Crystal Court to Be Renamed as Part of Revamp

Struggling Crystal Court will dump its name as part of a renovation plan that includes adding a Crate & Barrel home furnishings store to fill part of the space vacated by one of its anchors, a Robinsons-May department store.

The Crate & Barrel will occupy 42,000 square feet, making it the chain’s largest store on the West Coast. It will sell both furniture and an expanded housewares collection. The store will occupy only one-fifth of the 215,000-square-foot space vacated by Robinsons-May.

The center will take the name of its successful neighbor, South Coast Plaza. Mall spokeswoman Rita Redaelli said other announcements about new tenants for that site will be made over the coming year.

When the new Crate & Barrel home furnishings store opens later this year, the smaller Crate & Barrel store in the main mall will close, company spokeswoman Bette Kahn said.

Robinsons-May closed this month, leaving Crystal Court with only one major anchor, a low-end Macy’s that sells discounted merchandise. Redaelli declined to comment on the future of that store.

Crystal Court opened in 1986 as an extension of South Coast Plaza but failed to live up to expectations. Mall owner C.J. Segerstrom & Sons is taking steps to link the two malls, both physically and in the minds of shoppers. In addition to dropping the name, the Segerstroms plan to build a pedestrian bridge over Bear Street this year.