San Francisco's 280 Metro Center

One of America's first power center-type complexes was built in the southern environs of San Francisco. Named after the adjacent Interstate 280 expressway, 280 METRO CENTER initially housed thirty-four stores and services. 

Graphic from http://www.terranomicsdevelopment.com

Tenants in the open-air shopping hub opened for business between November 1986 and December 1987. 

Photo from http://www.terranomicsdevelopment.com

A 280 METRO montage features trademarks of stores and entertainment venues that have operated in the facility. These date between the years 1986 and 2004. 

Our first 280 METRO site plan depicts the power plaza as it stood in 1988. At the time, it was anchored by Home Depot, Nordstrom Rack, Marshalls, a Federated Superstore and United Artists 6-plex. The complex covered approximately 228,000 leasable square feet. Its parking area provided spaces for 1,400 autos.

280 METRO CENTER TENANTS 1988:

FEDERATED SUPERSTORE (home electronics) / HOME DEPOT / MARSHALLS / NORDSTROM RACK / 39 Minute Photo / Andy's Annex / Athletic Shoe Factory / Beauty Store & More / Body Express / Burger King (outparcel) / Clothestime / Diamond Center / Dimensions in Fashions / Famous Footwear / $5 Dollar Clothing Store / Herman's World of Sporting Goods / Jil's Cafe / Men's Wearhouse / New York Fabrics / Ortho Mattress & Furniture / Paper Image Cards & Gifts / Penguin's Place Frozen Yogurt / Pier 1 Imports / Pierra Accessories / Precision Lens Crafters & Eye Exam 2000 / Shoe Works / Stacks & Stacks / The Bedroom / The Wherehouse (music & video) / UA the Movies (6 screens) / Van Huesen Factory Store / Welcome Home (housewares) / Well Pet / Za-zoue Accessories   

Marshalls, a charter 280 METRO tenant, set up shop in a 32,000 square foot space. The store, the largest in the shopping center proper, is in operation to this very day.

Photo from http://www.280metrocenter.com

Nordstrom Rack, occupying 30,800 square feet, maintained a 280 METRO store for 30 years.

Photo from http://www.280metrocenter.com

We now switch to an interior view; this of The Wherehouse, which was a pre-recorded music and video rental emporium. The store, covering 14,300 square feet, was eventually rebranded as a Magnolia Hi-Fi operation.

Photo from http://jerryjoaia.50webs.com/ Jerry Johannessen

One of three inaugural Old Navy stores opened at 280 METRO CENTER in March 1994. The 13,200 square foot unit was dedicated along with operations in San Leandro and Pittsburg, California

Photo from http://www.280metrocenter.com

The name of the complex was officially changed to 280 METRO MALL in March of the year 2000. 

Photo from http://www.loopnet.com

A circa-2002 site plan of 280 METRO MALL includes a new Home Depot store and parking garage. These were completed in 1995. The original Home Depot re-opened, as the Home Depot Pro store depicted here, in 1998. 

280 METRO MALL TENANTS 2002:

BED, BATH & BEYOND / HOME DEPOT / HOME DEPOT PRO / MARSHALLS / NORDSTROM RACK / Anna's Linens / Avenue / Barnes & Noble (with Starbucks Coffee) / Bath & Body Works / Beauty Store One / Burger King (outparcel) / First Step Shoes / GNC / Honey Baked Ham / KYUN Home Accents / Jennifer Convertibles / Jo-Ann Fabrics / Lens Crafters / Men's Wearhouse / Mikasa Home Store / Shoe Depot / Old Navy / Pac Bell PCS Store / Pier 1 Imports / Rave Girl ladies' wear / SAS Shoes / The Wherehouse / UA Metro Center (6 screens) / Wok Inn

A new owner reinstated the shopping hub's original name in 2003. The United Artists (UA) multiplex, which was a 1987 charter tenant, closed for good in October. It was quickly demolished and replaced by Best Buy. This store, which opened in mid-2004, was one of a few Best Buy operations with a rooftop parking deck.

