Mailbag: Remembering the heyday of Laguna Hills Mall

The weeds have grown tall enough on the corner of El Toro Road and Avenida De La Carlota to convince a newcomer that the land held no mentionable past. Just a vacant lot. A lifeless space except for the wild plants. That same new arrival may find it surprising to know that, at one time, the spot was home to a thriving shopping emporium, the Laguna Hills Mall.

Longtime locals may remember visiting its Santa’s workshop, sitting for a portrait at the JCPenney photography studio, buying a Kenmore washer at Sears, trying on a prom dress at Buffums, buying CliffsNotes at B. Dalton Bookseller, getting their feet measured for school shoes at Thom McAn or just hanging out with a Hot Dog on a Stick, sipping an Orange Julius.

Two-storied with grand archway entrances, it housed fully-grown indoor trees, showy chandeliers and classic fountains. It was a finely-tuned center of commerce with business owners, employees, careers, livelihoods, inventory, transactions, fashion, restaurants and a theater. The Leisure World bus arrived hourly, dropping off seniors who happily settled into club chairs to enjoy the air-conditioned ambiance.

The building was erected in 1973, and its many offerings flourished in the ’80s and ’90s. Business slowed in the early 2000s, then it was dead and closed up by 2018 before being leveled in 2023. It was made of materials that last — steel, concrete, marble, glass — but it didn’t last.

It was just a mall. But, what astounds me is the community’s acceptance of it, people’s reliance upon it, their change and dissatisfaction with it, and then its demise. How fickle. How ephemeral; it’s a reminder that all things eventually pass.

When I am bothered by the sight of yet another monstrous warehouse, acres long with dozens of big-rig loading bays and delivery trucks exiting with full loads and returning bare, I am slightly comforted to know that these too will go the way of the mall. Perhaps I won’t be alive to see their expiration, but the warehouses will crumble beneath the dozers. The land may lay dormant for a while, and the vacant lots will sprout new weeds.

Debby Arrin
Lake Forest

Keep a distance between politics and the pulpit

Re: “Huntington Beach names new mayor, but ‘Judas kiss’ allegations fuel pro tem fury.” It’s not uncommon at Huntington Beach City Council meetings for speakers to recite Bible verses during public comments. But last Tuesday’s council meeting took an ugly, unchristian turn, despite the appearance of two local pastors and 60-plus impassioned congregants, most of whom supported Councilmember Chad Williams, a young adults pastor at Calvary Chapel of the Harbour.

Some speakers even stated they weren’t Huntington Beach residents, which contributed to the circus-like atmosphere. The turnout of church members occurred, in part, because of an announcement made at a Sunday service last week regarding the need for public speakers to support Williams at the council meeting.

When the City Council publicly refused to let Williams serve as mayor pro tem, the meeting devolved into a shouting match over who deserved to be the future mayor.

Phrases and terms like “villain,” “coward” and “rob me” were directed at fellow council members. Ultimately, Councilmember Butch Twining was named mayor pro tem, even though he received fewer votes than Williams in the November 2024 election. (City rules state the pro tem position should be given to the top vote-getter or most senior member who hasn’t served.)

Given the religious undertones at many of our recent City Council meetings, it was a breath of fresh air when Twining, perhaps rebuking Williams, said, “I didn’t stand at the pulpit of my Catholic church telling people I’m getting screwed.” He added that his church would not have allowed him to do so. The church I attend in Huntington Beach would also not allow me to engage in political rhetoric from the pulpit, nor would I want to do this.

City councils should be nonpartisan, nonreligious entities. When they’re not, they’re destined to fail. There is nothing wrong with standing up for spiritual righteousness and Christian values, but those beliefs should not be blatantly tied to city politics and policies. When they are, council meetings start resembling church revival meetings that serve only a small segment of the community.

Carol Daus
Huntington Beach

The Burns legacy is unbecoming

Any City Council member who resorts to calling Huntington Beach residents on a “hot mic” the F-word, “fat cow,” or any other degrading insult, as then-Mayor Pat Burns was heard doing in June, and also the year prior, has no business representing this community. One would expect a normal person to publicly apologize. However, this never happened.

Such language is unbecoming of an elected official and falls far short of the dignity and gravitas the office demands. In addition, it is unacceptable that the rest of this council stood by and did nothing to condemn this behavior.

Lawsuit after lawsuit, the reckless airshow giveaway, hiring employees without even a basic vetting process — this has become a pattern of failure. The groupthink on display here is not just embarrassing; it’s pathetic. This charade needs new management and a complete change of leadership.

Andrew Einhorn
Huntington Beach