In June 1964, on the opening day of Northgate Mall in San Rafael, shoppers charged into the Emporium, its flagship store, before the ceremonial ribbon could even be cut, the Daily Independent Journal reported at the time. A reporter for the publication overheard one woman, a redhead in a green print dress, sum up the anticipation of the crowd during opening remarks best: “I wish they’d get this over with.”
Once doors did open, hundreds explored the 200,000-square-foot store, known as the “Big E.” The store featured glass-sided escalators, a beauty counter and wind-up cars in the toy department. Shoppers also enjoyed free rides on a motorized San Francisco cable car. The then-open-air mall included raised planters, reflecting pools and a sculptural fountain.
By March 1965, the North Bay mall was bustling with even more businesses, like the men’s clothing store Roos-Atkins and perennial mall fixture See’s Candies. Undeveloped land surrounded the shopping center, a post from the Marin History Museum noted…