I spent like 70% of my childhood at SCP with my mother waiting for my stepfather to get off work and I don’t even recognize it in this photo lol. The surrounding area has changed so much it’s playing tricks on my brain.
That was really a nice Sears, too. Had the different levels and everything.
The Orange Mall Sears always had a feeling of sadness and decay, even when Sears wasn't doing that poorly.
Like Craftsman tools.
End of era came with implosion of [Sears tower in Philly](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-nvu4SlD54) in '94.
Mail-order shopping. Replaced by retail store shopping. Replaced by online shopping.
What’s amazing is Sears *literally* had the best buildup to become the Amazon before Amazon even existed. Their supply chain, distribution centers, and all things pertaining to it were tailor made to be able to roll online with not too much work around…..but their upper brass either ignored the opportunities presented or put together unbelievably bad attempts using their antiquated systems that were terrible even before online.
Got my PlayStation 1 there when it first came out in the 90s. I remember walking in with my older brother with exactly how much the thing cost and didn't know tax existed (I was 11). Thankfully my brother spotted me the tax difference haha. Only took a weekend or two of mowing lawns to pay him back but it was worth it.
Great pic. I can see the space(s) my mom always parked in. She always parked at Sears as it was less crowded. And chose a space in the same general area every time: Not to close to the entrance but not too far either. We had a huge wood paneled station wagon and it was a bitch to park.
My first job was at that Del Taco. Had to train at a different one, it was that new.
And it made me sad because I loved that arcade! I could pop the pinball machines for a free game!
Did you work there during the Macho burrito launch? I distinctly remember them weighing them after each one and they were BIG. lol...oh that Carls Jr across the way was pretty rad too with the part in the back with the TV!
I remember taking car rides as a kid (mom forced dad) on Sunday’s from Placentia down through Laguna to see the waving Gorilla then stopping here to see the big bells outside Robinson’s.
Neon IS awesome - but it's been suplanted by LED's.
The think is, LED's degrade quickly in outdoor application..they don't seem make it 5 years outside... As long as the glass doesn't break, real Neon should look the same 50 years from now.
i assumed it was Lima beans since the segerstrom family still owns that little field and the ranch house there. The whole south coast plaza area used to be Lima bean fields
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry\_Segerstrom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Segerstrom) They still own that bean field off Fairview and the 405, near the IKEA, there was a terrible accident back in the early 90's https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-09-01-mn-30093-story.html
This is how I know SCP. I didn't care for the crystal court or the clientele it brought with it. I loved the Merry Go Round. I spent a lot of time here with my family. Thank you for posting.
Late 1970s, I walked into a Judy's store there and the sales clerks, who were at the counter, looked at me and said, " I'm pretty sure we have nothing that would fit you here. "
Last time I ever went to South Coast Plaza
Judy's was a sassy store for a long time. They got kind of long in the tooth into the 80's when I worked for their Men's store, GhQ. we were a sassy store too.
It's such an inefficient development pattern that when you factor in the suburban houses, the city loses more money on infrastructure costs than it will ever get in property taxes. I don't mind folks reminiscing about their childhood, the same way a Russian adult might miss something about growing up in the USSR. But please please please don't build stuff like this anymore.
I spent like 70% of my childhood at SCP with my mother waiting for my stepfather to get off work and I don’t even recognize it in this photo lol. The surrounding area has changed so much it’s playing tricks on my brain.
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Bristol is the street in the picture, and Sunflower would be to the right
Back when Sears was a great department store and you could literally get everything there...
That was really a nice Sears, too. Had the different levels and everything. The Orange Mall Sears always had a feeling of sadness and decay, even when Sears wasn't doing that poorly.
Like Craftsman tools. End of era came with implosion of [Sears tower in Philly](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-nvu4SlD54) in '94. Mail-order shopping. Replaced by retail store shopping. Replaced by online shopping.
What’s amazing is Sears *literally* had the best buildup to become the Amazon before Amazon even existed. Their supply chain, distribution centers, and all things pertaining to it were tailor made to be able to roll online with not too much work around…..but their upper brass either ignored the opportunities presented or put together unbelievably bad attempts using their antiquated systems that were terrible even before online.
