Westfield Santa Anita
A super-regional shopping center in Arcadia, California, adjacent to Santa Anita Park.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Shops at Santa Anita is a large shopping center in Arcadia, California, located next to Santa Anita Park and historically known as Westfield Santa Anita. The property opened on October 14, 1974, as Santa Anita Fashion Park. Its original anchor lineup included JCPenney, The Broadway, Buffum's, and J. W. Robinson's, although the anchors opened in stages rather than simultaneously. The center was developed as a regional retail destination serving the San Gabriel Valley and surrounding communities east of Los Angeles. The mall underwent a major physical transformation during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Its western wing was demolished and replaced through an expansion that was completed in 1994. The redevelopment included a Nordstrom store, which replaced Buffum's as an anchor. Other department-store changes followed: the J. W. Robinson's location became Robinsons-May in 1993, while The Broadway was converted to Macy's in 1996. These changes reflected the consolidation and repositioning of American department-store chains during the period. In 1998, Westfield America acquired the property from TrizecHahn Corporation. The center was initially renamed Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita, before the word “Shoppingtown” was removed in June 2005, leaving the Westfield Santa Anita name. Westfield's ownership period brought additional investment and a broader mix of entertainment, dining, and specialty retail. The first phase of a three-stage expansion opened on October 1, 2004. Reported investment of $113 million added a new food court, a 16-screen AMC cinema, Dave & Buster's, The Cheesecake Factory, and approximately 30 additional retailers. The second major expansion opened on May 7, 2009. Known as The Promenade, the outdoor-oriented addition created space for about 30 stores between Macy's and Nordstrom, with a stated emphasis on upscale and lifestyle brands such as Coach, Williams Sonoma, Talbots, and Clarks. The former Robinsons-May building remained substantially vacant after the store closed in 2006 following Federated's acquisition of The May Department Stores Company. In November 2012, Forever 21 moved into much of the former department-store space after a major renovation and repartitioning of the building. The property has also served as an entertainment and media venue. The vacant Robinsons-May building was used for filming abandoned Bloomingdale's scenes in the 2008 film Cloverfield. In September 2013, the center hosted what was described as the first Haidilao restaurant in the United States. A 2014 renovation refreshed flooring, fixtures, seating lounges, and the center court; the project removed the carousel that had operated there since 2004. In 2021, The Weeknd performed “Save Your Tears” in the parking lot for a Billboard Music Awards presentation, and the mall appeared in Olivia Rodrigo's “Brutal” music video. In August 2022, the shopping center was sold for a reported $538 million to real-estate investor Wen Shan Chang and rebranded as The Shops at Santa Anita. The new identity distinguishes the property from its former Westfield branding while retaining its role as a major retail and entertainment destination. 99 Ranch Market opened an anchor store in the former first-floor Forever 21 space on September 30, 2023. Forever 21 later announced that its Santa Anita store would close as part of a nationwide store-closing plan; the location closed on April 29, 2025. The center remains an active shopping, dining, entertainment, and community destination.
History
The Shops at Santa Anita began operations as Santa Anita Fashion Park on October 14, 1974, in Arcadia, California. Its location beside Santa Anita Park gave it a prominent position in the San Gabriel Valley. The original anchor plan included JCPenney, The Broadway, Buffum's, and J. W. Robinson's, with the stores opening progressively through 1976. The property was substantially redeveloped from the late 1980s through 1994. The western wing was removed and rebuilt, and a Nordstrom store replaced Buffum's as a principal anchor. The department-store roster continued to change as J. W. Robinson's became Robinsons-May in 1993 and The Broadway became Macy's in 1996. Westfield America acquired the center from TrizecHahn Corporation in 1998. It renamed the property Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita and later simplified the name to Westfield Santa Anita in June 2005. Under Westfield, the center pursued a multi-phase expansion program. The first phase opened in October 2004 and added dining, entertainment, a 16-screen AMC cinema, Dave & Buster's, The Cheesecake Factory, a new food court, and roughly 30 retailers. A carousel opened in the center court later that year. The second expansion phase, The Promenade, opened in May 2009. This outdoor retail district added approximately 30 stores between Macy's and Nordstrom and was positioned toward upscale and lifestyle shopping. Following the 2005 acquisition of May Department Stores by Federated Stores, Robinsons-May closed in 2006. Its former building remained largely unused for several years before being renovated and divided for Forever 21, which relocated there in November 2012. The center expanded its dining and cultural profile during the 2010s. A Haidilao restaurant opened in September 2013 in what was described as the chain's first United States location. Renovations in 2014 refreshed public areas and removed the center-court carousel. The property also gained exposure through film and music: its former Robinsons-May building appeared in Cloverfield, The Weeknd used its parking lot for a 2021 Billboard Music Awards performance, and the center appeared in Olivia Rodrigo's “Brutal” video. In August 2022, the property changed ownership in a reported $538 million transaction involving Wen Shan Chang. The center was subsequently rebranded The Shops at Santa Anita, ending its Westfield identity. 99 Ranch Market opened an anchor location in September 2023 in the former first-floor Forever 21 area. Forever 21's store later closed on April 29, 2025, as part of a broader national closure program. The shopping center continues to operate as a regional mix of retail, dining, grocery, entertainment, and services.
