Plaza Bonita
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedAn indoor regional shopping mall in National City, California, serving the South Bay area of San Diego County.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Plaza Bonita is an enclosed shopping mall in National City, California, near the community of Bonita, whose name it uses. The center is located in the South Bay area of San Diego County and has historically functioned as a regional retail and entertainment destination rather than merely a neighborhood shopping center. Its tenant mix has included department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, a food court, cinemas, fitness facilities, and family entertainment venues. The property was developed on the site of a former 18-hole golf course. May Centers acquired the land from the City of National City and opened the mall in the fall of 1981. At opening, the center included JCPenney, Mervyn's, Montgomery Ward, and May Company. The original architectural and visual treatment emphasized fall colors, brick surfaces, beige and brown tones, fountains, and a multicolored rainbow logo. A Mann Theatres cinema opened near the east entrance in 1983, adding an entertainment component to the original department-store-led format. Westfield America, the predecessor to the Westfield Group, acquired the property in 1994. In 1998 it was renamed Westfield Shoppingtown Plaza Bonita, although the Shoppingtown designation was removed from Westfield properties in 2005. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the mall experienced tenant turnover and the closure of the original Mann Theatres location. A major renovation program began in 2002, replacing much of the earlier brick-oriented appearance with stucco, new ceramic tile, and an updated food court. The most substantial redevelopment occurred in the mid-to-late 2000s. The former Montgomery Ward area and portions of the southern end of the mall were removed or rebuilt, while the former food-court area was converted into a Forever 21 store. The expanded and renovated section opened in 2008 with Target, Borders, AMC Theatres, H&M, additional specialty shops, a new Dining Terrace food court, and a three-level parking structure. These changes shifted the center toward a broader combination of value retail, fashion, dining, and entertainment. Plaza Bonita also became associated with several distinctive tenant concepts. In 2009, Jollibee Foods Corporation opened a Filipino-oriented food hall adjacent to Target featuring Jollibee, Red Ribbon Bakeshop, and Chowking. The concept was described as the corporation's first Filipino food court in the United States, but the dining hall closed by 2011. Other later tenants included John's Incredible Pizza Company, Nordstrom Rack, Crunch Fitness, and Round1 Bowling & Amusement. Nordstrom Rack occupied the second floor of the former Mervyn's space, while Round1 ultimately took over space previously used by John's Incredible Pizza. The mall temporarily closed or restricted operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Plaza Bonita reopened in May 2021, but some affected tenants, including John's Incredible Pizza Company, did not return. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield announced in 2022 that it intended to sell its U.S. properties. Plaza Bonita was subsequently sold to a joint venture led by Henderson Park and Lowe Enterprises, with the acquisition announcement reported in August 2026. The property continues to operate as Plaza Bonita, with major anchors and entertainment tenants including Macy's, JCPenney, Target, AMC Theatres, Nordstrom Rack, and Round1.
History
Plaza Bonita was developed on land that had previously been occupied by an 18-hole golf course. In the late 1970s, May Centers acquired the property from the City of National City and began developing an enclosed shopping center. Plaza Bonita opened in the fall of 1981 as the first and only indoor mall in San Diego County's South Bay area at that time. Its initial anchor lineup consisted of JCPenney, Mervyn's, Montgomery Ward, and May Company. The original design used brick, beige and brown finishes, fall-inspired colors, fountains, and a three-color rainbow logo. Mann Theatres opened a cinema near the east entrance in 1983. Westfield America acquired the center from May Centers in 1994. Four years later, the mall was renamed Westfield Shoppingtown Plaza Bonita as part of Westfield's broader branding program. Westfield later dropped Shoppingtown from its U.S. property names in June 2005. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the property saw changes to its signage and entertainment offer, including the closure of Mann Theatres Plaza Bonita 6. A renovation program began in 2002. The previous brick exterior and interior treatments were covered or replaced with stucco, new ceramic tile was installed, and the food court was modernized. The mall's restaurant offering also expanded, including the opening of Outback Steakhouse in the northwest parking area after Applebee's had become an earlier full-service restaurant tenant. The center underwent a much larger redevelopment in 2006–2008. The former Montgomery Ward building, which had been used intermittently by seasonal retailers and exhibitions, was gutted, and plans were developed to demolish and reconstruct the southern portion of the property. The former food-court space was converted into a Forever 21 store, which opened in 2007. The former Robinsons-May stores were converted to Macy's locations after Federated Department Stores acquired Robinsons-May in 2006. The rebuilt portion opened in 2008 with Target, Borders, AMC Theatres, H&M, numerous additional shops, a new Dining Terrace food court, and a three-story parking structure. In March 2009, Jollibee Foods Corporation opened a Filipino food-court concept beside Target with Jollibee, Red Ribbon Bakeshop, and Chowking. Although notable as the corporation's first such U.S. food-hall concept, it closed by 2011. Borders also closed in 2011 following its bankruptcy. John's Incredible Pizza Company opened in 2010 in the former Mervyn's space. In 2011, Nordstrom announced plans for a Nordstrom Rack location using the second floor of that former anchor area; the store subsequently became part of the mall's anchor lineup. Crunch Fitness opened in 2012 in the space previously occupied by Borders. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the center's operations in 2020. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield announced temporary closures of its U.S. shopping centers, and Plaza Bonita reopened in May 2021. John's Incredible Pizza did not return and its former space was later cleared. In 2022, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield announced plans to sell its U.S. portfolio. Round1 Bowling & Amusement was later identified as an incoming tenant for Plaza Bonita rather than the originally considered Westfield North County location, and opened in June 2024. A construction accident involving a gas line caused a fire and gas leak outside Round1 the following month. Forever 21 closed in March 2025 after its parent company entered a second bankruptcy proceeding and shuttered its remaining U.S. stores. Crunch Fitness left the mall in May 2025 after it and Westfield failed to agree on a renewed lease. In July 2026, the mall was sold to a joint venture led by Henderson Park and Lowe Enterprises; the transaction was publicly announced on August 3. The property remains an operating enclosed mall under the Plaza Bonita name, with department stores, discount and off-price retail, dining, cinema, and entertainment uses.
