Parkway Plaza
An enclosed shopping mall in El Cajon, California, serving San Diego County.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Parkway Plaza is an enclosed shopping mall in El Cajon, California, in San Diego County. The center developed during the expansion of suburban retail in the late 1960s and early 1970s and became the second enclosed shopping mall in San Diego County after Plaza Camino Real in Carlsbad. Its enclosed format was particularly suited to El Cajon's hot summer climate. The property has undergone repeated expansions, tenant changes, anchor replacements, and ownership transitions over more than five decades. The earliest major retail presence on the site was a freestanding Sears Roebuck store, which opened on August 5, 1969, on the western edge of the property. The enclosed mall was constructed shortly afterward and attached to the east side of the Sears building. Its initial anchor lineup included May Company at the eastern end and Woolworth's in a central position along the southern side. The original complex also contained a three-screen cinema, a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, skylights, built-in planters, and 1970s contemporary interior decoration. A separate eastern wing included a Food Basket grocery store and a Shakey's Pizza location; the grocery operation later became Lucky. Parkway Plaza expanded and changed substantially as American department-store and specialty-retail formats evolved. Mervyn's opened in 1989, followed by JCPenney in November 1990 and a food court in 1991. May Company was converted to Robinsons-May in 1993 and later became Macy's in September 2006. Woolworth's was eventually replaced by Sport Chalet, which closed in 1998; the space was converted into a Regal Cinemas complex in 1999. Walmart opened in October 2004 as a two-level store, and the eastern retail wing was rebuilt over time to accommodate stores including Best Buy, HomeGoods, and Office Depot. Westfield America, Inc., a predecessor of Westfield Group, acquired the shopping center in 1998 and renamed it Westfield Shoppingtown Parkway. The word Shoppingtown was removed from the name in June 2005, leaving Westfield Parkway. In 2013, Starwood Retail Partners acquired the mall and restored the Parkway Plaza name. The ownership change marked a return to the center's original identity while the tenant mix continued to shift toward discount, sporting-goods, home-furnishings, entertainment, and fitness uses. The closure of Mervyn's during its 2008 bankruptcy liquidation created a major redevelopment opportunity. The store shut in January 2009, and its upper level became a Crunch Fitness facility in July 2011. Dick's Sporting Goods opened in October 2011 on the lower level. Sears remained a major anchor until July 2018, when it closed as part of a nationwide store-reduction program. In 2019 and 2020, portions of the former Sears space were redeveloped for Bob's Discount Furniture, Burlington, Ashley HomeStore, and Extra Space Storage. Macy's announced its closure in January 2021, and Five Below opened in April 2021 in the former Charming Charlie location. The mall has also maintained an entertainment and family-oriented dimension. A 1926 Allan Herschell Company carousel operated at the property from 1991 until 2003, when it was moved to Elyria, Ohio. A two-story carousel replaced it in 2004, but that attraction relocated to Wichita, Kansas, in January 2016. In January 2024, Walmart announced that its Parkway Plaza store would close on February 9, leaving JCPenney as the only remaining traditional department-store anchor identified in the available reference material. Current major tenants include Crunch Fitness, Dick's Sporting Goods, Ashley HomeStore, Bob's Discount Furniture, Burlington, Extra Space Storage, Regal Cinemas, and JCPenney.
History
Parkway Plaza emerged from the growth of enclosed suburban shopping centers in Southern California. Sears Roebuck opened a freestanding store on the property on August 5, 1969. The enclosed mall followed shortly afterward, attaching to the east side of Sears and creating a major indoor retail destination for El Cajon. Its climate-controlled design addressed the area's hot summers, while its original architecture used skylights, planters, built-in seating, and contemporary geometric elements associated with late-1960s and 1970s mall design. The original mall was anchored by May Company and Woolworth's, with Sears occupying the western edge. A three-screen movie theater and Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour provided entertainment and dining uses. An eastern wing included Food Basket and Shakey's Pizza; Food Basket later became Lucky. As the center matured, its tenant mix evolved through the replacement and rebranding of department stores and specialty retailers. Mervyn's opened in 1989, JCPenney in November 1990, and a food court in 1991. May Company became Robinsons-May in 1993, while the former Woolworth's space eventually became Sport Chalet and then Regal Cinemas after Sport Chalet closed in 1998. Ownership and naming also changed. Westfield America, Inc., a predecessor of Westfield Group, acquired the property in 1998. The mall was renamed Westfield Shoppingtown Parkway, later shortened to Westfield Parkway when Shoppingtown was dropped in June 2005. In 2013, Starwood Retail Partners acquired the center and restored the Parkway Plaza name. During this period, the property continued to expand and rebuild portions of its eastern wing, accommodating uses such as Best Buy, HomeGoods, and Office Depot. The 2008 collapse of Mervyn's led to a major vacancy. The retailer liquidated its stores and closed at Parkway Plaza in January 2009. Its former building was subsequently divided between different uses: Crunch Fitness opened on the upper level in July 2011, while Dick's Sporting Goods opened on the lower level in October 2011. Walmart added another large-scale retail presence when it opened in October 2004 as a two-level store. Sears later became another major redevelopment case. Sears Holdings announced in April 2018 that the Parkway Plaza location would close among 42 nationwide closures; the store shut in July. In May 2019, replacement plans were announced for parts of the former Sears building. Bob's Discount Furniture opened in July 2019, Burlington opened in March 2020, and Ashley HomeStore opened in 2020; Extra Space Storage was also identified as a planned or resulting occupant. Macy's, which had replaced Robinsons-May in September 2006, announced in January 2021 that it would close in April as part of a 46-store national reduction. Five Below opened in April 2021 in the former Charming Charlie location. Family entertainment was represented by two carousel installations. A 1926 Allan Herschell Company carousel operated at the mall from 1991 until 2003, when it moved to Elyria, Ohio. A two-story carousel replaced it in 2004, but that attraction relocated to Wichita, Kansas, in January 2016. In January 2024, Walmart announced a February 9 closure. The available reference material identifies the resulting major tenant base as including Crunch Fitness, Dick's Sporting Goods, Ashley HomeStore, Bob's Discount Furniture, Burlington, Extra Space Storage, Regal Cinemas, and JCPenney.
