South Coast Plaza Turns 20
South Coast Plaza is 20 years old today. That’s important enough to take note of.
The Plaza is located in Costa Mesa, which is obviously good for Costa Mesa and its tax base. It is the country’s largest shopping mall in size and one of the nation’s most profitable, which makes it good for its merchants.
What may be less obvious is that the shopping mall, the Town Center and the other developments that have grown around it, are good for all of Orange County. It has attracted national attention and major business investment.
The retail-commercial-entertainment complex that is considered South Coast Metro is a magnet that attracts a diverse clientele, from construction workers and accountants to royalty.
The Plaza, developed, owned and operated by C. J. Segerstrom & Sons, rose out of family bean fields to become what is now recognized by the state of California as a major tourist destination.
No wonder. It has its shops, restaurants and major stores--about 300 of them. It also has offices, hotels and homes, a 3,000-seat performing arts center, a repertory theater, prominently placed sculptures by noted artists and a branch of the Laguna Art Museum.
All of these things make South Coast Plaza much more than just a place to shop.
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