Valley Fair Mall 1986 Renovation
A Bright New Center of Fashion and Fun: The 1987 Valley Fair Mall Transformation
In 1987, Valley Fair Mall embarked on a dramatic, multimillion-dollar renovation designed to usher in a new era of shopping, style, and community experience. Originally opened in 1970 with a moody, evening-street ambiance, the mall’s design leaned toward darker interiors, meant to evoke window shopping at night. But by the mid-1980s, shopper preferences had shifted—and so had design trends.
The renovation plan was ambitious: open up the space, brighten the atmosphere, and bring the outdoors in. That meant adding seven new skylights (on top of the five existing ones), high-intensity lighting, and lush greenery to create the feeling of strolling through a sunlit garden. Shoppers would now relax on benches surrounded by real trees and colorful flowers—part of the mall’s new vision: "a bright new center of fashion and fun."
At the heart of the redesign was a new center court, featuring a three-legged gazebo, a central clock tower, and a stage area with built-in seating. Two major new entrances—on the east and west sides—would improve access, especially for those driving by on the freeway.
A new food court with 14 vendors and seating for 400 guests was also in the works, offering a more diverse dining experience than ever before. Entertainment upgrades included the addition of five small, intimate theaters, bringing the total number of Valley Fair cinemas to nine.
The renovation wasn’t just cosmetic. The white-top parking lot, completed the previous year, covered 46 acres and became one of the finest parking areas in the country. Shops also began to "pop out" into the mall walkways, extending their displays to create a more interactive and immersive experience.
Despite the scale of the changes, mall leadership was determined to keep the doors open throughout construction. Temporary bridges, rerouted walkways, and creative signage helped shoppers navigate the work zones while enjoying deep discounts and special events like the “Hard Hat Sidewalk Sale.”
As 1987 progressed, the vision became reality: Valley Fair Mall was no longer just a place to shop—it had become a modern, welcoming destination where visitors could gather, relax, and enjoy an entirely new level of retail experience.
