Grossmont Center: A 60 Year Old Vintage Mall | Retail Archaeology 

That Macy's is classic 60's midcentury design!

3:38 - That Reading Cinema is part of a company called Reading International which is the last legacy of the once-mighty Reading Company, owner of the Reading Railroad (immortalized on the Monopoly game board). It was once the largest corporation on earth when it moved enormous amounts of coal that came from Pennsylvania's coal regions.

Having a Target as an anchor is smart. They're doing great right now. A lot of people point to Target as a contrast to K-Mart or Sears to show that department stores aren't necessarily "dying" if you adapt well (which Target did).

The Target/Bullock's building site originally was a Ponderosa steakhouse, record store and card shop--long before the parking structure was built.

Ah wish I could have seen what an American Woolworths looked like, there's a photo online of a outdoor mall woolworths at christmas in the '50s and I'd love to know where it originally was. I did hear the later years the designs of them were heavily influenced by their UK division's stores, like adding canteens Etc. But just a pice of retail history that has sadly gone, probably never to return now the world has moved on :(

This is our favorite mall in San Diego. The Barnes & Noble has a pretty substantial magazine section. Also, have been there countless times and had never seen that plaque. Going to look for it on our next visit. Thanks for highlighting it.

Kevin Perjurer is on that nonstandard McDonald's team? Sold!

This was probably the mall that we went to as kids in the mid-90s before we moved away from the area in 2000. "Grossmont Center" rang a very vivid bell in my memory, and Grossmont itself is such a memorable name that I've never forgotten that was just part of the "zeitgeist" of the area I grew up in, even though I didn't go to a Grossmont school or anything. I also remember Grossmont Hospital, which is possibly where I was born.

I grew up going to this mall. I remember when Macy’s was the Broadway. Seeing the original facade of Broadway brings it all back. The fountains you showed were always in that location, too. I believe See’s Candies is the only original shop still located in its same spot. Though Hallmark has been there since I was young and in a similar place. Woolworths wasn’t were Barnes and Noble was though at least for all the 60s-80s times I went …it was across from where Barnes and Noble was. Thank you for sharing this… brought all the feels back. When I am in the area I still love to visit it. I have fond childhood memories of shopping with my mom and aunt in Saturdays…we’d go to The Broadway’s cafe for lunch… I got my wedding dress at a shop in that mall in 1983! Also I’m my youth, there was a teaching store … I loved going in there and dreaming of being a teacher …I bought a couple of my first supplies there and became a teacher for 20 years.

I wish there were photos of the exterior and interiors of stores from the 90s. One of my favorite memories was when my mom took my sister and I to look at Halloween decorations in a store that had a downstairs basement that was located close to the now Macy’s. What I wouldn’t give to get a picture of that

@Retail Archaeology *Thanks for the focus on fountains!* I'll never understand why malls have moved away from them, they create so much of the welcoming atmosphere!

Such a gorgeous mall. We don’t have anywhere as nice in Scotland

A mall with a working payphone AND it's not vandalized??? Wow!!

So heartbroken they remodeled the food court. The old one looked like a smaller version of the old UTC food court (90's era). UTC's food court was epic, especially with the Yellow Brick Road arcade above the skating rink. Companies like SEGA used to test market games there that usually didn't get a wide release in the USA. I was lucky enough to play Spikeout there, kickass game.

It’s fun to see the fountains are still there and some of the stores are still there too. I hung out with friends in the 70’s and 80’s.

Hey you were in my hood again! Glad to have you back!

Interesting that you haven’t found many malls with Targets as anchors. I can think of four in the San Diego area. Besides Grossmont, Mission Valley Center, Plaza Bonita and North County Fair have them

Family, friends, and those visiting us enjoy the unique aspects of this historic Grossmont Mall. We enjoyed deciding what to order in Starbucks. We would head into Barnes and Noble (hoping to acquire one of the few tables with 2 or 3 chairs) when we received our delicious drinks. We shared many conversations covering every topic under the sun. We would enjoy choosing books that each were interested in. Finally, purchasing a book or two that piqued interest. Upon leaving Barnes and Noble, I, alone or with others, would enjoy a walk outside of the mall. The sight of plants with a breath of fresh air. Admiring the water fountains while appreciating the individual differences beholding to each unique one. Stopping in the unique and well-known shops. Ending the day at Grossmont Mall with a purchase or more from the shops. Memories made. Thank you for sharing your memories. Your video reminded me that it is the simple and free moments in life that make beautiful memories. Have a beautiful Holiday Season if you celebrate or not. Most of all I hope you are surrounded by love, inner peace, good health, and joy through life's journey.

