Stonewood Center
Stonewood Center is an enclosed shopping mall in Downey, California, owned and operated by The Macerich Company.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Stonewood Center is a regional shopping mall in Downey, California, serving the Gateway Cities and surrounding communities in southeastern Los Angeles County. The property occupies a prominent site at the intersection of Firestone Boulevard and Lakewood Boulevard, and its name is derived from those two major roads. It is located within reach of several regional freeways, including Interstates 5, 605, 710, and 105, and is connected to local and regional bus services. The center originated in the postwar expansion of suburban retail in Southern California. In 1953, Downey businessman William M. Lansdale proposed a large shopping development intended to establish Downey as a major retail destination for residents of Downey, South Gate, Bell, Cudahy, and nearby communities. E. Morris Smith of Newport Beach developed the project on a site of roughly 62 to 63 acres. Early plans contemplated a center called Lansdale Shopping Center, but the name was changed to Stonewood, reflecting the Firestone–Lakewood intersection. Construction began in the late 1950s. Several elements opened before the main mall, including the Stonewood Restaurant, a community bank, and a supermarket. The principal shopping center opened on October 9, 1958, with approximately 40 stores and about 390,000 square feet of gross leasable area. Its initial tenants included J. C. Penney, W. T. Grant, Woolworth, Thrifty Drug, Miller, Miller West Men's, Downey Music, and Hollander Cafeteria. Stonewood expanded repeatedly during the 1960s and 1970s. A Broadway department store opened in 1965 in a building later occupied by Sears, while Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, Showcase Cinemas, a second cinema, and Radio Shack followed in 1966. J. C. Penney moved into a larger purpose-built space in 1969. A two-story Mervyn's department store was added in 1981 and later became a Kohl's location. The property changed hands in 1986 when it was sold to Hughes Investments. Facing competition from other regional shopping centers, Stonewood underwent a major redevelopment during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The approximately $100 million transformation was completed in 1990 and converted the center into an enclosed mall, adding more than 40 stores, a gas-station-themed food court known as the Filling Station, a May Company California department store, and restaurants including Acapulco and Olive Garden. By the middle of the 1990s, the property had grown to nearly 940,000 square feet of gross leasable area. Department-store changes continued over the following decades. May Company California became Robinsons-May in 1993, and the location was converted to Macy's in 2006, including a Macy's Home store. The former Broadway building became a Sears store in 1996. After Mervyn's liquidated its stores in 2009, Kohl's opened in the former Mervyn's space. Sears later closed its Stonewood location on November 14, 2021, creating a major vacant anchor space. The Macerich Company owns and operates Stonewood Center. The center forms part of Macerich's presence in southeastern Los Angeles County alongside Los Cerritos Center. Its current tenant mix includes department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, entertainment, and services. The mall has also retained visible elements of its earlier architectural eras, including portions of the 1960s structure and design features associated with the 1990 enclosure and renovation. Recent activity has focused on reinvestment and reuse. Mall entrances and exterior welcome signs were renovated in 2022. In 2024, Round1 submitted conceptual plans to convert the former Sears building into a family entertainment venue combining bowling and arcade attractions. In 2025, additional plans were announced for interior and food-court improvements, together with work to prepare the former Sears building for the proposed Round1 facility. The center also maintains a local heritage feature known as the Button Hole, a gap in a wall and accompanying plaque associated with longtime local resident Wallace C. Button. The plaque was rededicated in 2023 after the earlier plaque disappeared.
History
Stonewood Center developed from the growth of automobile-oriented suburban retail in postwar Los Angeles County. Before its construction, Downtown Huntington Park served as a prominent shopping destination for residents of Downey and nearby Gateway Cities. In 1953, William M. Lansdale proposed making Downey a major retail hub through a large shopping center on a site of approximately 62 to 63 acres. E. Morris Smith of Newport Beach developed the project, with architectural work attributed to Jacobson, Coppedge & Huxley. The development was initially associated with the Lansdale Shopping Center name, but the project was later renamed Stonewood after the intersecting Firestone and Lakewood boulevards. Construction of the main center began in late 1957. Earlier site activity included a substantial Stonewood Restaurant, a community bank, and a supermarket. Stonewood Center opened on October 9, 1958, with approximately 40 stores and about 390,000 square feet of gross leasable area. Its original retail roster included J. C. Penney, W. T. Grant, Woolworth, Thrifty Drug, Miller, Miller West Men's, Downey Music, and Hollander Cafeteria. The center expanded during the 1960s with the addition of a Broadway department store, cinemas, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, and Radio Shack. In 1969, J. C. Penney moved from its earlier space into a larger anchor building. During the 1970s, Stonewood continued to add stores and expand its physical footprint. A two-story Mervyn's anchor opened in 1981. The property was sold to Hughes Investments in 1986, at a time when Stonewood faced increasing competition from Lakewood Center, Whittwood Mall, Santa Fe Springs Mall, and Montebello Town Center. Hughes Investments funded a major redevelopment that was completed in 1990. The project enclosed the previously open-air center, added more than 40 stores, introduced the Filling Station food court, and brought in a May Company California department store and new restaurants. The property reached nearly 940,000 square feet of gross leasable area by the mid-1990s. May Company became Robinsons-May in 1993 and Macy's in 2006. The former Broadway building was taken over by Sears in 1996, while the former Mervyn's space became Kohl's after Mervyn's liquidation in 2009. Sears closed in 2021, leaving the center with a vacant anchor building. Stonewood subsequently pursued physical upgrades and adaptive reuse. Entrances and welcome signs were renovated in 2022. Round1 proposed converting the former Sears building into a bowling and arcade complex in 2024, and further interior and food-court renovations were announced in 2025. Stonewood remains an active regional mall operated by The Macerich Company, with department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, services, and planned entertainment uses.
