In the mid-1980s the City of San Diego wished to have the center become a four-anchor enclosed mall, but anchor tenants could not be secured.

By the late 1990s, the mall was half-vacant and in 1999 what remained of the original center was demolished, leaving Mervyn's and the mall's Longs Drugs store; the site was turned into a strip style power center, with the Mervyn's and a new HomeBase, Staples, Pic 'N' Save, Sam's Club and Walmart.

HomeBase opened for business in December 1999, followed by Sam's Club, which made its debut in February 2000.

An iconic neon baton-majorette stood over the Mann 9 Theatres (now Sam's Club), from 1988 to 1999, before being moved to the front of the shopping center where artwork currently stands.

Prior to display at the shopping center, the artwork was at the back of the College Drive-in's screen and shone onto El Cajon Boulevard for 36 years.