The old Century City mall entrance from Santa Monica Blvd
I practically lived at the CC mall growing up and spend countless weekends and weeknights wondering the mall. While my mom shopped for hip fashions at "Joseph Magnin", I was trying on back to school clothes at "Judy's" and "Contempo Casuals". The hours I must have spent in those dressing rooms!
Joseph Magnin
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A Vintage Kodak Instamatic snapshot of 'Judy's' boutique in Century City in 1971. I basically lived here during the 80s. 'Judy's' supplied wardrobe to Suzanne Pleshette during her years on 'Newhart' and the 'Mary Tyler Moore Show'. I've always loved that illustration of the girl in the groovy striped shirt.
The original mall had unique shops that no mall across America had. Let's start with "Heaven": The best novelty store ever. I even witnessed the Bangles in full bangles regalia purchasing T-shirt’s there in 1984. Around the corner there was a store called the "Bijou". It sold movie paraphernalia, Paper Moon Graphics and lobby cards. The even had a giant screen with satin pillows on the floor and showed everything from "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band" to "Xanadu". I'm pretty sure this was where my obsession for movie memorabilia came from. There was "Nickelodeon Records" that also had a giant screen that aired MTV all day. I was there the first time "Thriller" debuted and by the end of the video, more than half the mall was cramped inside the store. Watching that was an event.
When I was even younger I went to "Tog Toggery" toy store. I specifically remember playing in a giant life size tree. It was over by the the stuffed animals. I don't think I ever left that store without adding a new one to my collection. There was also the Hallmark Store, the jelly belly cart and the singing flower man who serenaded shoppers for many years performing songs from his retail flower cart in front of "Joseph Magnin". I finally gave in one day and purchased his self published LP. I'm so glad I did.
And before "Bloomingdale's" and "Macy's" department stores, we had "The Broadway"& "Bullock’s" I got my ears pierced at the Broadway and I'm pretty sure my first credit card was from Bullock's. My dad thought the Century City Mall was actually called "The Broadway" because you could see it’s huge signage from Santa Monica Blvd. All of these stores, boutiques, and department stores had individuality, contemporary space age design, and unique merchandise.
Above is a mind blowing presentation of Century City shortly after it opened. Some of this footage was filmed even earlier since it takes us through the entire duration of architect, Welton Becket’s vision of Century City after most of the old FOX lot was demolished to make way for the “future”. The Century Plaza, the Twin Towers, The ABC Entertainment Center, and of course the Century City mall. Please note how space age these sequences are. And the use of early ‘70’s SYNTH makes this trippy documentary even more memorable!
Century City during the 1980's.
You can see the Nickelodeon record store above.
"Heaven" was around the corner to the right.
Photos: Vintage Los Angeles Archives
We always entered the mall from escalator 4.
1980s. Photo by Larry Ziff
Now let's get to the eateries. We ate at the Century House quite a bit. You could practically walk directly onto that mid century roof that swooped down to the ground.
And not too many know there was actually a "Clifton’s Cafeteria" and a "Bob's Big Boy" in the mall too.
I used to roller skate down the ramp from the second floor that led to "Gelson's" Market which originally opened up as a "Mayfair" market.
Pretty much all of these stores vanished by the mid 80s.
And don’t even get me started on the ABC ENTERTAINMENT CENTER around the corner that was also senselessly demolished. The new CAA building replaced the ABC Entertainment Center which had contained the Playboy Club, the Schubert Theatre, The Plitt cinema, and the sites of various surrounding restaurants including Harry's Bar, The Plaza Four, Yamato, and Senor Pico.
Below is a series of photos taken at the old Century City mall. These magical moments all took place directly outside Judy’s and Joseph Magnin.
The Nimoy’s taking a stroll in 1969
Tom Snyder hosting a 1970 KNBC Sunday afternoon special
The famous Jelly Belly cart ![]()
Gary Owens onstage with contestants for the ‘Most Beautiful Ape’ contest during promotion for “Conquest for the Planet of the Apes” in June 14, 1972
Joe Richards, also known as “The Singing Flower Man”. UCLA Archives
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Shops
"Judy's' employees wearing "Judy's" clothing in front of the store.
Photo courtesy of Shaune Steele who later went on to marry radio legend, "The Read Don Steele"
Still to this day I still have a white plastic Judy's clothing hanger and bag that I've kept since the 80s.
A groovy spread for LIFE of popular actresses in the spring of 1968. Love seeing those old fountains across the way from the old ABC entertainment center too.
Sharon Tate
Peggy Lipton
Gayle Hunnicutt in front of the mosaic floral ties at Joseph Magnin
Christine Ferrare
Jacqueline Bisset
Leigh Taylor Young
Goldie Hawn showing off hand painted decorative batik dresses & pantsuits designed by Laura Labby
Donyale Luna’s psychedelic pantsuit
You can see footage of the old mall in a few TV shows and films mentioned below
THE GUIDE FOR THE MARRIED MAN
CAPRICE (staring Doris Day),
"Conquest For the Planet Of The Apes" filmed at Century City. Most likely because of it's futuristic brutalist design.
Mary Tyler Moore filmed at the Century City Mall for episode titled, “Bess, You Is My Daughter Now”.
Architecture, Design & Additional History
The land was originally owned by Twentieth Century Fox, and was sold off to help the studio pay off debt caused by disaster flops such as "Cleopatra".
Century City's masterplan centered on Ave Of the Stars. Keeping with the space age era, this blvd was a complete city within a city by architect Welton Becket. It had all the facilities for business, living, and leisure.
Actress Barbara Bouchet (Moneypenny in the original Casino Royale) at the newly opened Avenue of the Stars located in Century City in 1964.
Check out this remarkable piece of film footage on the The making of Century City.
The mall was surrounded by the Century Towers, Century Plaza (soon to reopen again after a long renovation), and the ABC Entertainment Center (shamelessly demolished in 2004)
"The Gateway West Building, located at 1801 Avenue of the Stars in Century City, was built before all of it in 1963. It was built in the International Style and stood thirteen stories high, clad with a gold aluminum curtain facade. Gateway West was the first high-rise to be built in Century City and stood directly across from its twin, the Gateway East Building, which was erected soon after. The two buildings flanked the entrance to the Avenue of the Stars, serving as landmarks to Century City's main thoroughfare. These buildings were part of the privately funded $500 million Century City development project built on what was formerly part of the 20th Century Fox Studio lot. Gateway West has since been demolished to make room for an expansion of the Westfield. (Welton Becket is rolling in his grave)
Postcard
Train tracks used to run though Santa Monica and traveled past Century City. The tracks hung around even after the trains shut down. This is exactly how I remember it during the 1970s and 1980s
Tragically, it looked as though the real planet of the apes really did conquer Century City. Most if the Century City mall was leveled to build a new one in 2015. New additions and renovations can erode the character of any place, but tearing it down to the ground is like taking away a piece of our childhood.
Visiting the new Westfield mall only made me miss the original Century City Mall so much more. Sadly, there isn't a single trace of the previous mall except the mid century bridge that crosses Ave Of The Stars and "Gelson’s". Today every mall across America looks the same - with the SAME stores. I also miss the original mid century architecture, the 3 hour free parking, and the MUZAK delicately playing throughout the mall. Today you need headphones and a Xanax to walk through the new one. And free parking is a thing of the past. Today there’s not even a human in the ticket booth to smile at you when you leave. Just insert your ticket and your money. Yesterday, I drove into, and immediately out of, the parking lot there trying to find a parking spot near Gelson's. Plus the new mall is so confusing and noisy. I don't think I ever need to go there again.
The old Century City Mall when it first opened in 1965