- 2024
Walmart announces closure
[1]Walmart announces that its Parkway Plaza store will close on February 9.
- 2021
Macy's closes and Five Below opens
[1]Macy's closes in April, while Five Below opens at the former Charming Charlie location on April 30.
- 2018
Sears closes
[1]The Sears store closes in July as part of a national store-closure program.
- 2016
Two-story carousel relocates
[1]The replacement carousel moves to Wichita, Kansas, in January.
- 2013
Starwood Retail Partners acquires the mall
[1]Starwood Retail Partners obtains the property and restores the Parkway Plaza name.
- 2011
Former Mervyn's space is redeveloped
[1]Crunch Fitness opens in July and Dick's Sporting Goods opens in October in the former Mervyn's building.
- 2006
Robinsons-May becomes Macy's
[1]The Robinsons-May anchor is rebranded as Macy's in September.
- 2005
Shoppingtown name is removed
[1]The center drops the word Shoppingtown and operates as Westfield Parkway.
- 2004
Walmart and a new carousel arrive
[1]Walmart opens a two-level store, and a two-story carousel replaces the earlier carousel installation.
- 1999
Regal Cinemas replaces Sport Chalet
[1]The former Woolworth's and later Sport Chalet space becomes a Regal Cinemas location.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping center combining department-store retail, value-oriented chains, home furnishings, sporting goods, fitness, entertainment, and services for consumers in East County San Diego.
Entertainment · 1999
Regal Cinemas
A cinema complex occupying space that previously housed Sport Chalet. It continues the property's long-standing role as a destination for movie entertainment alongside shopping and dining.
Department store · 1990
JCPenney
A traditional department store that opened at Parkway Plaza in November 1990. It sells apparel, accessories, home merchandise, and related general retail goods and is identified in the available material as the only remaining traditional anchor after Walmart's announced 2024 closure.
Sporting goods · 2011
Dick's Sporting Goods
A large-format sporting-goods retailer occupying the lower level of the former Mervyn's building. Its assortment typically serves team sports, outdoor activities, fitness, footwear, and athletic apparel shoppers.
Fitness · 2011
Crunch Fitness
A fitness club opened on the upper level of the former Mervyn's space in July 2011. It represents the mall's shift toward service-oriented and experiential tenants in addition to conventional retail.
Home furnishings · 2020
Ashley HomeStore
A home-furnishings retailer occupying part of the former Sears space after the department store's 2018 closure. The store broadens the center's home-related retail offer alongside Bob's Discount Furniture.
Home furnishings · 2019
Bob's Discount Furniture
A value-oriented furniture retailer that opened in July 2019 in the redeveloped Sears space. Its presence reflects the property's increasing emphasis on home furnishings and discount-oriented shopping.
Off-price retail · 2020
Burlington
An off-price retailer that opened in March 2020 in part of the former Sears location, offering discounted apparel, home goods, and related merchandise.
Storage services
Extra Space Storage
A storage-services operation included in the redevelopment plans for portions of the former Sears building, illustrating the conversion of obsolete department-store space to service and nontraditional retail uses.
Brand decisions
2024
Walmart closureStrategyBackground
Walmart announced the closure of its Parkway Plaza store as part of the center's continuing anchor-retail turnover.
Action taken
The store was scheduled to close on February 9, 2024.
Aftermath
The closure left JCPenney as the only remaining traditional anchor identified in the available reference material.
2018
Redevelopment of the former Sears anchorStrategyBackground
Sears announced the closure of its Parkway Plaza store amid a nationwide reduction in its store base.
Action taken
After Sears closed in July 2018, portions of the building were planned for Ashley HomeStore, Bob's Discount Furniture, Burlington, and Extra Space Storage.
Aftermath
The former department-store anchor became a multi-tenant property, with Bob's opening in 2019 and Burlington and Ashley HomeStore opening in 2020.
2013
Starwood Retail Partners acquisitionM&ABackground
The mall changed ownership after its period under Westfield-related ownership.
Action taken
Starwood Retail Partners acquired the shopping center and restored its original Parkway Plaza name.
Aftermath
The property continued operating as Parkway Plaza while its retail mix evolved through anchor replacements and redevelopment.
1998
Westfield America acquisition and rebrandingM&ABackground
Westfield America, Inc., a predecessor to Westfield Group, acquired the shopping center as part of its regional shopping-property portfolio.
Action taken
The center was renamed Westfield Shoppingtown Parkway, with Shoppingtown later removed from the name in 2005.
Aftermath
The property operated under the Westfield Parkway identity until a subsequent ownership change restored the Parkway Plaza name.
Sources1 sources
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