Westminster Mall (California)
The main entrance to Westminster Mall in April 2022 | |
| Location | Westminster, California, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 33°44′50″N 118°00′44″W / 33.74727°N 118.01232°W |
| Address | 1025 Westminster Mall |
| Opening date | August 7, 1974 |
| Closing date | October 29, 2025 |
| Developer | Homart Development Company |
| Management | Washington Prime Group |
| Owner | Washington Prime Group |
| Architect | Architectonics, Inc. and C.H. Leavell Company |
| Stores and services | 122 |
| Anchor tenants | 4 (1 open, 3 vacant) |
| Floor area | 1,195,000 sq ft (111,000 m2) |
| Floors | 2 |
| Website | Official Website at the Wayback Machine (archived October 29, 2025) |
Westminster Mall is a defunct and abandoned enclosed, two-level shopping mall in Westminster, California, United States. Opened in August 1974, and closed in October 2025, the mall featured anchor stores JCPenney and Target, with two vacant anchor spaces previously occupied by Macy's and Sears. JCPenney was closed in November 2025,[1] leaving Target as the remaining anchor as of December 2025.[2][3]
Westminster Mall is situated on the corner of Goldenwest Street and Bolsa Avenue in Westminster, California. It was owned and managed by Washington Prime Group.
History
Development and opening
In the 1920s, the world's largest goldfish farm was relocated to the area where the mall stands today.[4]
Homart Development Company announced plans to build the mall in 1972. The structure was designed by Architectonics, Inc. of Dallas and Chicago with each department store hiring its own architect. C. H. Leavell & Co. of El Paso was the general contractor. Construction of the mall began in 1972.[5][6]
Westminster Mall opened for business on August 7, 1974,[7] with May Company, Sears and Buffum's. The Sears store designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill was 200,000 square feet on two levels.[5] Ladd & Kelsey were the architects for the May Company store which was 150,000 square feet on two levels and boasted a restaurant and cocktail lounge. The 90,000 square foot, two level Buffum's was designed by Killingsworth, Bradley & Associates.[8] J. W. Robinson's was added in 1975 as the mall's fourth anchor store.[9]
Three of the mall's anchors changed names in the 1990s. Buffum's closed in May 1991[10] due to the chain being liquidated. By January 1993, Robinson's and May Company merged to form Robinsons-May, with each store carrying the name by February.[11] As a result, the May Company store was rebranded Robinsons-May, and the J. W. Robinson's was closed as one of the 12 Robinson's and May Company stores closing as part of the merger. The closed Buffum's store became a Robinson's-May Home Store in March 1993 and in November of that same year, the closed Robinson's store became a JCPenney, which had relocated from Huntington Center Mall (now Bella Terra).[12] In 2002, the Robinsons-May Home Store building was torn down for a new Macy's. When Federated Department Stores (now Macy's, Inc.) purchased Robinsons-May and other May Co. names in September 2006, Macy's moved to the Robinsons-May building, and the former Macy's location soon became a Target. Old Navy was added as well.
In 2008, the mall underwent a renovation, relocating the carousel to nearby Sears and constructing a play area in its place near JCPenney. The grand re-opening was on November 15, 2008.
On May 28, 2014, Washington Prime Group, which owned interest in the Westminster Mall along with 97 other properties, was spun-off by Simon Property Group, with management being transferred as well by March 2016.
Decline and closure (2015–November 2025)
In 2015, the Todai Seafood and Sushi buffet closed, being replaced by Luxe Buffet. That same year, Sears Holdings spun off 235 of its properties, including the Sears at Westminster Mall, into Seritage Growth Properties.[13]
Gymboree and Crazy 8 closed on August 12, 2017, as part of a plan to close 300 stores nationwide.
On January 4, 2018, it was announced that Sears would be closing as part of a plan to close 103 stores nationwide. The store closed in April 2018, making it the last original anchor store to close.[14] The carousel located near Sears would also move to nearby Macy's. As of January 2021, the space is still vacant.
As of 2023, Spencer Gifts was the last long-term tenant remaining from the opening era of the mall in their original location on the upper level. They were temporarily moved downstairs during the COVID-19 pandemic;[15][16] as of July 2024, Spencer's is now listed as permanently closed and the store location is no longer listed on the company website.