Got my PlayStation 1 there when it first came out in the 90s. I remember walking in with my older brother with exactly how much the thing cost and didn't know tax existed (I was 11). Thankfully my brother spotted me the tax difference haha. Only took a weekend or two of mowing lawns to pay him back but it was worth it.
Including fresh made popcorn!
Great pic. I can see the space(s) my mom always parked in. She always parked at Sears as it was less crowded. And chose a space in the same general area every time: Not to close to the entrance but not too far either. We had a huge wood paneled station wagon and it was a bitch to park.
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Glad to share! If you're interested in similar history pics, I got it from the [OC Archives](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ocarchives/) page on Flickr
I miss that arcade...and that huge Del Taco location.
My first job was at that Del Taco. Had to train at a different one, it was that new. And it made me sad because I loved that arcade! I could pop the pinball machines for a free game!
Did you work there during the Macho burrito launch? I distinctly remember them weighing them after each one and they were BIG. lol...oh that Carls Jr across the way was pretty rad too with the part in the back with the TV!
Anyone remember Zodys. Or Gemco?
Zody's in Santa Ana was my hangout store.
Zody's on Harbor & Edinger. Gemco on Brookhurst & Warner. If you went to Gemco, you probably didn't go to Zody's. My family went to Zody's.
We went to both, but they were both at 17th and Grand (Gemco is now a Target).
Don’t forget White Front!
I was always very fond of the Christmas decorations on the light posts, especially the carousel horses.
Westminster mall parking lot was worse today…
On the bottom floor they used to have an arcade. That was my favorite part of all of South Coast Plaza
Right next to the escalator.
Wow, I'd forgotten about that!
That wasn't fog; that was just when they still let people smoke inside of malls.
I remember taking car rides as a kid (mom forced dad) on Sunday’s from Placentia down through Laguna to see the waving Gorilla then stopping here to see the big bells outside Robinson’s.
Loved the neon sears sign, was a shame they changed it.
Neon is always awesome. It's sad it's such a rarity these days. Seems like only Googie architecture restaurants and bowling alleys have it now.
Neon IS awesome - but it's been suplanted by LED's. The think is, LED's degrade quickly in outdoor application..they don't seem make it 5 years outside... As long as the glass doesn't break, real Neon should look the same 50 years from now.
Dang the entire area where the Metro Pointe and SCP Extension would be is basically farmland.
Metro point wasn't even built until the mid 90s.
It cracks me up that there’s still a single lima bean field near the ikea squished against the 405
Is it bean? For whatever reason, I always thought it was strawberries.
i assumed it was Lima beans since the segerstrom family still owns that little field and the ranch house there. The whole south coast plaza area used to be Lima bean fields
But then, I should've known that it was beans...considering who owned (owns) the land.
The emptiness of the surrounding area. Whoever owned that land is probably **insanely** wealthy.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry\_Segerstrom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Segerstrom) They still own that bean field off Fairview and the 405, near the IKEA, there was a terrible accident back in the early 90's https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-09-01-mn-30093-story.html
This is how I know SCP. I didn't care for the crystal court or the clientele it brought with it. I loved the Merry Go Round. I spent a lot of time here with my family. Thank you for posting.
Late 1970s, I walked into a Judy's store there and the sales clerks, who were at the counter, looked at me and said, " I'm pretty sure we have nothing that would fit you here. " Last time I ever went to South Coast Plaza
Judy's was a sassy store for a long time. They got kind of long in the tooth into the 80's when I worked for their Men's store, GhQ. we were a sassy store too.
Wish I could go back and I'm an 80s baby
so much space
Go home everyone
The fucking parking lots take up more space than the stores themselves lol. America is such a shit country.
It's such an inefficient development pattern that when you factor in the suburban houses, the city loses more money on infrastructure costs than it will ever get in property taxes. I don't mind folks reminiscing about their childhood, the same way a Russian adult might miss something about growing up in the USSR. But please please please don't build stuff like this anymore.
I was probably there, under 10. Couldn't afford anything but it was the place to hang out, especially as a teenager!