History of Hillsdale – Reimagine Hillsdale

History of Hillsdale

For over 80 years, the Hillsdale Shopping Center has evolved to best serve our community.

  1. 1939

    Developer David D. Bohannon acquires 848 acres from Burleigh H. Murray in the Beresford (later called Hillsdale) neighborhood.

  2. 1941

    Construction began on the Andrew Williams Grocery Store at the corner of Hillsdale Boulevard and El Camino Real.

  3. 1948

    Sears selects the Hillsdale site for one of its earliest suburban stores.

  4. 1950’s
    1952. The Hillsdale Shopping Center master plan is completed.
    1950’s
    1954. The Hillsdale Shopping Center opens as an open-air center featuring retail and dining options for the community.
    1950’s
    1954. The original Hillsdale Shopping Center included both a main mall, a lower mall and a food court originally called the “Farmer’s Market.”
    1950’s
    Sculptures by famed Italian sculptor Benny Bufano were commissioned for the shopping center.
    1950’s
    1954. One of the first suburban branches of Macy’s San Francisco opens in the Hillsdale Shopping Center.
    1950’s
    1954. San Francisco-based department store H Liebes opens in the Hillsdale Shopping Center.
    1950’s
    The Hillsdale Farmers Market featured local and global cuisine, and oyster restaurant.
    1950’s
    The Pork Shop in the Hillsdale Farmers Market was manned by a team of expert butchers.
    1950’s
    The Hillsdale Farmers Market featured a burger joint, deli, liquor store, grocery market, Kosher deli and more.
    1950’s
    The Big Top Hot Dogs and Burgers is a favorite among young shoppers.
    1950’s
    Old Hickory Barbeque gives Hillsdale shoppers a taste of the South.
    1950’s
    Hillsdale shoppers enjoy a taste of Denmark with Danish sandwiches priced at just 50 cents apiece.

    • 1960’s – 1970’s
      Mountain View’s The Lancashire Lad opens a counter in the Hillsdale Shopping Center, offering hungry shoppers authentic English fish ‘n’ chips.
      1960’s – 1970’s
      The Hillsdale Shopping Center offers a variety of food options to shoppers, including handmade pizzas for just 32 cents a slice.
      1960’s – 1970’s
      1962. An Emporium department store opens in the Hillsdale Shopping Center.
      1960’s – 1970’s
      1964. Shoppers take a break from holiday shopping to eat at Hillsdale’s food court.
      1960’s – 1970’s
      Through the 1960s and 70s, Hillsdale Shopping Center marked the northern end of a popular Friday night cruise route along El Camino Real for young drivers.

      • 1982
        To keep up with the competition and the community’s changing needs, the Hillsdale Shopping Center underwent a major renovation, replacing the open-air mall with a more modern two-level enclosed mall.
        1982
        The renovated Hillsdale Shopping Center opens with Northern California’s first Nordstrom.

        • 1992

          The Hillsdale Shopping Center begins a year-long renovation to brighten and update the mall.

        • 2019

          The new North Block, an outdoor mixed-use dining and entertainment district, opens in the Hillsdale Shopping Center.

        • 2023

          Today the Hillsdale Shopping Center offers over 130 dining, retail and entertainment options