Empty storefronts and security guards are all that remain at San Francisco Centre. Once a vibrant shopping destination, the San Francisco Centre now struggles with vacancies. It has also has a decrease in shoppers.
San Francisco Centre opened in October 1988. It was originally named San Francisco Shopping Centre. Sheldon Gordon, who also co-developed The Forum Shops at Caesars, developed it. The mall had approximately 500000 square feet of space. Nordstrom occupied the top several floors. It was the largest Nordstrom store at the time. The mall also featured the first spiral escalator in the United States.
The San Francisco Centre quickly became a top-performing shopping center. In 1996, Emporium was shuttered after a buyout. In May 1997, Urban Shopping Centers, Inc. acquired a half-interest in the center. Westfield Group later acquired the entire center in January 2002.
Forest City acquired redevelopment rights in February 2003. They reached an agreement with Westfield to redevelop the properties jointly. The expanded Westfield San Francisco Centre opened on September 28, 2006. The mall included Bloomingdale’s West Coast flagship store and a nine-screen Century Theatres multiplex. It also featured a Bristol Farms gourmet supermarket and the Downtown Campus for San Francisco State University. The redevelopment cost $440 million. Only the original structure’s front facade and dome were preserved.
The International Council of Shopping Centers Inc. recognized Westfield San Francisco Centre. It was nominated as one of the world’s best shopping centers. Westfield San Francisco Centre won the “Best-of-the-Best” award for design and development.
The San Francisco Police Department considered putting a substation in the mall in 2011. This was in response to shoplifting. Bristol Farms closed in January 2017. A Shake Shack opened in the former Bristol Farms space in the summer of 2021.
Plunging post-pandemic sales and declining foot traffic led to trouble. Westfield and Brookfield stopped making loan payments in June 2023. They ceded the property to their lenders. The Century Theatres multiplex closed on June 15, 2023. In July 2023, the Westfield branding was removed. The mall was renamed San Francisco Centre. Nordstrom closed on August 27, 2023. Bloomingdale’s remains as the only anchor store. The mall’s occupancy level had fallen to 55%.
Mayor London Breed suggested redeveloping the mall. Ideas included a soccer stadium, food halls, or animal shelters.
American Eagle filed a lawsuit in September 2023. They claimed mall management failed to maintain common areas.
In October 2023, Trident Pacific took control of the mall. By November 2023, many stores began to close. These closures included LEGO, Adidas, Hollister, Aldo, Madewell, J.Crew, and Lucky Brand. The mall’s occupancy level fell to 25%. Its valuation plunged 75% from its 2016 level.
San Francisco Centre was briefly renamed Emporium Centre San Francisco in February 2024. It later reverted to its original name. More stores continued to close throughout 2024. These included L’Occitane, Sephora, American Eagle, and Ted Baker. American Eagle sued the mall’s receivers. They alleged the building was not being maintained.
In January 2025, Macy’s, Inc. announced that Bloomingdale’s would close in spring 2025. The closure will leave the mall without any anchor stores. The San Francisco Centre is a cautionary tale of changing retail landscapes. What was once a thriving hub is now a shell of its former self.