John's Incredible Pizza shuttered its doors in 2022 because of mall management, saying they are planning to repurpose the space, leaving the Buena Park and Carson locations as the only two nearest to the mall.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Westminster Mall saw a dramatic decline in sales, due to many of its businesses laying off employees, and their closures. In addition to the financial struggles at the mall, the rise in online shopping also took a toll on the mall's revenue. Because of this, in April 2023, the City of Westminster approved a redevelopment plan to utilize the mall's main building for mixed-use housing, lodging and retail. This would result in the demolition of parts of the mall's side wings.
On January 9, 2025, it was announced that Macy's would be closing as part of a plan to close 66 stores nationwide. The store closed in March 2025.[17] On August 20, 2025, it was announced that JCPenney would be closing in November 2025,[1] leaving Target as the only anchor tenant, which has no plans of closing its doors.[18] Its final day of operation was on November 21, and closed to the public on November 16.[18] On October 29, 2025, the mall officially closed after the leases of its remaining 168 tenants expired.[19]
After closure (2025–present)
January 2026 vandalism
As of January 2026, news outlets have reported the abandoned mall to be totally trashed, with piles of furniture, graffiti and glass everywhere. One former employee expressed shock at the lack of police and authority present. Westminster police commander Andy Stowers reports that the mall has become a major issue since its closure in October, and that the Westminster police has received over 400 calls for service to the mall, 57 in one week, and that over 30 arrests have been made in relation to trespassing and vandalism. Reportedly, authorities have been patrolling the area more heavily and have been working with the owners of the building to prevent further entry. Despite this, the abandoned mall has been attracting attention from all over southern California. On January 12, the former mall was boarded up with lumber, and fencing was constructed around the property, and an officer patrolling the area.[20]
Transit access
OCTA Routes 25 & 64 served Westminster Mall. Route 25, which runs along Goldenwest Street on the eastern side of the mall, provided access from Huntington Beach and northern Orange County. Route 64, which runs along Bolsa Avenue on the southern side of the mall, provided access from cities to the east such as Garden Grove and Santa Ana. The mall is at the western terminus of Route 64.[21]
References
- ^ a b "Status Update: JCPenney closing at Westminster Mall". Orange County Register. August 25, 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
- ^ Petrow-Cohen, Caroline (October 22, 2025). "Orange County shoppers say goodbye to Westminster Mall". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Palm, Iman (October 23, 2025). "End of an era: Orange County shoppers prepare to say goodbye to Westminster Mall". KTLA 5 News Live at 4.
- ^ "History of Westminster | Westminster, CA". www.westminster-ca.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-08-26. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
- ^ a b "Aug 06, 1972, page 123 - The Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com". www.newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ "City of Westminster - History". www.westminster-ca.gov. Archived from the original on 2007-10-05.
- ^ "Multi-level mall due to open". Los Angeles Times. August 6, 1974. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
- ^ "Aug 06, 1972, page 136 - The Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ "Robinson's Opening in the Westminster Mall". Los Angeles Times. April 13, 1975. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
- ^ "Struggling Westminster Mall tries for rebound". Orange County Register. August 30, 2012. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
- ^ "Robinson's, May Co. to Merge Stores : Economy: Twelve Southland locations will close and 550 people will be laid off in the cost-cutting move". Los Angeles Times. October 17, 1992. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
- ^ "Penney to move store to Westminster". Long Beach Press-Telegram. February 10, 1993. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
- ^ "At Westminster Mall | Seritage".
- ^ "Sears Closing Westminster Mall Location by April". January 4, 2018.
- ^ Hirsh, Lou (April 27, 2023). "Developer Looks to Overhaul Orange County Mall Site With New Apartments, Hotel". CoStar. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
- ^ Fry, Hannah (February 26, 2023). "O.C. malls, fading from their hip glory days, may get new lives as apartments". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
- ^ Tyko, Kelly (January 9, 2025). "Macy's closing 66 more stores in 2025. See the closure list". Axios. Retrieved 2025-01-09.
- ^ a b Shukla, Piyush (August 28, 2025). "JCPenney closing Westminster Mall, California store after 32 years — how can shoppers catch the final sales?". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
- ^ Santiago-Molina, Emily (October 29, 2025). "Westminster Mall Stores Close with Redevelopment Up in the Air". Orange County Business Journal. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
- ^ CBS LA (January 12, 2026). Abandoned Westminster Mall draws vandalism, hundreds of police calls. Retrieved 2026-01-22 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Route 64" (PDF). Orange County Transportation Authority. Retrieved 2024-08-01.