I remember when themed McDonald's were a thing in Tucson. There was a "Wild West" one with saddles for seats!

Longtime Grossmont Hills resident with many memories made at Grossmont Center! Love the coverage! Miss those food court signs too ❤️

The Savannah Mall in Savannah, GA has a Target as one of its anchors, and it indeed does have an entrance from inside the mall. Aside from Target, Dillards, and Bass Pro Shops, the Savannah Mall is essentially a dead mall, especially compared to Savannah's other mall, the Oglethorpe Mall.

That fountain is something else! Really works with the surrounding landscape. Thanks for literal in depth view 😂

The only memorial plaque I have _ever_ seen in a mall -- and I do actively look for such things -- is in the Maine Mall in South Portland.

That child statue reminded me of “The Good Son” with Macaulay Culkin. 😅😂😂

I love this place, relatively local to me. Feels very vintage without feeling run down.

A Walmart at one end and a Target at the other end may be what is keeping traffic at that mall. I did like that first fountain, it looked so refreshing.

Growing up in San Diego, the malls I went to as a kid were: UTC (University Towne Center), Fashion Valley Mall, Mission Valley Mall and North County Faire. Malls that are former shades of themselves are Mira Mesa Mall, Escondido Village Mall (which I think was the first enclosed A/C'd mall in California) and next door to it I think it was called the Grapevine, it was torn down years ago. Love the videos!

I thought I remember there being a Woolworth story there. My father worked at Woolworths when I was growing up and in fact, retired from them and when I was out of school I would go with him to the stores he working on and hang around the area for the day. When I was a teenager I remember him working the store at Grossmont while I walked around the mall and checked out girls.

This mall is as old as Mexico's oldest mall, which is Plaza Universidad in Mexico City. It also began as an outdoor mall but was completely enclosed in the 1980's I think. It was completely remodelled and modernized in the early 2000's. It's pretty small compared to modern malls that have been built everywhere in the country during the last 10 years or so, but it's still pretty busy.

*Another mystery as to why these management companies remove any traces of character from their properties, it is bizarre!*

I love this mall. I haven't been there for about 2 years now. But there's something so "untouched" about it. Reminds me of malls as a kid. Thank you for this. :)

I like that this is an actual walkable mall, as opposed to the blocks of drive up strips that are popular for some reason now.

wow, my mall is going to be 50 years old next month, too bad it doesn't look as nice as this one

Damn, that food court is a huge downgrade! I went there a few times when I lived in San Diego just to enjoy that ambience. I really don't like the Walmart here because of the low ceilings, but the Target beats out Mission Valley by a mile because the parking spaces are actually big enough for a car...

Nice! I used to work at the Macy’s in this mall from 03-05. Me and my coworkers used to take our breaks near that water wall. That Macy’s used to be Broadway and even had a restaurant at one point. Supposedly it’s haunted by an old manager.

I’ve always found the Grossmont Center mall to be one of my favorites aesthetics wise. I always make sure to visit it just to hang around in for a bit whenever I’m in the San Diego area.

This is magnificent, it is a really excellent mall, it looks really good. I totally concur with you regarding the blandisation of the food court, it certainly looked far better with some colour about it! These videos are such a breath of fresh air and you are blessed with a great broadcasting voice too.

Nice video, one of the benefits of this type of mall in that climate. I remember Del Webb's name from Sun City when I lived in Phoenix in 1976.

Always love the fountain cam my man haha

I go to Grossmont center specifically to go to engraving pros. They've been there over 30 years and are down that first" lonely corridor" by the model train display. Incredible engraving and gifts, and the family that runs it is fantastic.

That is a nice looking fountain. I really like the blue. And it always puts a smile on my face when I see a payphone. I miss the days when they were everywhere. And I love baseball, too. Trains, also. I wish I lived in the area to check out the model train place.

So glad you returned to grossmont. I live just ten minutes from this mall. It's a great mall and lots of memories for me. The food court has changed a lot in terms of the food offered. The asthetics of the food court changed about two years ago. Right before the pandemic. While I prefer the old look too, they added a bunch of new vegan restaurants and even a vegan bakery which has really helped bring in more foot traffic. I highly recommend eating at Vegan Out next time you visit.

