#109 Broadway Shopping Center

Late 1950s

One of the first open-air malls, Broadway Shopping Center was built on undeveloped land at Main Street (Highway 21) and Mt. Diablo Boulevard (Highway 24). When it opened in 1951, the 38-store center had Sears and J.C. Penney, a Lucky grocery store, and 1,500 free parking spaces. Within a few years, the mall was expanded to the south and a new department store – Capwell’s (now Macy’s) – was added.