Westfield Fashion Square

Westfield Fashion Square is a shopping mall in Sherman Oaks, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California. The center opened in 1962 as Bullock's Fashion Square, with Bullock's and I. Magnin serving as its original department-store anchors. Its development reflected the postwar expansion of suburban retail in Southern California, where enclosed and open-air shopping centers became important destinations for department-store shopping, dining, and community activity. The property changed names and anchor tenants as the American department-store sector consolidated. A Joseph Magnin location was added in 1966, and The Broadway joined the center in 1977. Between 1988 and 1990, the originally outdoor mall was enclosed and expanded vertically with a Mediterranean-inspired design. This redevelopment substantially changed the physical character of the property and increased its capacity as a regional shopping destination. The mall was seriously damaged by the 1994 Northridge earthquake, an event that affected a wide area of the San Fernando Valley and required substantial repair and recovery work at many local commercial properties. In 1996, Bullock's was converted to Macy's, while The Broadway became Bloomingdale's after Federated Department Stores acquired Carter Hawley Hale Stores, The Broadway's parent company. These changes left the center with the two department-store anchors that continue to define its retail identity: Macy's and Bloomingdale's. The Westfield Group acquired a half-interest in the property in 2002. The mall was renamed Westfield Shoppingtown Fashion Square in 2003, although the word "Shoppingtown" was removed from the name in June 2005. Westfield later carried out another major renovation in 2013, giving the property a more contemporary and cosmopolitan visual direction and upgrading its food court. Today, Westfield Fashion Square functions as a neighborhood and regional shopping center offering department-store retail, specialty shopping, food and beverage options, and consumer services. Its two major anchors are Bloomingdale's, occupying approximately 220,000 square feet, and Macy's, occupying approximately 280,535 square feet. The property has also had cultural visibility through appearances in television and film productions, including Clueless, Malcolm in the Middle, The Office, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. It is owned and operated within the Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield portfolio.

Westfield Fashion Square began operating on April 22, 1962, under the name Bullock's Fashion Square. Located in Sherman Oaks, the center was developed around the department-store format that characterized much of Southern California's suburban retail growth during the period. Bullock's and I. Magnin were the original anchors, and the property received its formal dedication on August 13, 1962. The center expanded its department-store offer during the following decades. Joseph Magnin was added in 1966, and The Broadway opened at the mall in 1977. The property's original open-air configuration was substantially altered between 1988 and 1990, when it was enclosed, given a second level, and redesigned around a Mediterranean theme. This project transformed the center from an outdoor shopping complex into a larger enclosed mall. The 1994 Northridge earthquake caused serious damage to the property. The earthquake was centered in the San Fernando Valley and had significant consequences for buildings and infrastructure across the region. Westfield Fashion Square subsequently continued as a retail center, although its anchor portfolio changed during the department-store consolidation of the 1990s. In 1996, Bullock's was converted into Macy's. The Broadway became Bloomingdale's after Federated Department Stores acquired Carter Hawley Hale Stores, the parent company of The Broadway. The Westfield Group acquired a half-interest in the center in 2002. In 2003, it adopted the name Westfield Shoppingtown Fashion Square, following Westfield's naming convention at the time. The Shoppingtown element was dropped in June 2005, returning the property to the Westfield Fashion Square name. A further major renovation took place in 2013. The project refreshed the mall's appearance with a more cosmopolitan design direction and upgraded the food court. The current center is anchored by Bloomingdale's and Macy's, with the two stores occupying approximately 220,000 and 280,535 square feet respectively. The property is now part of the Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield portfolio. In addition to its retail role, the mall has appeared as a filming location or recognizable setting in productions including Clueless, Malcolm in the Middle, The Office, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

• 2013

  Major renovation

  [1]Westfield Fashion Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The mall received a significant renovation, including a more cosmopolitan appearance and an upgraded food court.

• 2005

  Shoppingtown name is removed

  [1]Westfield Fashion Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The Shoppingtown wording was dropped from the property's name in June.

• 2003

  Westfield Shoppingtown rebrand

  [1]Westfield Fashion Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The mall was renamed Westfield Shoppingtown Fashion Square.

• 2002

  Westfield Group acquires a half-interest

  [1]Westfield Fashion Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The Westfield Group acquired a 50 percent interest in the shopping center.

• 1996

  Anchor stores are converted

  [1]Westfield Fashion Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Bullock's became Macy's, while The Broadway became Bloomingdale's following Federated Department Stores' acquisition of Carter Hawley Hale Stores.

• 1994

  Northridge earthquake damage

  [1]Westfield Fashion Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The mall sustained serious damage during the Northridge earthquake.

• 1988

  Enclosure and expansion begin

  [1]Westfield Fashion Squareen.wikipedia.org

  A major redevelopment began to enclose the outdoor mall, add a second level, and introduce a Mediterranean design theme.

• 1977

  The Broadway opens

  [1]Westfield Fashion Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The Broadway joined the mall's anchor lineup.

• 1966

  Joseph Magnin is added

  [1]Westfield Fashion Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Joseph Magnin became an additional department-store presence at the center.

• 1962

  Opening as Bullock's Fashion Square

  [1]Westfield Fashion Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The shopping center opened on April 22 with Bullock's and I. Magnin as its initial department-store anchors and was formally dedicated on August 13.

A long-established Los Angeles-area shopping center positioned around department-store anchors, specialty retail, dining, and accessible neighborhood shopping within the Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield portfolio.

• Department store anchor · 1996

  Bloomingdale's

  Bloomingdale's is one of Westfield Fashion Square's two principal department-store anchors. It replaced The Broadway in 1996 after Federated Department Stores acquired Carter Hawley Hale Stores. The store provides the center with a broad upscale department-store offer spanning fashion, accessories, beauty, and home-related merchandise. Its reported mall footprint is approximately 220,000 square feet.

• Department store anchor · 1996

  Macy's

  Macy's is the other major anchor at Westfield Fashion Square. The location was created in 1996 through the conversion of the former Bullock's store, linking the property to the broader consolidation of American department-store brands during that period. The store offers general department-store merchandise, including apparel, accessories, beauty, and home products. Its reported footprint is approximately 280,535 square feet.

• 2013

  Modernize the mall and upgrade the food courtOther

  Background

  The property required a contemporary refresh after earlier enclosure and expansion work.

  Action taken

  Westfield Fashion Square underwent a major renovation that introduced a more cosmopolitan look and improved the food court.

  Aftermath

  The renovation updated the mall's public-facing environment while retaining its department-store anchor model.

  Source

• 1996

  Replace the original department-store anchorsStrategy

  Background

  Changes in department-store ownership and consolidation affected the mall's anchor lineup.

  Action taken

  Bullock's was converted to Macy's, and The Broadway was converted to Bloomingdale's.

  Aftermath

  Macy's and Bloomingdale's became the center's continuing department-store anchors.

  Source

• 1988

  Enclose and expand the outdoor mallOther

  Background

  The original open-air shopping center was substantially redeveloped after more than two decades of operation.

  Action taken

  The property was enclosed, expanded to two levels, and redesigned with a Mediterranean theme during work carried out from 1988 to 1990.

  Aftermath

  The project changed the center's format and created a larger enclosed retail environment.

  Source

1. 1Westfield Fashion Squareen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Westfield Fashion Square official websitewestfield.com