SD native since 59; Grossmont Center has always been more a family oriented mall (during Christmas they used to really decorate the fountains with soap for snow and fiberglass snowmen, College Grove Shopping Center was the happening place back in the day, now it really feels like a dead mall. In the 70's the next big happening mall was Parkway Plaza, it's still there but feels like it's struggling.

My mall from the 70 s still has its fountain

always love the fountain dive shots! also that train setup was super cool! I'm not into model trains but neat to see how detailed they all are. always fun to see these videos!!

I went to that Nonstandard McDonald's Kickstarter page and one of the 4 stores pictured is the one in my hometown of Independence, Ohio. My mom worked there for many years. The only way the city would let McDonald's build was if they complied with a strict building code, which is how it ended up being a 2 story brick colonial looking building

Woolworths, was where the TOUCHtell phone stores were.. it had opening to the parking lot, and you could walk through to the mall side.

I was stationed at the pt Loma subbase back in the 80's and used to love to go there walk around. . enjoy the weather and just people watch.. always a good time 😊

Very cool. Great video, content, and always entertaining. Retail Archeology, highly recommended. Thanks!

I used to live about a mile north of Grossmont Center, up Jackson Dr. My mom used to shop at Montgomery Wards and Food Basket back in the seventies. My girlfriend, now wife of thirty years used to walk there and shop back in the eighties. I remember Millers Outpost, Bill Gambels, and Univeral Boot Shop. We still shop there, just not as often now that I live in the far East County.

Always enjoyed Grossmont Mall - My First job at 16 when it was new in 1963 to 67 at Harris & Frank( up scale Men's & Women's Store).

As a few others have mentioned, the Barnes and Noble used to be across from where it is now, and that old location was where the Woolworth's was. The old food court was where Barnes and Noble is now. I remember it, (barely, I was a kid), it looked like the style of the first fountains you showed.

I have a picture of myself sitting at that fountain at 00:46 from April 1985, I just looked at it to compare, that fountain has not changed one bit

Geeze I didn't know you were friends with grumpy ole Ian. My worlds continue to collide on RU-vid.

This is the only mall that I visit the most. The design is unique as well as all the venders.

Here in Madison WI we have a McDonalds that looks like a old 1950s drive thru completed with the big arches, but was built in the early 90s

I just so happened to visit Grossmont Center Mall during our visit to San Diego last month. My daughter needed to use the restroom and I took the chance to check out the food court here. It was completely devoid of people. Most of the food vendors weren't even open, only the Mexican place and the Burger shop with the Mustang grill sticking out of the counter I noticed were open. This was a Monday around 5PM so you'd think there'd be some people grabbing an early dinner after work but it was a total ghost town in there. Especially after the bland makeover this food court got, now it just looks eerie, desolate and solemn. I asked my wife and daughter if the bathroom in the food court was okay and they said it was actually really clean, most likely due to not getting much customer traffic in there.

5:43 Doom teleporter sound? Also these videos make me nostalgic and sad at the same time.

Bought one of my first TVs after I was out on my own at the Circuit City that used to be in that mall. Or at least I think it was a Circuit City - could have been Ultimate Electronics; it was the early 90's and a bit hard to remember :) Nice video!

Used to be a sports store here that had a batting cage, driving range net, basketball hoop

Woolworths was across from Barnes and Nobel. The Gap was where Payless shoes are and the B&N was the old food court (with pretty Spanish saltillo tile floors). I worked at the Potato Patch in 1980. There was a Can-U-Antique-Us photography place in there too and you could exit out to the north parking lot where Rubios/Starbucks currently is. (I'm "Claire's" mom btw). I miss that food court.

Such vibrant colors

GROSSMONT!!!!! This js my favorite mall! So glad to see how a mall expert agrees about it being a good one. Makes me so happy to see how it’s one of your favorite socal mall 😭 fountains are my favorite to sit by and people watch after food court. The 80s food court was the best part and the seating and the huge ceiling 😢 so sad. So glad you took video of the way it use to be! I agree it totally was a bad business move to change it because it lost its charm. 😢 lost the main reason people even still visit.

