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| Location | National City, California |
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| Coordinates | 32°40′33″N117°05′48″W / 32.6758°N 117.0966°W /32.6758; -117.0966 |
| Address | 1021 Highland Ave, National City, CA 91950 |
| Opening date | 1954 |
| Management | Cal-American |
| Stores and services | 35 |
| Anchor tenants | 4 |
| Floor area | 141,868 square feet (13,180.0 m2) |
| Floors | 1 |
| Parking | 1000 |
| Website | https://www.calamerican.com/copy-of-residential |
South Bay Plaza is a shopping center at the corner Highland and Plaza Blvds. inNational City, California, opened in 1954, the first mall inSouth Bay, San Diego. Anchored by Price Breakers Indoor Baazar,Chuck E. Cheese,Rent-A-Center and is the second inSan Diego metropolitan area after the smallerLinda Vista Shopping Center (opened 1943, demolished 1972).[1]
The first store to open was Mayfair Market, followed byJ. C. Penney,W. T. Grant,Woolworth's and 40 other stores.[2] In the 1970s, South Bay Plaza was ravaged by a fire and multiple stores were destroyed.[3] In the 1980s,Plaza Bonita was built, which attracted many businesses, causing business to slow down.
At its opening, the center attracted national attention, as it was considered a new and innovative format at the time.[4] Today the center continues to operate; the former J.C. Penney anchor space is now used as thePrice Breakers Indoor Bazaar, a collection of small vendors or an indoor swapmeet.
The center also had been divided into two; everything after the Royal Mandarin restaurant is considered South Bay Plaza East, which remains today. It includes more restaurants like85°C Bakery Cafe and other shopping retailers.