- 2025
Further modernization plans announced
[1]Plans called for updates to portions of the interior and food court and preparation of the former Sears building for Round1.
- 2024
Round1 submits redevelopment concept
[1]Round1 proposed a bowling and arcade entertainment center for the former Sears building.
- 2022
Entrance improvements completed
[1]Mall entrances and exterior welcome signs received renovations.
- 2021
Sears closes
[1]The Sears anchor closed on November 14, leaving the mall with its first vacant anchor space.
- 2009
Kohl's opens in former Mervyn's space
[1]Kohl's opened at Stonewood after Mervyn's liquidated its stores.
- 2006
Robinsons-May becomes Macy's
[1]The department-store anchor and its home-store operation were converted to Macy's.
- 1993
May Company becomes Robinsons-May
[1]The May Company California anchor was rebranded as Robinsons-May.
- 1990
Enclosed-mall redevelopment completed
[1]A major redevelopment enclosed the center, added stores and dining, and introduced the Filling Station food court.
- 1986
Property sold to Hughes Investments
[1]Hughes Investments acquired Stonewood Center and later funded its major redevelopment.
- 1981
Mervyn's anchor added
[1]A two-story Mervyn's department store opened; the building later became a Kohl's store.
Products and positioning
A regional, enclosed suburban shopping center serving Downey and southeastern Los Angeles County through a mix of department stores, specialty retailers, dining, services, and entertainment.
Anchor retail · 1958
Department-store retail
Stonewood Center's anchor offering has historically included J. C. Penney, Macy's, Sears, Broadway, Mervyn's, and Kohl's. The current department-store mix centers on J. C. Penney, Macy's, and Kohl's, providing apparel, home goods, beauty products, and general merchandise.
Shopping-center retail · 1958
Specialty retail
The mall provides a changing assortment of specialty shops across fashion, accessories, beauty, gifts, services, and other consumer categories. Its tenant history spans legacy retailers and more contemporary chains.
Food and beverage · 1956
Dining and food court
Dining has been part of the center since its earliest years, when the property included the Stonewood Restaurant and Hollander Cafeteria. Later additions included the Filling Station food court and restaurants such as Acapulco, Olive Garden, and BJ's Restaurant.
Family entertainment
Round1 entertainment venue
Round1 has proposed a family entertainment venue combining bowling and arcade attractions in the former Sears anchor building. The proposal was under preparation and redevelopment planning as of the reference material.
Brand decisions
2025
Modernize interior spaces and food courtStrategyBackground
The center pursued further reinvestment after entrance and signage improvements in 2022.
Action taken
Plans were announced to renovate portions of the interior and food court and to gut the former Sears building for the proposed Round1 project.
Aftermath
The plans indicated a strategy of updating the mall's appearance while adding an entertainment use to a former department-store anchor.
2024
Reuse the former Sears anchor for Round1StrategyBackground
Sears had closed the mall's anchor location in 2021, leaving a large vacant building.
Action taken
Round1 submitted conceptual plans for a bowling and arcade entertainment center.
Aftermath
The proposed conversion was followed by preparation and renovation plans announced in 2025.
1990
Convert the center into an enclosed mallStrategyBackground
Stonewood faced competition from several nearby indoor and regional shopping centers.
Action taken
A major redevelopment enclosed the mall and added stores, restaurants, a food court, and a new department-store anchor.
Aftermath
The property expanded to nearly 940,000 square feet of gross leasable area by the mid-1990s.
Sources1 sources
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