Westfield Plaza Bonita
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Westfield Plaza Bonita commonly known as Plaza Bonita and Plaza is a
shopping mall A shopping mall (or simply mall) is a North American term for a large indoor shopping center, usually anchored by department stores. The term "mall" originally meant a pedestrian promenade with shops along it (that is, the term was used to refe ...
located in
National City, California National City is a city located in the South Bay (San Diego County), South Bay region of the San Diego metropolitan area, in southwestern San Diego County, California, San Diego County, California. The population was 58,582 at the 2010 United ...
, and is owned by
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE (previously Unibail-Rodamco SE) is a French commercial real estate company headquartered in Paris, France. Its history originates with the formation of two separate shopping centre operators, Unibail (founded in Fran ...
.
Anchor stores In retail, an "anchor tenant", sometimes called an "anchor store", "draw tenant", or "key tenant", is a considerably larger tenant in a shopping mall, often a department store or retail chain. They are typically located at the ends of malls. W ...
at the center include
Macy's Macy's (originally R. H. Macy & Co.) is an American chain of high-end department stores founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. It became a division of the Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores in 1994, through which it is affiliated wi ...
,
JCPenney Penney OpCo LLC, doing business as JCPenney and often abbreviated JCP, is a midscale American department store chain operating 667 stores across 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Departments inside JCPenney stores include Mens, Womens, Boys, Gir ...
,
Crunch Fitness Crunch Fitness is a U.S.-based brand of over 400 franchised and corporate owned fitness clubs located in the United States, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica, and Australia. Founded by Doug Levine in 1989, its current Worldwide CEO is Jim Row ...
,
Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
,
Nordstrom Rack Nordstrom Rack is an American off-price department store chain founded in 1973. It is a sister brand to the luxury department store chain Nordstrom. As of 2021, Nordstrom Rack operates 352 stores in 41 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces ...
and one vacant space once occupied by John’s Incredible Pizza. Although it is within the boundaries of National City, the mall is closely associated with and takes its name from the nearby community of Bonita, California.


