Coddingtown Mall

Coddingtown Mall is a shopping center in Santa Rosa, California, located near U.S. Highway 101. It is one of the city's two enclosed shopping malls, alongside Santa Rosa Plaza, which is situated approximately two miles south in downtown Santa Rosa. Coddingtown was developed by local real-estate entrepreneur Hugh Codding and opened in 1962 as an open-air shopping center. Its early identity was therefore tied to the postwar suburban retail model: a collection of stores serving the growing Santa Rosa area, rather than a fully enclosed regional mall from the outset. The property was enclosed in 1979 as part of a major expansion. That project added Liberty House, giving the center a prominent department-store anchor and helping reposition Coddingtown for a more conventional enclosed-mall format. Liberty House later became associated with Macy's, which occupied the building after the department-store changes of the 1980s and 1990s. The former department-store space subsequently became home to Gottschalks, illustrating the mall's repeated adaptation to changes in the American department-store sector. Codding Enterprises sold a 50 percent interest in the mall to Simon Property Group in 2005. The partnership period was controversial locally, with some merchants criticizing Simon for not adding enough national chain retailers. During this period, the center also experienced significant anchor and redevelopment changes. A Ralphs supermarket was demolished in 2008 to make room for a Whole Foods Market. Although the replacement grocery store was initially expected sooner, Whole Foods ultimately opened in 2010. Gottschalks closed in 2009, leaving a substantial vacant department-store building. The property continued to be reshaped during the 2010s. The former Gottschalks building was demolished in November 2012, and the site was redeveloped for Target, which opened in 2014. In 2015, mall officials announced plans for a new Nordstrom Rack building. The project required the relocation of several smaller tenants, including Bank of the West and Baskin-Robbins, from the portion of the center being replaced. Nordstrom Rack opened in 2016, adding an off-price department-store format to the mall's tenant mix. In December 2017, the Codding family business repurchased Simon Property Group's 50 percent stake. Coddingtown thereby returned to full local ownership and operation through Codding Enterprises. Its current positioning is that of a locally controlled, enclosed community and regional shopping center with a broad assortment of anchors: JCPenney, Macy's, Nordstrom Rack, Target, and Whole Foods Market. These tenants give the property coverage across department-store apparel and home goods, off-price fashion, general merchandise, and premium grocery. The mall's history reflects the evolution of U.S. retail real estate from open-air suburban shopping center to enclosed mall and, later, to a mixed anchor strategy combining traditional department stores, discount retail, and grocery-led traffic.

Coddingtown Mall was developed by Hugh Codding and opened in Santa Rosa in 1962. It began as an open-air shopping center, reflecting the suburban retail developments that expanded around American cities during the postwar period. The center was later enclosed in 1979, when a major expansion also introduced Liberty House as an anchor. Liberty House was converted to Macy's in 1984. In 1996, Macy's moved into a space formerly occupied by The Emporium, while Gottschalks took over the former Liberty House and Macy's building. Ownership changed in 2005, when Codding Enterprises sold a 50 percent share to Simon Property Group. The partnership period included several major tenant and redevelopment changes. Local merchants criticized Simon over what they viewed as insufficient recruitment of chain stores. A Ralphs supermarket was demolished in 2008 for redevelopment as a Whole Foods Market. The replacement grocery store opened in 2010 after delays. Gottschalks closed in 2009, leaving its former building available for a new use. The former Gottschalks building was demolished in November 2012. Target subsequently developed a store on the site and opened it in 2014. In 2015, mall officials announced a new building for Nordstrom Rack. The project replaced a section containing smaller tenants, including Bank of the West and Baskin-Robbins; several affected businesses were relocated within the center. Nordstrom Rack opened in 2016. In December 2017, the Codding family business bought back Simon Property Group's 50 percent interest. Coddingtown consequently returned to full ownership and operation by Codding Enterprises. The mall's anchor lineup evolved from a traditional department-store model toward a more diversified combination of JCPenney, Macy's, Nordstrom Rack, Target, and Whole Foods Market. This mix covers department-store retail, off-price merchandise, general merchandise, and grocery, supporting the center's role in the Santa Rosa market. Coddingtown is one of two enclosed malls in Santa Rosa. The other is Santa Rosa Plaza, located roughly two miles south in the city's downtown area. The property has also appeared in popular culture: San Francisco band Primus released a song titled “Coddingtown” on its 1997 album Brown Album. The mall was the site of a fatal shooting outside the Crunch Fitness gym on March 11, 2019, an incident involving individuals connected personally rather than a reported business dispute.

• 2019

  Fatal shooting outside the mall

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A woman is killed in a shooting outside the Crunch Fitness gym on March 11.

