Shopping: Del Amo Fashion Center
Simon Development vice president David Contis at the grand opening of Del Amo Fashion Center’s $200 million remodel at Nordstrom on Friday, October 9. Photo
When developer and philanthropist Guilford Glazer built the three million-square-foot Del Amo in 1971, it was not only the largest shopping center in America, its luxury, carriage trade anchors, Bullock’s and Robinson, made it Southern California’s most popular high end shopping destination.
But by the mid-1990s, Bullock’s and Robinson had been absorbed by the notably non carriage trade Federated Department Stores and Del Amo had lost its lustre.
Meanwhile, the increasingly wealthy South Bay became a magnet for high end retailers.
Last October, Del Amo Fashion Center completed a $200 million effort to restore Del Amo Fashion Center to the upper echelon of luxury shopping centers.
The “Grand Entrance” welcomes shoppers with a two-story square wall of glass with panes designed to cast shadows across the Grand Court’s curving, cream colored interior as the sun rises, until light and shadows can spill in from the enormous skylights. The skylights hover 61 feet over the main floor.
Key to Del Amo’s upscale goal was luring Nordstrom away from South Bay Galleria.
Del Amo built Nordstrom a new, two-story, 138,000 square foot store that abandons the tomb-like design of traditional mall stores in favor of an open floor plan accented by wood and stone and bathed in an abundance of natural light from floor to ceiling windows and more enormous skylights.
Adding a beach vibe to the makeover, which includes 80 new retailers are Billabong, Hollister, Oakley and a flagship store for Manhattan Beach-based Skechers.
3525 W. Carson St., Torrance. (310) 542-8525, Simon.com/mall/del-amo-fashion-center.