Hilltop Mall

Infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = Hilltop Mall


image_width =
caption =
location = Richmond, California, USA
opening_date = 1976
developer = A. Alfred Taubman
manager = Simon Property Group
owner = Simon Property Group &
GM Pension Trusts
number_of_stores = 150 [http://www.themills.com/static/doc_HILLTOP_LDETAIL.jsp Simon Property Group ] ]
number_of_anchors = 5
floor_area = 1.1 million ft²
floors = 2
parking =
website = [http://www.shophilltop.com www.shophilltop.com]

Hilltop Mall is a mall in the Hilltop neighborhood of Richmond, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Hilltop is managed and co-owned by Simon Property Group, and is anchored by longtime tenants JC Penney, Macy's, Sears, and lastly Wal-Mart, a 2007 addition. [ [http://www.chicoer.com/news/bayarea/ci_5306884 Chico Enterprise Record - Wal-Mart plans to offer help to small fry at new location ] ]

History

Hilltop Mall opened in September of 1976, built on land previously occupied by the Hilltop Drive-In outdoor movie theater. The mall was developed by the A. Alfred Taubman, who also developed several other shopping malls in the East and South Bay Area, including Eastridge Mall in San Jose, Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton and Sunvalley Mall in Concord. Originally it was anchored by a bright red-tiled Capwell's, JCPenney and Macy's soon followed, closing their neighboring store in downtown Richmond at the same time. [ [http://www.rcoc.com/history.htm Richmond Chamber of Commerce: History ] ] Capwell's changed its name to Emporium-Capwell in 1979, before becoming simply Emporium in 1990. Sears was also added in 1990, the last expansion of this property.

Once opened the mall attracted the major anchors of Richmond's downtown, which became deserted with nearly all stores closing although many acknowledge that their trend predated Hilltop due to economic and safety issues. [ [http://ca-richmond.civicplus.com/index.asp?nid=112 Richmond History] , retrieved 09-08-07] [Images of America: Richmond (Paperback) by Donald Bastin, Arcadia Publishing (SC), November 2003]

The mall remained largely unchanged until 1996 when the Emporium store closed following its merger with Federated, who owned Macy's. The store remained vacant until October 1998, when Macy's refurbished and relocated their existing store into the former Emporium space. However, Federated chose not to have two Macys at Hilltop (unlike Sun Valley, Stoneridge, and others) and closed the original store. That building would remain vacant until WalMart took it over in the Spring of 2007.

The Taubman shopping center interests, which had become a publicly traded real estate investment trust in 1992, were reorganized in 1998 and the GM Pension Trust assumed full-ownership of Hilltop Mall at this time, retaining Taubman Centers as manager. [http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/890319/0000890319-99-000005.txt] In its turn, in 2004 the GM Pension Trust sold a half-interest in a portfolio of shopping centers, including Hilltop to The Mills Corporation, which also assumed management of the center. After several years of delay, Wal-Mart opened on April 11, 2007 on the site Macy's vacated in 1998.

In July 2007, Simon Property Group purchased the entire The Mills Corporation portfolio including other Bay Area properties: Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton, California and Great Mall in Milpitas, California.

Anchors

*JCPenney (207,600 ft²)
*Sears (135,000 ft²)
*Macy's (190,700 ft²)
*Wal-Mart (150,000 ft²)
*24-Hour Fitness Magic Johnson Sport (37,383 ft²)

Retailers

Hilltop Mall has dozens of smaller clothing boutiques for men, women, teens, and children. It has shoe stores including Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, and Shoe Palace coming soon, electronics stores such as EB Games and fye, and athletic stores such as Champs Sports and Finish Line.

Hilltop Mall also features many other mainstream retailers such as The Body Shop, Anchor Blue, Claire's, Forever 21, Zumiez, Against All Odds. Hilltop has several big name places to eat or snack, such as Maggie Moo's Ice Cream, Mrs. Fields Cookies, Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Subway, Cazuela's Grill, and Great Khan's Mongolian BBQ.

There are also jewelry stores, bookstores, stationers, luggage shops, music, video, gift and toy stores. There are also restaurants, mostly fast food, that include Burger King, McDonald's and others. Miscellaneous services include a hair salon, manicurist, portrait studios, a dentist and optometrists. There is a wide range of catering facilities and a health bar at the 24 Hour Fitness Magic Johnson Sport gym.

Amenities

Since Hilltop Mall is part of Simon malls, the mall offers the popular SIMON Giftcards that can be used anywhere Visa cards are admitted. Simon "Kidgits" club is a weekly kids club held in the mall. You can also borrow strollers, wheel chairs for a charge. There are also baby changing stations in restrooms, early-hours walking, and directory boards and brochures throughout the mall.

Notes and references

Oakland Tribune (Richmond area edition), Sept. 3, 1976, page 13

External links

* [http://www.shophilltop.com/ Hilltop Mall official website]
* [http://www.shophilltop.com/stellent01/groups/public/@mallhilltop/documents/webassets/hilltop_storedir_map.gifHilltop Mall official store directory map]
* [http://www.sfstation.com/business.php?blId=3062 SF Station]