- 2026
Ownership changes
[1]A Henderson Park and Lowe Enterprises-led joint venture acquires the mall from Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield.
- 2024
Round1 opens
[1]Round1 Bowling & Amusement opens at Plaza Bonita in June.
- 2012
Crunch Fitness opens
[1]Crunch Fitness takes over the former Borders location.
- 2011
Nordstrom Rack expansion announced
[1]Nordstrom announces a Nordstrom Rack location for the second floor of the former Mervyn's space.
- 2009
Jollibee Filipino food court opens
[1]Jollibee Foods Corporation opens a combined Jollibee, Red Ribbon, and Chowking food-hall concept beside Target.
- 2008
Southern redevelopment opens
[1]The expanded area opens with Target, Borders, AMC Theatres, H&M, new specialty shops, the Dining Terrace, and a three-level parking structure.
- 2007
Forever 21 opens in former food-court space
[1]The former food-court area is redeveloped as a Forever 21 store.
- 2002
Major renovation begins
[1]The center receives new stucco finishes, ceramic tile, and an updated food court.
- 1998
Westfield Shoppingtown branding introduced
[1]The mall is renamed Westfield Shoppingtown Plaza Bonita.
- 1994
Westfield America acquires the center
[1]Westfield America purchases the shopping center from May Centers.
Products and positioning
Regional indoor shopping, dining, and entertainment center serving National City and the wider South Bay area of San Diego County.
Retail · 1981
Department-store retail
Plaza Bonita's department-store offer has included Macy's and JCPenney. These anchors provide broad assortments of apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty products, home goods, and seasonal merchandise, helping the center serve both routine shopping needs and larger regional shopping trips.
Discount department store · 2008
Target
Target joined the mall as part of the 2008 redevelopment. Its mass-market format broadens the center beyond fashion and traditional department-store shopping, offering household goods, groceries, consumer products, apparel, health and beauty items, and general merchandise.
Off-price fashion retail · 2011
Nordstrom Rack
Nordstrom Rack occupies part of the former Mervyn's area and provides discounted designer and branded apparel, footwear, accessories, and home merchandise. The format complements the mall's department stores with value-oriented shopping and clearance-oriented assortments.
Cinema · 2008
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres became part of the redeveloped mall section that opened in 2008. The cinema adds moviegoing and evening activity to Plaza Bonita's retail and dining offer and supports the center's role as an entertainment destination.
Entertainment · 2024
Round1 Bowling & Amusement
Round1 Bowling & Amusement is an entertainment venue combining bowling and arcade-oriented attractions. It opened at Plaza Bonita in June 2024 in space previously associated with John's Incredible Pizza Company, adding a large-format leisure use to the mall's tenant mix.
Food court · 2008
Dining Terrace
The Dining Terrace is Plaza Bonita's principal modern food-court concept, introduced as part of the 2008 redevelopment. It provides a shared dining environment for multiple quick-service food operators and supports longer customer visits alongside the mall's retail and entertainment uses.
Brand decisions
2026
Sale to Henderson Park and Lowe Enterprises-led ventureM&ABackground
The sale followed Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield's announced strategy of exiting its U.S. property portfolio.
Action taken
A joint venture led by Henderson Park and Lowe Enterprises acquired Plaza Bonita.
Aftermath
The mall continued operating under the Plaza Bonita name with a new ownership group.
2024
Round1 tenant relocation and openingProduct launchBackground
Round1 had initially been associated with a possible location at Westfield North County before Plaza Bonita became the announced site.
Action taken
The mall introduced Round1 Bowling & Amusement in space formerly used by John's Incredible Pizza Company.
Aftermath
Round1 opened in June 2024, strengthening Plaza Bonita's entertainment offering.
2022
Planned disposal of U.S. portfolioStrategyBackground
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield announced a plan to sell all 24 of its U.S. properties.
Action taken
The company began positioning its U.S. centers, including Plaza Bonita, for sale.
Aftermath
Plaza Bonita was ultimately transferred to a Henderson Park and Lowe Enterprises-led joint venture in 2026.
2006
Southern redevelopment approvedStrategyBackground
The mall needed a substantial modernization after changes in department-store occupancy and the aging of its original food-court and anchor spaces.
Action taken
Westfield pursued demolition and reconstruction of the southern portion, including conversion of the former food-court area and redevelopment of the former Montgomery Ward space.
Aftermath
The expanded section opened in 2008 with Target, Borders, AMC Theatres, H&M, additional shops, a new food court, and structured parking.
1998
Adoption of Westfield Shoppingtown brandingStrategyBackground
Westfield applied the Shoppingtown name to Plaza Bonita as part of a broader portfolio branding initiative.
Action taken
The property was renamed Westfield Shoppingtown Plaza Bonita.
Aftermath
The Shoppingtown label was later dropped from Westfield's U.S. centers in 2005, while the Plaza Bonita name continued.
Sources2 sources
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