I remember this mall. It had a very cool Bullock's. It had a tiny I. Magnin that I believe became a movie theater later. Also I recall a Broadway or May Company. I think this mall is now called Main Place.
I just read some really sad news in the Orange County Register. The last remaining major structure of the old Fashion Square, Bullock's (now Macy's) is going to be torn down. Macy's is moving out of the classy, spacious, 1958-era store and consolidating their operations in the boring, cookie-cutter, 80's-modern, former Robinson's store on the south end. Then the Bullock's/Macy's store will be razed to create an outdoor, 'lifestyle' area. Everything old is new again.
I broke my heart when they enclosed The Fashion Square Mall in the late 1980's. It took away akll of it's charm and a lot of my childhood memories. I'm still not old enough to rember that fountain, but i do rember the maze-like parking lot, which unfortunately don't have any pics of :(
I hope the former Bullocks (now Macy's) isnt going to be torn down. I work at the mall (indeed now Main Place) and I heard from a Macys salesman that the current Macys store (former Bullocks) will remain and the mens and furniture division will move into the former Robinsons-May store. (There were two Rob-Mays here, one a former Robinsons, the other a former May CO;) The other anchor is Nordstrom. It would truly break my heart to see the Bullocks store be destroyed for some cheesy outdoor crap.
They're not going to tear it down. There was a problem with a lot next to the Old Robinson's May Men's building, apparently, the owner didn't want to sell or something along those lines, so Macy's couldn't expand that building and move the Women's store over there. So, the old building remains for now.
We even sold the building to Westfield Malls (It's not Mainplace anymore) and we pay rent now.
I think that courtyard still exists, though, everything but the old Bullocks building was torn down and turned into a parking lot and a freeway. The flag pool and a few trees are still there. Oh, and there's a beehive in a tree that's been there since, '07.
How well I remember. We lived in Costa Mesa, 1963 to summer of 1967. Bullock's, Desmond's, Haggarty's, I. Magnin, and that modern art fountain in the courtyard. I can see them all. I think I had my photo with Santa taken at the Bullock's store for Christmas 1963. Was in Costa Mesa in 2005 for the first time since 1967 and just imagine everything I did NOT recognize, and was sick to learn that Fashion Square was history. But, the Harbor Center that was behind our home in Costa Mesa was also history, and some horribly ugly strip mall in its place. Well, what's the old phrase, YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN? How sadly true.
Looks like a mutant ashtray.
ReplyDeleteI remember this mall. It had a very cool Bullock's. It had a tiny I. Magnin that I believe became a movie theater later. Also I recall a Broadway or May Company. I think this mall is now called Main Place.
ReplyDeleteThis is shot outside of Bullocks. Aside from I Magnin It also had JJ Haggarty's and Desmonds
ReplyDeleteI just read some really sad news in the Orange County Register. The last remaining major structure of the old Fashion Square, Bullock's (now Macy's) is going to be torn down. Macy's is moving out of the classy, spacious, 1958-era store and consolidating their operations in the boring, cookie-cutter, 80's-modern, former Robinson's store on the south end. Then the Bullock's/Macy's store will be razed to create an outdoor, 'lifestyle' area. Everything old is new again.
ReplyDeleteI broke my heart when they enclosed The Fashion Square Mall in the late 1980's. It took away akll of it's charm and a lot of my childhood memories. I'm still not old enough to rember that fountain, but i do rember the maze-like parking lot, which unfortunately don't have any pics of :(
ReplyDeleteI hope the former Bullocks (now Macy's) isnt going to be torn down. I work at the mall (indeed now Main Place) and I heard from a Macys salesman that the current Macys store (former Bullocks) will remain and the mens and furniture division will move into the former Robinsons-May store. (There were two Rob-Mays here, one a former Robinsons, the other a former May CO;) The other anchor is Nordstrom. It would truly break my heart to see the Bullocks store be destroyed for some cheesy outdoor crap.
ReplyDeleteWhat angle is that photo?
ReplyDeleteI think it's looking NE.
I work at Macy's.
They're not going to tear it down. There was a problem with a lot next to the Old Robinson's May Men's building, apparently, the owner didn't want to sell or something along those lines, so Macy's couldn't expand that building and move the Women's store over there. So, the old building remains for now.
We even sold the building to Westfield Malls (It's not Mainplace anymore) and we pay rent now.
I think that courtyard still exists, though, everything but the old Bullocks building was torn down and turned into a parking lot and a freeway. The flag pool and a few trees are still there. Oh, and there's a beehive in a tree that's been there since, '07.
How well I remember. We lived in Costa Mesa, 1963 to summer of 1967. Bullock's, Desmond's, Haggarty's, I. Magnin, and that modern art fountain in the courtyard. I can see them all. I think I had my photo with Santa taken at the Bullock's store for Christmas 1963. Was in Costa Mesa in 2005 for the first time since 1967 and just imagine everything I did NOT recognize, and was sick to learn that Fashion Square was history. But, the Harbor Center that was behind our home in Costa Mesa was also history, and some horribly ugly strip mall in its place. Well, what's the old phrase, YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN? How sadly true.
ReplyDelete