• 2017

  Codding family restores full ownership

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Codding Enterprises repurchases Simon Property Group's half interest in December.

• 2016

  Nordstrom Rack opens

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Nordstrom Rack opens in a new building created through a mall redevelopment project.

• 2014

  Target opens

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A new Target store opens on the former Gottschalks site.

• 2012

  Former Gottschalks building is demolished

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The vacant former department-store building is demolished in November for redevelopment.

• 2010

  Whole Foods Market opens

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Whole Foods Market opens at the mall after the replacement project experienced delays.

• 2009

  Gottschalks closes

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Gottschalks shuts its Coddingtown location, creating a major redevelopment opportunity.

• 2008

  Ralphs site is cleared for Whole Foods

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall's Ralphs supermarket is demolished to enable development of a Whole Foods Market.

• 2005

  Simon Property Group acquires a partial interest

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Codding Enterprises sells Simon Property Group a 50 percent share of the mall.

• 1996

  Department-store reconfiguration

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Macy's moves into a former Emporium location, and Gottschalks occupies the former Liberty House and Macy's building.

• 1984

  Liberty House becomes Macy's

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Liberty House anchor is converted to Macy's.

• 1979

  The shopping center is enclosed

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A major expansion converts the open-air center into an enclosed mall and adds Liberty House as an anchor.

• 1962

  Coddingtown opens

  [1]Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Hugh Codding opens Coddingtown as an open-air shopping center in Santa Rosa, California.

A locally owned enclosed shopping center serving Santa Rosa and the surrounding North Bay market, combining traditional department stores with off-price retail, general merchandise, and grocery anchors.

• Department store

  JCPenney

  A department-store anchor offering apparel, footwear, accessories, home merchandise, and related retail services. Its presence contributes broad, value-oriented department-store coverage to the mall's tenant mix.

• Department store · 1984

  Macy's

  A department-store anchor associated with fashion, beauty, accessories, home goods, and seasonal merchandise. Macy's has occupied the mall through successive department-store changes dating from the former Liberty House and Emporium spaces.

• Off-price department store · 2016

  Nordstrom Rack

  An off-price retail anchor focused on discounted apparel, footwear, accessories, and selected home merchandise. The Coddingtown store opened in a new building after a 2010s redevelopment project.

• General merchandise · 2014

  Target

  A general-merchandise anchor selling a broad range of household goods, apparel, electronics, health and beauty items, groceries, and seasonal products. The store replaced the former Gottschalks building as part of the mall's redevelopment.

• Grocery · 2010

  Whole Foods Market

  A grocery anchor offering food, fresh produce, prepared foods, specialty grocery products, and related household items. It replaced the former Ralphs supermarket after the earlier store was demolished for redevelopment.

• 2017

  Return to full local ownershipM&A

  Background

  Codding Enterprises had shared ownership of the mall with Simon Property Group since 2005.

  Action taken

  The Codding family business repurchased Simon Property Group's 50 percent interest.

  Aftermath

  Coddingtown returned to full ownership and operation by Codding Enterprises.

  Source

• 2015

  Nordstrom Rack redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  Mall officials sought to add an off-price national retailer while reorganizing an existing section containing smaller tenants.

  Action taken

  Plans were announced for a new Nordstrom Rack building, with several affected merchants moved to other units.

  Aftermath

  Nordstrom Rack opened in 2016 and strengthened the mall's value-oriented fashion offering.

  Source

• 2012

  Redevelopment of the former Gottschalks siteStrategy

  Background

  Gottschalks had closed in 2009, leaving its former department-store building vacant.

  Action taken

  The building was demolished in November 2012 to prepare the site for Target.

  Aftermath

  Target opened on the site in 2014, replacing a traditional department-store use with a general-merchandise anchor.

  Source

• 2008

  Replacement of Ralphs with Whole Foods MarketStrategy

  Background

  The mall pursued a new grocery-anchor format after deciding to remove the existing Ralphs supermarket.

  Action taken

  Ralphs was demolished and the site was redeveloped for Whole Foods Market.

  Aftermath

  Whole Foods eventually opened in 2010, adding a different grocery positioning to the center.

  Source

• 1979

  Enclosure and expansionStrategy

  Background

  Coddingtown began as an open-air shopping center, but changing suburban retail expectations supported conversion to an enclosed mall.

  Action taken

  The property was enclosed and expanded, with Liberty House added as a major anchor.

  Aftermath

  The project established Coddingtown as a conventional enclosed shopping mall and expanded its department-store offering.

  Source

1. 1Coddingtown Mallen.wikipedia.org