Montclair Place
Montclair Place is a large enclosed shopping mall and entertainment destination in Montclair, California, formerly known as Montclair Plaza.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Montclair Place is an enclosed regional shopping mall in Montclair, California, serving the Inland Empire and surrounding communities. The property opened on November 5, 1968, as Montclair Plaza, a major retail development built on approximately 120 acres. It initially contained 69 stores and more than 600,000 square feet of retail space, with parking for roughly 6,000 vehicles. The original development was associated with contractor Ernest W. Hahn and designed by Burke, Kober, Nicolais & Archuleta, while the principal department-store buildings involved additional architectural firms. At opening, the center was anchored by JCPenney, The Broadway, and May Company. It also included junior department stores such as Silverwoods and Mullen & Bluett, a General Cinemas complex, and nearby banking, food-service, drugstore, and grocery facilities. These elements gave the property the characteristics of a traditional postwar regional shopping center: large department stores, a broad enclosed retail concourse, extensive surface parking, and a tenant mix aimed at suburban households. The mall expanded materially in the mid-1980s. A second level opened on October 30, 1985, and Sears joined the center that year after relocating from Indian Hill Mall. Nordstrom opened in 1986, becoming the first Nordstrom location in San Bernardino County. Department-store identities changed as the sector consolidated: May Company became Robinsons-May in 1993, while The Broadway converted to Macy's in 1996. Following the Macy's and Robinsons-May combination, Macy's moved into the former Robinsons-May space in 2006. CIM Group acquired the property in February 2014. In November 2015, the mall adopted the Montclair Place name and announced a renovation and repositioning program. The redevelopment shifted the center beyond conventional department-store retail by adding dining, entertainment, family recreation, and contemporary specialty tenants. Forever 21, Spectrum, Kids Empire, and other retailers were added or introduced during the broader transformation. Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar opened in December 2019 in a former automotive-service location, while additional food and specialty tenants followed. The former Broadway building was demolished for a new AMC DINE-IN Theatre, announced in 2018 and opened in 2021. The theater added a major entertainment anchor with dine-in food service and helped reinforce the center's role as a mixed retail, restaurant, and leisure destination. Sears announced a closure in 2019, and Nordstrom announced a closure in 2020, reflecting pressure on traditional department stores from e-commerce, changing shopping habits, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The former anchor spaces have been considered for enhanced future development. In the 2020s, Montclair Place continued to broaden its experiential offer. Main Event opened in January 2025 with bowling, laser tag, virtual-reality activities, arcade games, and a full-service restaurant and bar. Other recently reported tenants include Pandora, Miniso, Two Hands Fresh Corn Dogs, and Charleys Cheesesteaks. The property remains an important commercial and transit-accessible destination in the Inland Empire, with nearby Metrolink service and direct or nearby connections to regional bus systems. Its positioning is therefore based on a combination of regional shopping, food and beverage, family entertainment, and redevelopment of a long-established suburban mall.
History
Montclair Place began as Montclair Plaza, a major suburban shopping-center project in Montclair, California. Developed by contractor Ernest W. Hahn, the mall opened on November 5, 1968. Its initial plan covered approximately 120 acres and included 69 stores on one level, with more than 600,000 square feet of retail space and parking for around 6,000 cars. Burke, Kober, Nicolais & Archuleta designed the overall mall and several shop buildings, while the principal department-store structures were designed by additional architectural practices. The original anchor lineup consisted of JCPenney, The Broadway, and May Company. Silverwoods and Mullen & Bluett supplied additional junior-department-store retail, and the center included a General Cinemas theater complex. Supporting uses on the property or in an adjacent strip center included banks, a bakery, a drugstore, and a supermarket. The combination made Montclair Plaza a conventional but substantial regional mall for the Inland Empire's growing suburban population. A major physical expansion followed in 1985. A second floor opened on October 30, and Sears joined the mall after relocating from Indian Hill Mall. The next year brought a Nordstrom store, which was reported as the first Nordstrom location in San Bernardino County. The anchor lineup subsequently changed through retail-industry consolidation. May Company became Robinsons-May in 1993, and The Broadway became Macy's in 1996. After the Macy's and Robinsons-May chains were combined, Macy's moved into the former Robinsons-May building in 2006. CIM Group acquired the mall in February 2014. The property was renamed Montclair Place in November 2015, accompanied by plans for renovation and a broader repositioning. The redevelopment emphasized a more varied experience rather than relying exclusively on department stores. New or expanded uses included specialty retail, restaurants, a children's indoor playground, and entertainment venues. Reported additions included Forever 21, Spectrum, Kids Empire, and later food operators such as Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar and WinWings. The redevelopment also replaced the former Broadway building. In March 2018, AMC DINE-IN Theatre announced plans for a 55,000-square-foot theater. The Broadway structure was demolished, and the AMC venue opened in 2021. Its dine-in format added food service and a leisure-oriented anchor to the center. Meanwhile, the mall experienced the wider contraction of traditional department stores. Sears announced in 2019 that it would close as part of a continuing store-reduction program. Nordstrom announced in 2020 that it would also close, citing a broader retreat affected by the pandemic and changing retail conditions. The former Sears and Nordstrom spaces were identified for potential future enhanced development. Montclair Place continued to add experiential and food-oriented tenants in the 2020s. Main Event opened in January 2025 with bowling, laser tag, virtual reality, arcade games, and a restaurant and bar. Other recently reported additions included Pandora, Miniso, Two Hands Fresh Corn Dogs, and Charleys Cheesesteaks. The mall is also connected to the regional transportation network: a Metrolink station is located nearby, and bus services include Silver Streak, Foothill Transit, Omnitrans, and Riverside Transit Agency Express Line 204 connections. The property has also appeared in reports concerning public-safety incidents, including a non-fatal stabbing in 2022, a jewelry-store burglary later that year, and violent incidents in or near the parking area in 2023. These events are part of the site's reported history but do not define its retail positioning. Montclair Place remains an active regional commercial property whose identity has evolved from a department-store-centered enclosed mall into a mixed shopping, dining, cinema, and family-entertainment destination.