I lived 2 miles from this mall from 1988 to 2007 it was and is my favorite mall.

Keep up the great content!

I love those fountains. I need to go to Grossmont center more but it's far. Going there makes me feel like I'm living in the 90s. What's good about the mall is that it's got a fair amount of traffic.

Grossmont center was my hangout in highschool in the 80s, always went to Warehouse records, T.R. Watley, the Starcade arcade and the triplex theater.

Guys thats Ian from the CU podcast!!!!! Hes mega famous

Great great great video. Love the fountain shots.

these videos always brighten my mood :) definitely one of my fav channels!

This into never gets old

I went to that mall a few years ago to see an Anime film due to it being a limited release , used to live near Mission Valley and the contrast between that mall and that mall definitely felt like a step back in time when you got into that food court.

We used to live near there several years ago.

I was playing the original Doom on silent so I could listen to the video, and I went through a teleporter at the same exact moment the teleporter sound played on the video.

Target was usually a mall anchor during its brief run in Canada

Amazing way of experiencing the world and the different sites. Thanks! Super love your channel!

You should come to Plaza Bonita in the South Bay of San Diego!

Classics never die.

I live about ten minutes away from this mall and The mall still looks the exact same (the 100% Fresh sign is gone) …the mall is doing basically okay and we’re there about once a week because it’s REALLY helpful to have a Walmart and a Target in the same place!

We had a couple of outdoor malls in my home town, in the midwest. Weather was the biggest limiting factor. Growing up, I remember a model train store, a record store, a couple of cafe restaurants, a camera store, a shoe store, a bridal store, etc.... Today most of that is gone.

If you ever want to be transported to 1989 checkout Easton Town Center in Columbus Ohio. Huge bustling Mall Campus that is actually still expanding. Usually full of people on any weekend day.

What a fun look at this old mall, and greetings to the awesome RA entourage! Great fountain cam shots. That’s too bad about the food court, though. Those old signs were so full of character, and I think they would still have looked neat even with an “updated” paint color behind them!

I worked there in 1989 -1993 at Mrs. Fields cookies and warehouse record store, Where I always got in trouble for wearing earrings. Presently the mall is almost unrecognizable.

Wooo San Diego!

I used to go to this mall as a child and teenager. We lived I'm ElCajon and then Harbison canyon which is near Alpine. I went to high school at Granite Hills High...this brought back memories

I love the line of little stores. They remind me of my towns classic downtown area. It was filled with stores like that on every sidewalk. The last time I remember them being stores and not all lawyers offices was the 1970s when I was a kid. Gradma took me to Aplers Shoe Store to get Buster Browns. Id get a comic book with them.

It looks like a nice place. I like the gardens.

Always up for an Ian visitation in the videos!

I vaguely recall a mall plaque at Fashion Valley Mall but that was ages ago. It used to be by the J.C. Penney.

I moved from San Diego to Southern Arizona about 20 years ago. This is way different than I remember.

Payphones going upto 25 cents when i was a kid... we just called our parents Collect, "ItsMeComePickMeUpBye!".

ty for showing tmall look like still doing good :)

I remember going to this mall a lot during the late 00’s and early 10’s and it was a little more busy back then. I got my quincenera and prom dresses at the Prevue. The food court used to been my favorite thing, but I haven’t been there in years. Sad to see that they really downgraded it. There’s this suite near the spa that’s been through a lot of restaurants in the past decade from what I remember (including a Shakey’s) and near that used to be a hair salon and a pet store. I still go by to the Barnes and Nobles and Casa de Pico’s nearby but I haven’t been inside it for a while.

This mall was unique, in that it had all three.. Buffums', Bullock's, and Broadway! Also Woolworth, and Ward, also at the same time. Lol. It was very confusing to me , when I was very young. The old " sports authority" was once the buffums. The holies, is where the buffums restaurant was located. That's why there was a kitchen there.. it was always a restaurant. Back when department stores had them.

Aneat little mall I do love how it looked like the theaters there are called reading cinema.

Great video

Great vid! Let's get that Nonstandard McDonalds documentary funded!

I love the panning technique you use. It's perfect. I will send some channel RU-vidrs to you so they can see just how to pan.

I used to go to grossmont college there in 2013. This mall looks exactly the same

If you ever come to New York you should go to the Arnot Mall. It has a really cool center area where the food court is and the movie theatre.