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South Bay Plaza

Coordinates: 32°40′33″N 117°05′48″W / 32.6758°N 117.0966°W / 32.6758; -117.0966
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South Bay Plaza
Map
LocationNational City, California
Coordinates32°40′33″N 117°05′48″W / 32.6758°N 117.0966°W / 32.6758; -117.0966
Address1021 Highland Ave, National City, CA 91950
Opening date1954
ManagementCal-American
No. of stores and services35
No. of anchor tenants4
Total retail floor area141,868 square feet (13,180.0 m2)
No. of floors1
Parking1000
Websitehttps://www.calamerican.com/copy-of-residential

South Bay Plaza is a shopping center at the corner Highland and Plaza Blvds. in National City, California, opened in 1954, the first mall in South Bay, San Diego. Anchored by Price Breakers Indoor Baazar, Chuck E. Cheese, Rent-A-Center and is the second in San Diego metropolitan area after the smaller Linda Vista Shopping Center (opened 1943, demolished 1972).[1]

The first store to open was Mayfair Market, followed by J. C. Penney, W. T. Grant, Woolworth's and 40 other stores.[2] In the 1970s, South Bay Plaza was ravaged by a fire and multiple stores were destroyed.[3] In the 1980s, Plaza Bonita was built, which attracted many businesses, causing business to slow down.

At its opening, the center attracted national attention, as it was considered a new and innovative format at the time.[4] Today the center continues to operate; the former J.C. Penney anchor space is now used as the Price Breakers Indoor Bazaar, a collection of small vendors or an indoor swapmeet.

The center also had been divided into two; everything after the Royal Mandarin restaurant is considered South Bay Plaza East, which remains today. It includes more restaurants like 85°C Bakery Cafe and other shopping retailers.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "South Bay Plaza". Archived from the original on 2019-01-03.
  2. ^ Steven Schoenherr. "National City in Pictures" (PDF).
  3. ^ "South Bay Plaza Shopping Center Fire | California Revealed". californiarevealed.org. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
  4. ^ "A complete survey of San Diego shopping malls | San Diego Reader".