I have fond memories of Mayfield and San Antonio, my parents, the neighbors and friends did their shopping. As I got older I spent time and money in both places and the above shopping centers. I remember buy tires, clothes, shoes, eye ware, gifts, books, jeans, hobby supplies, greeting cars, drugs and stuff for my apartment.
I still miss the tailor shop, Menu Tree, Hobby Shop, Frog Pod, and Thrifty drugs. My ex wife worked for Joann's Fabric, my Mom worked for a bank, a friend of mine worked JC Penney's, a guy I know and worked for one summer open a organ store. A landscaper I worked for during school, purchased a lot of supplies from the Plumbing Store. i purchased and serviced Milk Pail Market with yummy cheesecakes.
While the shopping center carried on, the shopping habits, taste change and San Antonio Shopping Center went into decline, which wasn't over night. Vallco, Sunnyvale Town Center opened, Mayfield Mall closed, Stanford was remodeled, Valley Fair and Stevens Creek Plaza decided to build a full scale mall. JC Penney's left San Antonio, Gap closed, Grodin's went out of business, Co-op closed, Woolworth's went out of business. Sunnyvale Town Center closed up, Vallco had to be remodeled, had to be re branded. Town and Country Village which was like the Old Mill, El Paseo de Saratoga as retail centers were planning come changes. Old Mill was knocked down for housing, El Paseo De Saratoga was rebuilt as a new shopping centers. Town and Contry Village become Santana Row. Even Town and Country Village was was redone in Palo Alto.
San Antonio Shopping Center is home to some good stores, Wal Mart, Kohls, Target and Trader Joes. It has stores in the parking lot, one quarter of the center was rebuilt, another part is being planned. It is San Antonio Shopping Center turn at being redone, made over and to attract some really good stores.
