San
Antonio Center has gone through many incarnations. It started in the
1950s as a stand alone Sears Department Stores surrounded by bean
fields. It grew over the years and became Downtown Mountain View's
first major competition. By the 1970s the center had expanded into
the pedestrian mall viewed here in this picture. During Christmas
time this fountain was covered up and became a place to meet Santa
Claus.
At
its height in the early 1980s, the mall connected Sears, JC Penny's
(which had moved from Mayfield Mall) and Meryvn's. It was also home
to the Menu Tree restaurant, a strange two story international
restaurant remembered for its use of dozens of cuckoo clocks for
decoration.
The
mall fell on hard times in the early 1990s and grand plans for its
expansion fell through. Most of the mall was demolished to make way
for Wal Mart and a parking lot, although a remainder of the mall can
still be found behind Sears.
Photo
from library archives.
