Pacific View Mall

Pacific View Mall is a regional enclosed shopping center in Ventura, California. The property occupies almost 1,000,000 square feet of leasable space and functions as a multi-tenant retail and entertainment destination for Ventura and nearby communities. Its principal department-store anchors have included Macy's, JCPenney, Target, Sears, and Robinsons-May, while its inline tenant mix has included national apparel, beauty, specialty, fitness, and lifestyle retailers. The center originated as the open-air Buenaventura Center, developed in stages between 1962 and 1965. The Broadway became the first major store to open, in September 1963, followed by a range of inline and grocery tenants. J.C. Penney began operating at the property in November 1965. In 1983, the open-air center received a Teflon-coated fiberglass enclosure, converting it into an enclosed mall format and extending its usefulness as a year-round shopping destination. By the 1990s, the property was showing signs of age and faced increasing vacancies as retail patterns changed and tenants relocated. The owners at the time, including MCA Buenaventura Associates LP, pursued an expansion and redevelopment program intended to attract larger department-store anchors. The plans became entangled in political disputes between Ventura and neighboring Oxnard, as well as litigation and disagreements over sales-tax arrangements. These issues delayed the proposed retail expansion for several years. Macerich acquired Buenaventura Mall in late 1996 as part of a transaction involving three area shopping centers. The company and the prior ownership group continued efforts to expand and reposition the property. A major renovation and expansion was ultimately completed in 2001 at a reported cost of $89 million, adding or accommodating new anchor stores and resulting in the adoption of the Pacific View Mall name. The mall's tenant base continued to change in the 2000s and 2010s. The Robinsons-May store closed in 2006 after the acquisition of May Department Stores by Federated Stores. The former anchor area remained underused until a two-level Target store was announced in 2007. Additional nearby or related retail uses included Trader Joe's, Staples, BevMo!, Massage Envy, and 24 Hour Fitness. The former Sears property was transferred to Seritage Growth Properties in 2015 as part of Sears Holdings' real-estate spinoff. Sears subsequently announced the closure of its Pacific View Mall store in 2019, and the location closed in February 2020. Forever 21 also announced a nationwide restructuring-related closure in late 2019 and left the mall in January 2020. As of 2025, the former Sears building was being prepared for a planned Round1 entertainment venue featuring a two-story arcade, bowling, and food-service components, with an expected opening in 2026. Pacific View Mall therefore represents a mature regional mall that has repeatedly adapted its anchor lineup, physical configuration, and tenant mix in response to department-store consolidation and changing consumer demand.

Pacific View Mall began as Buenaventura Center, an open-air shopping center developed in Ventura, California, over the period from 1962 to 1965. The Broadway was the first store to open, beginning operations in September 1963. During 1964, the center added a variety of inline businesses, including Barker Brothers Furniture, Kimo's Polynesian Shop, F. W. Woolworth, and a Vons-Shopping Bag supermarket. J.C. Penney joined the property in November 1965, establishing an early department-store anchor presence. The center was later enclosed. In 1983, a Teflon-coated fiberglass roof and enclosure system was installed, changing the property from an open-air center into a fully enclosed mall. This format supported year-round shopping and enabled the center to compete more directly with other regional malls in the Southern California market. After approximately three decades of operation, the mall entered a period of decline during the 1990s. Several tenants departed, vacancies increased, and the physical property required modernization. The ownership group, including MCA Buenaventura Associates LP, proposed expanding the retail footprint and attracting new department-store anchors. In 1995, plans were publicized to bring Robinsons-May and Sears from the nearby Esplanade Mall in Oxnard. The proposal became the subject of political conflict between Oxnard and Ventura, litigation, and debate over sales-tax agreements. These disputes delayed the redevelopment process and complicated negotiations with the prospective anchors. The Broadway location was converted to Macy's in 1996. That same year, Macerich acquired Buenaventura Mall in a transaction involving two other regional shopping centers for a reported $125 million. Macerich and the previous owners continued to pursue redevelopment despite the legal and political obstacles. J.C. Penney moved into a smaller store in 1999, while Robinsons-May took over the former J.C. Penney space. Sears also opened a new store in 1999. Macerich completed an $89 million renovation and expansion in 2001. The project added two major anchor stores and repositioned the property under the Pacific View Mall name. The redevelopment temporarily strengthened the center's regional role, but department-store consolidation continued to reshape the property. In 2006, Robinsons-May closed after Federated Stores acquired The May Department Stores Company. The northern portion of the mall subsequently experienced extended vacancy until Target was announced as the occupant of the former anchor space in 2007. The property also developed a group of adjacent or associated retail uses intended to broaden its appeal. Trader Joe's, Staples, BevMo!, and Massage Envy opened in the north-extension area, while a former Barker Brothers Furniture building was converted for use by 24 Hour Fitness. The Sears real-estate interest was placed into Seritage Growth Properties in 2015 when Sears Holdings spun off a portfolio of properties. The next major anchor change occurred in 2019. Sears announced that the Pacific View Mall store would close as part of a nationwide program, with the closure completed on February 2, 2020. Forever 21 also announced a closure at the property in late 2019, leaving in January 2020. By 2025, the former Sears building was under construction for a planned Round1 venue. The proposed use would introduce arcade entertainment, bowling, and food-service facilities, reflecting the broader shift among mature malls toward experiential attractions and nontraditional anchor tenants.

