in National City, California, opened in 1954, the first mall in South Bay, San Diego.

Anchored by Price Breakers Indoor Baazar, Chuck E. Cheese, Rent-A-Center and is the second in San Diego metropolitan area after the smaller Linda Vista Shopping Center (opened 1943, demolished 1972).

[2] In the 1970s, South Bay Plaza was ravaged by a fire and multiple stores were destroyed.

At its opening, the center attracted national attention, as it was considered a new and innovative format at the time.

The center also had been divided into two; everything after the Royal Mandarin restaurant is considered South Bay Plaza East, which remains today.