The Shops at Hilltop Informations

The Shops at Hilltop formerly known as Hilltop Mall, is a regional shopping center in the Hilltop neighborhood of Richmond, California. Hilltop is managed and co-owned by LBG Real Estate Companies, LLC, and is anchored by tenants Macy's, Sears, Walmart and 24 Hour Fitness.

The Shops at Hilltop opened in September 1976, built on land previously occupied by an oil storage tank farm owned by the Chevron Corporation. The mall was developed by A. Alfred Taubman, who also developed several other shopping malls in the East and South Bay Area, including Eastridge Center in San Jose, Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton, and Sunvalley Mall in Concord. Originally, it was anchored by red-tiled Capwell's, JCPenney and Macy's. Both Macy's and JCPenney originally had stores in downtown Richmond, but while Macy's had closed its downtown store a couple of years earlier, JCPenney kept its downtown store open for a year after Hilltop opened. Capwell's changed its name to Emporium-Capwell in 1979, before becoming simply The Emporium in 1990. Sears was added in 1990 in a newly built north wing addition, which was the last expansion of this property.

Once opened, the mall attracted the major anchor stores from Richmond's downtown, with several major national chain stores closing downtown locations (although many acknowledge that the trend predated Hilltop due to economic and safety issues).

The mall remained largely unchanged until 1996, when the Emporium store closed following its merger with Federated, who owned Macy's. The store remained vacant until October 1998, when Macy's refurbished and relocated their existing store into the former Emporium space and closed the original Macy's store.

The GM Pension Trust assumed full ownership of The Shops at Hilltop in 1998, retaining Taubman Centers as manager. In 2004, the GM Pension Trust sold a half-interest in a portfolio of shopping centers, including Hilltop, to The Mills Corporation, which also assumed management of the center. After several years of delay, Wal-Mart opened on April 11, 2007 on the site Macy's vacated in 1998.

In July 2007, Simon Property Group purchased the entire Mills Corporation portfolio, including other Bay Area properties: Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton, California and Great Mall in Milpitas, California. On December 23, 2011, a shopping frenzy over retro Air Jordan shoes resulted in temporary closure of the mall after shots were fired. The mall later reopened, but sales of the shoe were banned for the day. Similar events occurred at the nearby Westfield Solano and the Bayfair Center malls in Fairfield and San Leandro, respectively.

In August 2012, Greg Maloney, president of Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) Retail, was appointed receiver by the Contra Costa Superior Court to assume management of the property due to Simon's loan default. JLL retained Michael Piazzola as its managing receiver. The property was foreclosed upon in June 2013, and Jones Lang LaSalle was retained as the manager post-foreclosure.

The JCPenney store at Hilltop closed in August 2017.

On July 2017, LBG Real Estate Companies, LLC and Aviva Investors announced the purchase of The Shops at Hilltop property, which went into foreclosure by Simon Property Group in 2012 and then into auction. LBG plans to immediately work with urban planners to rebrand, redevelop and upgrade (both interior and exterior of the mall structural buildings) which is expected to take effect in 2019-2020 timeframe.

LBG intends to plan a long-term mixed-use Hilltop by the Bay redevelopment that would have a sustainable capacity of more than 9,600 housing units at the property as well as office, hotel and entertainment uses.

In September 2017, the shopping center rebranded as "The Shops at Hilltop," a new approach to modernize the property. The renovated shopping center will eventually contain a 99 Ranch Market, two theaters, and a variety of outlet retailers, food options, and entertainment establishments.

In March 2019, LBG began The Shops at Hilltop renovations and stated to be completed by spring 2020 with brand new retailers, entertainment establishments and restaurants. The new interior and exterior upgrades will consist of new stylish mall entrances, facade improvements, upgraded food courts, illuminated signages, LED lightning, new seating, new flooring, and new landscaping.

Oakland Tribune (Richmond-area edition), Sept. 3, 1976, page 13

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