• 2025

  Round1 redevelopment announced

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The former Sears space was being converted for a planned Round1 entertainment venue targeted for 2026.

• 2020

  Sears closes

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Sears store closed on February 2, 2020.

• 2015

  Sears property transferred to Seritage

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Sears location was among the properties spun off by Sears Holdings into Seritage Growth Properties.

• 2007

  Target announced for vacant anchor space

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A two-story Target store was announced for the former Robinsons-May area.

• 2006

  Robinsons-May closes

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Robinsons-May closed following Federated Stores' acquisition of May Department Stores.

• 2001

  Major expansion completed and mall renamed

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  An $89 million renovation and expansion was completed, and the property adopted the Pacific View Mall name.

• 1999

  Anchor reconfiguration

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  J.C. Penney moved to a smaller location, Robinsons-May occupied its former space, and Sears opened a new store.

• 1996

  Macerich acquires Buenaventura Mall

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Macerich acquired the mall as part of a three-property area transaction reported at $125 million.

• 1996

  The Broadway becomes Macy's

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Broadway anchor was converted to a Macy's store.

• 1983

  Shopping center is enclosed

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A Teflon-coated fiberglass enclosure was installed, converting the open-air center into an enclosed mall.

• 1965

  J.C. Penney begins operations

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  J.C. Penney opened at the center, strengthening its department-store offering.

• 1963

  The Broadway opens

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Broadway became the first major store to open at Buenaventura Center.

• 1962

  Development of Buenaventura Center begins

  [1]Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Construction of the open-air shopping center that would become Pacific View Mall began in Ventura, California.

A broad-based regional shopping and entertainment center anchored by major department stores and supported by national specialty retailers, services, and planned experiential uses.

• Department store anchor · 1996

  Macy's

  Macy's is one of the mall's principal department-store anchors. The location originated through the 1996 conversion of The Broadway store and provides broad merchandise categories typical of a major department store, including apparel, accessories, beauty, home goods, and seasonal products.

• Department store anchor · 1965

  JCPenney

  JCPenney has been associated with the property since 1965. It later moved into a smaller mall location in 1999, retaining a department-store role within the center's anchor lineup.

• Department and general merchandise store · 2007

  Target

  Target was selected to occupy the former Robinsons-May anchor area after that store closed. The planned format was a two-story store, adding general merchandise, household goods, apparel, groceries, and consumer products to the mall's wider retail ecosystem.

• Entertainment venue · 2026

  Round1

  Round1 is planned for the former Sears building. The proposed two-story venue is expected to combine arcade games, bowling, and food-service facilities, representing an experiential redevelopment of a vacant department-store anchor.

• 2025

  Conversion of former Sears space to Round1 venueStrategy

  Background

  The closure of Sears in 2020 left a large anchor building available for reuse.

  Action taken

  Round1 began planning and construction for a two-story arcade, bowling, and food-hall venue.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment is intended to replace a traditional department-store anchor with an experiential entertainment destination, with an anticipated 2026 opening.

  Source

• 2007

  Replacement of departed department-store anchorStrategy

  Background

  The closure of Robinsons-May left a large anchor space and contributed to vacancies in the northern section of the property.

  Action taken

  A two-story Target store was selected for the former anchor location.

  Aftermath

  The replacement broadened the center's general-merchandise offer and restored activity to a previously underused area.

  Source

• 2001

  Major renovation and repositioningStrategy

  Background

  The mall required modernization after declining occupancy and prolonged redevelopment discussions.

  Action taken

  Macerich completed a major expansion and renovation and renamed the property Pacific View Mall.

  Aftermath

  The project introduced new anchor capacity and established the property's current name and regional-mall positioning.

  Renovation and expansion cost. $89 million (2001)

  Source

• 1995

  Pursuit of Robinsons-May and Sears anchorsStrategy

  Background

  Rising vacancies and an aging physical plant led the ownership group to pursue a substantial expansion and to attract Robinsons-May and Sears from a neighboring Oxnard shopping center.

  Action taken

  The proposed expansion became involved in political disputes, lawsuits, and disagreements about sales-tax arrangements, delaying the project.

  Aftermath

  The legal and political delays continued for several years before Macerich completed a revised renovation and expansion in 2001.

  Source

1. 1Pacific View Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Pacific View Mall official websiteshoppacificview.com