History

1980s In the late 1970s
May Centers CenterMark, formerly known as May Centers, was a mall development company owned by a consortium of Westfield Holdings Ltd., General Growth Properties, and Whitehall Street Real Estate L.P. III. And it was formerly owned by The May Department Store ...
bought the property from the city of National City and had developed the mall over what was the site of a 18-hole golf course. The center opened in the fall of 1981 and is the South Bay’s first and only indoor mall. When the shopping center opened, it housed
JCPenney Penney OpCo LLC, doing business as JCPenney and often abbreviated JCP, is a midscale American department store chain operating 667 stores across 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Departments inside JCPenney stores include Mens, Womens, Boys, Gir ...
,
Mervyn's Mervyn's was an American middle-scale department store chain based in Hayward, California, and founded by Mervin G. Morris (1920–2021). It carried national brands of clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, ...
,
Montgomery Ward Montgomery Ward is the name of two successive U.S. retail corporations. The original Montgomery Ward & Co. was a world-pioneering mail-order business and later also a leading department store chain that operated between 1872 and 2001. The curren ...
, and the May Company.Alternate Link
via
ProQuest ProQuest LLC is an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based global information-content and technology company, founded in 1938 as University Microfilms by Eugene B. Power. ProQuest is known for its applications and information services for libraries, provid ...
.
The mall motif was inspired by fall tones. It had a brick interior and exterior, with many brown beige tones and fountains throughout the inside and main entrances. The original logo of the mall was a 3-toned rainbow which was red, orange, and yellow, and a font displaying ‘plaza bonita’. And in the spring of 1983
Mann Theaters Mann may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Mann (chess), a variant chess piece which moves as a king * ''Mann'' (film), a 1999 Bollywood motion picture * ''Mann'' (magazine), a Norwegian magazine * Mann Theatres, a theatre chain co ...
opened their location near the east entrance of the mall near where the Broken Yolk Cafe is now. 1990s Westfield America, Inc., a precursor to
The Westfield Group Westfield Group was an Australian shopping centre company that existed from 1960 to 2014, when it split into two independent companies: Scentre Group, which owns and operates the Australian and New Zealand Westfield shopping centre portfolio; ...
, acquired the shopping center in 1994 from
May Centers CenterMark, formerly known as May Centers, was a mall development company owned by a consortium of Westfield Holdings Ltd., General Growth Properties, and Whitehall Street Real Estate L.P. III. And it was formerly owned by The May Department Store ...
and in 1998 the mall was renamed to "Westfield Shoppingtown Plaza Bonita", though the "Shoppingtown" name was dropped in June 2005 at all Westfield shopping centers nationwide. Also during the late 1990s, the sign that is currently seen from the
805 __NOTOC__ Year 805 ( DCCCV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Siege of Patras: Local Slavic tribes of the Peloponnese lay siege t ...
was put up and caused controversy to commuters, so it was modified to its current state. Mann Theaters Plaza Bonita 6 also closed around the late 90s early 2000s. 2000s In mid-2002, the mall went through several phases of renovations, in which the brick exterior and interior was plastered with stucco then painted and had new ceramic tile installed. Its food court had been renovated, and an Outback Steakhouse restaurant opened in the North-west parking lot, it was the second full restaurant to open after Applebee's (which opened in 1993). In mid-2006, the former Wards store, which had been the location of seasonal retailers (Halloween costumers and art shows) was stripped and gutted and a new plan was announced to the public that the south end of the mall would be demolished and rebuilt. The former location of the food court was also demolished in 2006 and converted into a
Forever 21 Forever 21 is a multinational fast fashion retailer headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States. Originally founded as the store Fashion 21 in Highland Park, Los Angeles in 1984,Forever 21History & Facts, n.d. Retrieved 27 April 2014 ...
(in 2007). Also in 2006,
Robinsons-May Robinsons-May was a chain of department stores operating in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada, from 1993 until 2006. It was created when May Department Stores combined two of its chains, May Company California and J. W. Robinson's chains. ...
had been acquired by
Federated Department Stores Macy's, Inc. (originally Federated Department Stores, Inc.) is an American conglomerate holding company. Upon its establishment, Federated held ownership of the regional department store chains Abraham & Straus, Lazarus, Filene's, and Shillito ...
and all locations were rebranded to
Macy's Macy's (originally R. H. Macy & Co.) is an American chain of high-end department stores founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. It became a division of the Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores in 1994, through which it is affiliated wi ...
. In 2008 the newly renovated part of the mall had opened with additional anchors including
Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
,
Borders A border is a geographical boundary. Border, borders, The Border or The Borders may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * ''Border'' (1997 film), an Indian Hindi-language war film * ''Border'' (2018 Swedish film), ...
(which had moved from
Otay Ranch Town Center Otay Ranch Town Center is an open-air shopping mall/lifestyle center in the Otay Ranch area of Chula Vista, California, south of San Diego. Owned and operated by Brookfield Properties with Anchor stores like AMC Theatres, Barnes & Noble, Planet ...
), and
AMC Theatres AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (d/b/a AMC Theatres, originally an abbreviation for American Multi-Cinema; often referred to simply as AMC and known in some countries as AMC Cinemas or AMC Multi-Cinemas) is an American movie theater chain fou ...
as well as close to 40+ new shops like H&M, a new food court known as the Dining Terrace, as well as a three floor parking structure. On March 3, 2009, the
Jollibee Foods Corporation Jollibee Foods Corporation (abbreviated as JFC and Jollibee Group; also known as Jollibee after its primary fast food brand) is a Filipino multinational company based in Pasig, Philippines. JFC is the owner of the fast food brand Jollibee. Wi ...
opened its first “Filipino food court” in the United States adjacent from Target, with bakery and restaurants
Red Ribbon Bakeshop Red Ribbon Bakeshop, Inc. is a bakery chain based in the Philippines, which produces and distributes cakes and pastries. History In 1979, Amalia Hizon Mercado, husband Renato Mercado together with their five children, Consuelo Tiutan, Teresit ...
,
Jollibee Jollibee is a Filipino chain of fast food restaurants owned by Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC). As of December 2021, JFC had a total of about 1,500 Jollibee outlets worldwide, with restaurants in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, East Asia ...
and
Chowking Chowking () is a Chinese cuisine fast food restaurant selling mostly noodle soups, dim sum and rice bowls. Its headquarters in the Philippines. After Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) acquired Chowking in 2000, the brand was placed under F ...
and also had a party room which allowed to seat 40 people. The first of the kind in the United States, which was followed by one at
Westfield Southcenter Westfield Southcenter, formerly known as Southcenter Mall, is a shopping mall located in Tukwila, Washington, United States. Owned by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, it is the largest shopping center in Washington state and the Pacific Northwest. The ...
in Washington. However, JFC shuttered the dining hall by 2011 (a Hooters later took its place but then closed in 2020.) Further,
Borders A border is a geographical boundary. Border, borders, The Border or The Borders may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * ''Border'' (1997 film), an Indian Hindi-language war film * ''Border'' (2018 Swedish film), ...
closed all locations in 2011 shortly after the company filed for bankruptcy. 2010sThe John's Incredible Pizza Company opened its second mall location in 2010 on the first floor of the former
Mervyn's Mervyn's was an American middle-scale department store chain based in Hayward, California, and founded by Mervin G. Morris (1920–2021). It carried national brands of clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, ...
store following the location at Buena Park Mall. In May 2011,
Nordstrom Nordstrom, Inc. () is an American luxury department store chain headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin in 1901. The original Wallin & Nordstrom store operated exclusively as a shoe store, and ...
had announced in a press release that they would be opening its third
Nordstrom Rack Nordstrom Rack is an American off-price department store chain founded in 1973. It is a sister brand to the luxury department store chain Nordstrom. As of 2021, Nordstrom Rack operates 352 stores in 41 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces ...
location in
San Diego County San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634, making it California's second-most populous county and the fi ...
at Plaza Bonita taking over the second floor of the former
Mervyn's Mervyn's was an American middle-scale department store chain based in Hayward, California, and founded by Mervin G. Morris (1920–2021). It carried national brands of clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, ...
location. Later, in August 2012
Crunch Fitness Crunch Fitness is a U.S.-based brand of over 400 franchised and corporate owned fitness clubs located in the United States, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica, and Australia. Founded by Doug Levine in 1989, its current Worldwide CEO is Jim Row ...
opened replacing
Borders A border is a geographical boundary. Border, borders, The Border or The Borders may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * ''Border'' (1997 film), an Indian Hindi-language war film * ''Border'' (2018 Swedish film), ...
old location. 2020s In May of 2020,
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE (previously Unibail-Rodamco SE) is a French commercial real estate company headquartered in Paris, France. Its history originates with the formation of two separate shopping centre operators, Unibail (founded in Fran ...
announced the temporary closures of its centers nationwide during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. Many non-essential stores had been affected by the pandemic such as John's Incredible Pizza Company which did not reopen in the re-opening of Plaza Bonita in May 2021 and later was gutted by June 2021. In April 2022
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE (previously Unibail-Rodamco SE) is a French commercial real estate company headquartered in Paris, France. Its history originates with the formation of two separate shopping centre operators, Unibail (founded in Fran ...
, Plaza Bonita's owner and management had announced that the company would be selling all of its 24 U.S. properties by the end of 2024. In the Summer of 2022 Japan's Round 1 Bowling & Amusement planned to open its first San Diego location at Westfield North County this later changed to Plaza Bonita in September when the
Round One Corporation , stylized as ROUND1, is a Japan-based Family entertainment center, amusement store chain. In Japan, the amusement centers offer bowling alleys, arcade games, karaoke, and billiards. They also have a larger variation of Round One known as SpoCha, ...
website released the Plaza Bonita location would be 'coming soon', replacing the former Johns Incredible Pizza's space.


