera Center, a retail property opened in 1958 adjacent to Littleman's Supermarket. Littleman's had begun operating in 1952, and the surrounding commercial development helped establish the site as an early shopping destination in Corte Madera. The original tenant roster included nationally recognized department and variety retailers such as J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward, and Woolworth. Louis Thomas, a men's apparel business that opened in 1958, is associated with the center's earliest phase and continued at the property, making it one of the longest-running links to the original center. The property underwent its defining redevelopment during the mid-1980s. From 1985 to 1987, much of the site was rebuilt and reintroduced as Town Center at Corte Madera. The redevelopment reflected a shift away from the enclosed regional mall model. Instead, the center adopted an outdoor lifestyle-center format with landscaped pedestrian routes, visible storefronts, architectural towers, and public-facing circulation areas. This format was suited to the local climate and helped distinguish the property from larger enclosed malls. Montgomery Ward closed during this transition, while J.C. Penney expanded and added a second story to its building. Over time, the center's tenant mix evolved toward a combination of grocery, books, outdoor recreation, home organization, apparel, dining, and services. Safeway and Barnes & Noble have been identified as anchors in descriptions of the property, while REI and The Container Store have also been identified among its significant retailers. The center operates in a competitive local context across U.S. Route 101 from The Village at Corte Madera. The two properties together form a major retail cluster for the city and are important contributors to local retail sales-tax revenue. Later improvements focused on modernizing the physical environment rather than changing the center into an enclosed mall. Renovation and reimagining work removed some walls and arcades to increase sightlines and make storefronts more accessible from pedestrian areas. The property also adopted resource-conscious measures, including the replacement of thousands of square feet of conventional grass with drought-tolerant landscaping and the installation of LED lighting intended to reduce energy use. These changes reinforced the center's outdoor identity while updating its operating environment. The approximately 370,000-square-foot complex includes recognizable sculptures and public-art features such as Ellie the Elephant and The Cat and the Mouse. Such installations, together with landscaped paths and outdoor gathering areas, support the center's role as more than a collection of stores. It functions as a retail and community destination for Corte Madera and nearby Marin County residents. The property is owned by 770 Tamalpais Drive, Inc., whose ownership is attributed to Colliers. The available reference material does not identify a founder, a separately incorporated operating parent, public listing information, or a current executive roster.

• 1987

  Town Center at Corte Madera identity established

  [1]Town Center Corte Maderaen.wikipedia.org

  The redevelopment was completed during this period and the property was rebranded as Town Center at Corte Madera. Montgomery Ward had closed, while J.C. Penney expanded.

• 1985

  Major redevelopment begins

  [1]Town Center Corte Maderaen.wikipedia.org

  A comprehensive rebuilding of the property began, ultimately transforming the former center into an open-air lifestyle shopping destination.

• 1958

  Original Corte Madera Center opens

  [1]Town Center Corte Maderaen.wikipedia.org

  The original Corte Madera Center opened next to Littleman's Supermarket. Early tenants included J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward, Woolworth, and Louis Thomas.

• 1952

  Littleman's Supermarket established

  [1]Town Center Corte Maderaen.wikipedia.org

  Littleman's Supermarket was established beside the later shopping-center site and formed part of the area's early retail context.

• Outdoor-center modernization

  [1]Town Center Corte Maderaen.wikipedia.org

  Later improvements removed selected enclosure walls and arcades, expanded storefront visibility, improved pedestrian circulation, added drought-tolerant landscaping, and introduced LED lighting.

Upscale open-air lifestyle shopping center serving Corte Madera and the wider Marin County market.

• Grocery anchor

  Safeway

  A grocery anchor serving routine food, household, and convenience-shopping needs within the center. Its presence gives the property a substantial everyday-use component alongside specialty retail and makes the center relevant for both planned shopping trips and incidental visits.

• Books and specialty retail

  Barnes & Noble

  A bookstore and media retailer identified as one of the center's anchors. It adds a destination-oriented specialty retail element to the property and broadens the tenant mix beyond grocery, apparel, and services.

• Outdoor recreation retail

  REI

  An outdoor-recreation retailer identified among the center's major tenants. Its merchandise focus complements Marin County's relationship with hiking, cycling, camping, and other outdoor activities.

• Home organization

  The Container Store

  A home-organization and storage retailer identified in descriptions of the center. The store contributes a practical household-improvement category to the broader mix of grocery, books, apparel, and recreation offerings.

• Men's apparel · 1958

  Louis Thomas

  A men's apparel shop that opened at the original center in 1958. Its continued association with the property represents a direct retail connection between the mid-century Corte Madera Center and the present-day Town Center.

• 1985

  Redevelopment as an open-air lifestyle centerStrategy

  Background

  The original Corte Madera Center was substantially rebuilt during a period when enclosed regional malls were a dominant retail format.

  Action taken

  The property was redesigned with outdoor pedestrian paths, landscaped areas, architectural towers, and visible storefronts, and was reintroduced as Town Center at Corte Madera.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment established the center's open-air identity and differentiated it from enclosed mega-malls. Montgomery Ward closed and J.C. Penney expanded during the transition.

  Source

• Modernization and sustainability improvementsStrategy

  Background

  The center required physical updates while retaining its outdoor lifestyle-center format.

  Action taken

  Selected enclosure walls and arcades were removed to improve visibility and circulation; turf was replaced with drought-tolerant landscaping and LED lighting was installed.

  Aftermath

  The changes refreshed the shopping environment, reinforced pedestrian access, and reduced reliance on conventional landscaping and lighting systems.

  Source

1. 1Town Center Corte Maderaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Town Center at Corte Madera official websiteshoptowncenter.com