- 2025
Main Event opens
[1]Main Event opened with bowling, laser tag, virtual reality, arcade games, and dining.
- 2021
AMC DINE-IN Theatre opens
[1]The replacement entertainment anchor opened after demolition of the original Broadway building.
- 2018
AMC DINE-IN Theatre redevelopment announced
[1]AMC announced a planned 55,000-square-foot dine-in cinema to replace the former Broadway building.
- 2015
Property renamed Montclair Place
[1]The mall adopted the Montclair Place name and announced renovations.
- 2014
CIM Group acquisition
[1]CIM Group acquired the shopping mall.
- 2006
Macy's relocates within the mall
[1]Following the Macy's and Robinsons-May combination, Macy's moved into the former Robinsons-May space.
- 1996
The Broadway becomes Macy's
[1]The Broadway department-store anchor was converted to Macy's.
- 1993
May Company becomes Robinsons-May
[1]The May Company anchor was converted to Robinsons-May.
- 1986
Nordstrom opens
[1]Nordstrom opened a store reported as the first of the chain in San Bernardino County.
- 1985
Second level and Sears expansion open
[1]A second level opened on October 30, and Sears joined the center after relocating from Indian Hill Mall.
Products and positioning
A regional Inland Empire shopping and entertainment destination combining department stores, specialty retail, restaurants, cinema, family recreation, and transit-accessible mixed-use mall amenities.
Shopping mall · 1968
Regional enclosed shopping center
Montclair Place is a large enclosed regional mall serving Montclair and the Inland Empire. Its core offer consists of department stores, specialty retailers, food operators, services, and public circulation areas supported by extensive parking and regional transit access. The property has expanded from its original single-level format and has been repositioned to include more dining and entertainment.
Cinema and entertainment · 2021
AMC DINE-IN Theatre
AMC DINE-IN Theatre replaced the former Broadway department-store building. The approximately 55,000-square-foot venue combines movie exhibition with dine-in food service, adding an experience-led entertainment anchor to the shopping center and supporting the property's post-2015 repositioning.
Family entertainment · 2025
Main Event
Main Event is a family entertainment center opened at Montclair Place in January 2025. Its reported attractions include bowling, laser tag, virtual reality experiences, and arcade games. The venue also includes a full-service restaurant and bar, extending the mall's combination of recreation, dining, and retail.
Department-store retail · 1968
Department-store anchors
Department stores have been central to the property's identity since opening. The original anchors were JCPenney, The Broadway, and May Company. Over time, the lineup changed through conversions and consolidation, including Robinsons-May and Macy's. Sears and Nordstrom later operated at the property before announcing closures in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
Brand decisions
2020
Nordstrom closureOtherBackground
Nordstrom announced a broader store pullback during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid structural pressure on department stores.
Action taken
Nordstrom announced plans to close its Montclair Place location.
Aftermath
The former Nordstrom space was considered for future redevelopment or enhanced use.
2019
Sears closureOtherBackground
Sears was reducing its traditional brick-and-mortar store base.
Action taken
Sears announced that its Montclair Place location would close.
Aftermath
The former anchor space was considered for future enhanced development.
2018
Replace Broadway building with AMC DINE-IN TheatreProduct launchBackground
The former Broadway department-store building was no longer part of the mall's future anchor strategy.
Action taken
AMC announced plans for a new approximately 55,000-square-foot dine-in cinema, later constructed after the Broadway building was demolished.
Aftermath
The theater opened in 2021 and strengthened the property's entertainment-led positioning.
2015
Rebrand and redevelopment as Montclair PlaceStrategyBackground
The property faced the long-term need to modernize a traditional enclosed mall format and broaden its appeal beyond department stores.
Action taken
The mall was renamed Montclair Place and renovation plans were announced.
Aftermath
The center added or pursued more specialty retail, dining, family recreation, and entertainment uses.
2014
CIM Group acquires Montclair PlazaM&ABackground
The established regional mall entered a new ownership phase under CIM Group.
Action taken
CIM Group acquired the property in February 2014.
Aftermath
The acquisition preceded the later name change, renovation plans, and tenant repositioning.
Sources1 sources
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