Westfield West Covina - History

History

West Covina Plaza, an open-air strip shopping complex, opened in 1962, anchored by The Broadway and Desmond's, a specialty retailer. The complex was demolished in 1974, leaving The Broadway and Desmond's intact. These were worked into an enclosed complex known as West Covina Fashion Plaza, which opened in 1975. The new center paralleled the San Bernardino Freeway and added new anchors JCPenney and Bullock's. Desmonds was not connected to the mall. The store folded in the late 1970s and became a 2-story Tower Records location.

In 1991, the official name of the shopping venue was changed to Plaza At West Covina. 1992-1993, a new wing anchored by Robinsons-May was constructed east of the Bullock's store. The first major anchor changes didn't come until 1996, when Federated Department Stores sold The Broadway store to Sears, and converted the Bullock's location to Macy's. Sears opened their new location in 1997, moving from a neabry stand-alone location in Covina.

On September 9, 2006, Federated renamed the old Robinsons-May store as Macy's and temporarily operated two stores at the mall. In 2007 the Macy's in the former Robinsons-May location was expanded and remodeled and in early 2008, Macy's West Covina store was consolidated into that building. The former Macy's (Bullock's) location had already been sold to The Westfield Group and closed in March 2008. Demolition of the 144,527-square-foot (13,427.0 m2) building begin early October 2008, and plans are underway to convert the space into additional mall space as well as a Best Buy and five restaurants.

Tower Records closed in late 2006. The mall's parking lot is also home to the newest Bob's Big Boy's Restaurant, which is located in the old Chevy's space and a new concert venue Crazy Horse Live.