Photo from http://www.smisteelproduct.com

In 2017, 280 METRO CENTER achieved its 30th year in business. A vacant spot on the west end was assumed by Office Depot in August 2012. Bed Bath & Beyond, which had moved into the Federated Superstore space in April 2000, was replaced by Ross Dress For Less in October 2016. 

280 METRO CENTER
Junipero Serra and Colma Boulevards
Colma, California

One of America's first power center-type shopping hubs was built by a joint venture of Burlingame, California-based Terranomics Development and San Francisco-based Rawson, Blum & Leon Properties.

The head of the Terranomics company, Merritt Sher, began developing so-called "promotional centers" in 1970. These followed the basic strip shopping center format, with tenants such as Bed, Bath & Beyond, Toys "R" Us and Wall Paper To Go.

As some of these specialty chains expanded from regional to national focus, and the size of their individual stores grew, a new name began to be heard..."power retailer," "category killer" or "big box store". A new type of community-class complex emerged. Instead of being anchored by large department stores or a supermarket, it would include several "power retailers" as its main draw. 

One such complex was Greater San Francisco's 280 METRO CENTER. The open-air facility was designed by San Francisco's Jacques de Brer. It was situated on 6.4 acres, located 8.2 miles southwest of San Francisco's Union Square, in the West Bay suburb of Colma. Sandwiched between the Woodlawn and Greenlawn Cemeteries, the 280 METRO site contained the Junipero Serra Landfill between 1958 and 1983.

280 METRO CENTER encompassed 1 level and approximately 213,500 leasable square feet. Its major anchors were a 1-level (32,000 square foot) Marshalls and 1-level (89,000 square foot) Home Depot. The first inline stores opened for business on November 16, 1986. These included Fashion Gal, Welcome Home (linens & window coverings), Dimensions In Fashions and The Wherehouse (recoded music & video rental).

New York Fabrics welcomed first shoppers in January 1987. A Federated (home electronics) Superstore was dedicated on February 27th. An official center-wide grand opening was held on April 25th. The freestanding United Artists the MOVIES multiplex showed its first features on June 12, 1987. The grand opening of Nordstrom Rack took place on August 13th. One of the final charter tenants, Herman's World of Sporting Goods, began business on December 4 of the same year  

The nearest shopping complex in the 280 METRO trade area was the fully-enclosed SERRAMONTE CENTER (1969) {.1 mile southwest, in Daly City}.

280 METRO CENTER is noteworthy for housing one of the very first Old Navy Clothing Company stores. The (13,100 square foot) unit, one of three inaugural locations, was dedicated on March 11, 1994.

The original Home Depot at 280 METRO CENTER was replaced with a 1-level (100,000 square foot) store. Built as a southern outparcel, it began business in 1995. The original building sat vacant (and still leased by the company) until it was repurposed as a Home Depot Pro store. This newly-created format, marketed specifically to contractors and other building industry professionals, was dedicated April 30, 1998.

Terranomics sold the shopping center to San Franscisco-based RREEF Asset Management in 1997. In June 2003, a joint venture of New Hyde Park, New York-based Kimco Realty and a subsidiary of New York City-based Blackstone Real Estate Partners acquired the property.

The United Artists 6-plex was shuttered on October 19, 2003. The building was knocked down and replaced by a (45,000 square foot) Best Buy, which opened for business in mid-2004. Several changes took place at 280 METRO CENTER during the twenty-tens. Office Depot set up shop in a vacant Magnolia Hi-Fi spot in August 2012. Ross Dress For Less assumed a vacated Bed Bath & Beyond space, and opened on October 8 2016.

Meanwhile, Kimco Realty bought out its joint venture colleague in September 2014. Kimco assumed total ownership and control of thirty-nine properties, including 280 METRO CENTER. Nordstrom Rack, which had maintained a 280 METRO store since 1987, relocated to SERRAMONTE CENTER in September 2017. The vacant 280 METRO space was retenanted, by Ashley Home Furniture, in November 2019.

Sources:

The San Francisco Examiner

http://www.terranomicsdevelopment.com
http://www.280metrocenter.com
http://www.gapinc.com
http://rebusinessonline.com
http://www.kimcorealty.com
http://www.cinematreasures.org

http://www.cinematour.com
San Mateo County property tax assessor website