Current anchors and major tenants

*
JCPenney Penney OpCo LLC, doing business as JCPenney and often abbreviated JCP, is a midscale American department store chain operating 667 stores across 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Departments inside JCPenney stores include Mens, Womens, Boys, Gir ...
: since 1981, moved from Downtown, San Diego and South Bay Plaza location from 1971 to 1981 (original anchor) *
Macy's Macy's (originally R. H. Macy & Co.) is an American chain of high-end department stores founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. It became a division of the Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores in 1994, through which it is affiliated wi ...
: converted since 2006, formerly May Company until 1993 later
Robinsons-May Robinsons-May was a chain of department stores operating in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada, from 1993 until 2006. It was created when May Department Stores combined two of its chains, May Company California and J. W. Robinson's chains. ...
until 2006 *
AMC Theatres AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (d/b/a AMC Theatres, originally an abbreviation for American Multi-Cinema; often referred to simply as AMC and known in some countries as AMC Cinemas or AMC Multi-Cinemas) is an American movie theater chain fou ...
: 14-screen complex since 2008, formerly half of what was
Montgomery Ward Montgomery Ward is the name of two successive U.S. retail corporations. The original Montgomery Ward & Co. was a world-pioneering mail-order business and later also a leading department store chain that operated between 1872 and 2001. The curren ...
until June 2001, replaced
Mann Theatres Mann Theatres was a movie theater chain that predominantly operated in the western United States, with a heavy concentration of theaters in Southern California. Its motto was "Where Hollywood goes to the movies". History The Mann Theatres chai ...
until 2003 *
Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
: since 2008, formerly Montgomery Ward until June 2001 *
Crunch Fitness Crunch Fitness is a U.S.-based brand of over 400 franchised and corporate owned fitness clubs located in the United States, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica, and Australia. Founded by Doug Levine in 1989, its current Worldwide CEO is Jim Row ...
: since 2012, opened as
Borders Books & Music Borders Group, Inc. (former NYSE ticker symbol BGP) was an American multinational book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. In its final year, the company employed about 19,500 people throughout the U.S., primarily i ...
in 2008, then Crunch Fitness in 2012 *
Nordstrom Rack Nordstrom Rack is an American off-price department store chain founded in 1973. It is a sister brand to the luxury department store chain Nordstrom. As of 2021, Nordstrom Rack operates 352 stores in 41 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces ...
: since 2011, formerly half of
Mervyn's Mervyn's was an American middle-scale department store chain based in Hayward, California, and founded by Mervin G. Morris (1920–2021). It carried national brands of clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, ...
, moved to Sweetwater Square near in 2006 * Round1: coming 2023, opened in 1981 as Mervyn's until 2006, then John’s Incredible’s in 2010 till 2021


See also

*
Otay Ranch Town Center Otay Ranch Town Center is an open-air shopping mall/lifestyle center in the Otay Ranch area of Chula Vista, California, south of San Diego. Owned and operated by Brookfield Properties with Anchor stores like AMC Theatres, Barnes & Noble, Planet ...
* Chula Vista Center * Westfield University Town Centre * Westfield North County


References


External links


Official Westfield Plaza Bonita website
{{Coord, 32, 39, 22, N, 117, 3, 57, W, region:US-CA_type:landmark, display=title Shopping malls in San Diego County, California National City, California Plaza Bonita Shopping malls established in 1981 1981 establishments in California