- 2023
99 Ranch Market opens
[1]A 99 Ranch Market anchor store opened in the former Forever 21 space.
- 2022
Ownership and branding change
[1]The property was reportedly sold to Wen Shan Chang and renamed The Shops at Santa Anita.
- 2009
The Promenade opens
[1]An outdoor expansion added approximately 30 lifestyle and specialty stores.
- 2004
First expansion phase opens
[1]The first phase added dining, entertainment, cinema, a food court, and about 30 retailers.
- 1998
Westfield America acquires the center
[1]Westfield America purchased the property from TrizecHahn Corporation and introduced Westfield branding.
- 1994
Major redevelopment is completed
[1]The western wing was demolished and expanded, with Nordstrom replacing Buffum's as a major anchor.
- 1974
Santa Anita Fashion Park opens
[1]The shopping center opened on October 14 with JCPenney, The Broadway, Buffum's, and J. W. Robinson's planned as its original anchor stores.
Products and positioning
A super-regional retail and entertainment destination serving Arcadia and the wider San Gabriel Valley, combining department stores, specialty fashion, lifestyle retail, restaurants, groceries, cinema, and family-oriented experiences.
Outdoor retail district · 2009
The Promenade
The Promenade is the center's outdoor expansion, opened in 2009 between Macy's and Nordstrom. It added approximately 30 stores and was designed around upscale and lifestyle-oriented shopping, including fashion, accessories, home goods, and specialty retail.
Food and beverage · 2004
Dining and food court
The shopping center's food offering includes a food court, full-service restaurants, and specialty dining. The 2004 expansion added The Cheesecake Factory and Dave & Buster's, while later leasing helped establish the property as a dining and entertainment destination as well as a conventional mall.
Entertainment · 2004
Entertainment facilities
Entertainment uses introduced through the expansion program included a 16-screen AMC cinema and Dave & Buster's. These facilities broadened the center's appeal beyond shopping and supported longer visits and evening activity.
Grocery anchor · 2023
99 Ranch Market
99 Ranch Market opened an anchor store at the center on September 30, 2023, occupying the former first-floor portion of the Forever 21 space and adding a large Asian-specialty grocery component to the tenant mix.
Brand decisions
2022
Sale and rebranding of the propertyM&ABackground
The shopping center changed ownership after operating for years under the Westfield name.
Action taken
The property was reportedly sold to Wen Shan Chang and renamed The Shops at Santa Anita.
Aftermath
The center moved away from Westfield branding while continuing its regional shopping-center operations.
Reported sale price. 538000000 (August 2022 transaction)
2009
Opening of The PromenadeStrategyBackground
The property continued its expansion strategy with an outdoor retail component intended to strengthen its upscale and lifestyle positioning.
Action taken
The Promenade opened between Macy's and Nordstrom with approximately 30 new stores.
Aftermath
The center gained additional outdoor-oriented retail space and a stronger mix of lifestyle brands.
2004
Launch of a multi-phase expansion programStrategyBackground
The center sought to increase its retail, dining, and entertainment capacity through a planned three-phase expansion.
Action taken
The first phase opened with a food court, cinema, entertainment venue, restaurant, and about 30 new retailers.
Aftermath
The project established a broader experiential offer and was followed by The Promenade expansion in 2009.
Reported investment. 113000000 (First expansion phase, opened October 1, 2004)
1998
Acquisition by Westfield AmericaM&ABackground
The center was acquired from TrizecHahn Corporation as Westfield America expanded its shopping-center portfolio.
Action taken
Westfield America purchased the property and subsequently operated it under Westfield branding.
Aftermath
The property became Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita and later Westfield Santa Anita, followed by major expansion and renovation activity.
Sources1 sources
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