[3] 1950s In early 1958, May Centers proposed rezoning 90 acres (360,000 m2) in the then sparsely-populated Mission Valley area of San Diego to build a shopping mall.

[4] In June 1958, the San Diego City Council unanimously voted in favor of rezoning the 90 acres (360,000 m2) for the May plan.

Due to its location in the floodplain of the San Diego River, the mall was designed with stores on the level above the parking garage.

[6] 1980s In 1983, the mall underwent a significant remodel, with a new northeast wing built, which also added a two-story Saks Fifth Avenue.

They undertook another major renovation of the mall, with a new AMC Theatres 20-screen multiplex built atop the south parking lot.

[9] The renovation project also retrofitted several new stores in existing space in the northeast wing, including Michaels, Nordstrom Rack, Loehmann's, and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Additionally, a large central courtyard, originally constructed as a children's playground, was covered over to provide space for a Ruby's Diner.

[citation needed] Borders, Marshalls, DSW, The Good Guys, and Old Navy were added in 1995 in the adjacent power center, Mission Valley West.

[14] In 2014 Loehmann's, liquidated their location and was replaced by a Bloomingdale's the outlet store and Tender Greens restaurant a year later in 2015.

In late 2016 the indoor food court by Macy's Home and Furniture was shuttered, and a few months after that Sport Chalet had filed for bankruptcy and closed in 2016 as well.

[16] In 2018, Michaels moved into the former Sport Chalet space, taking over the part that faced the north parking lot.

[19] Anchor stores The original modernist May Company (later Macy's) building was designed in 1959 by William S. (Bill) Lewis, Jr. for LA-based AC Martin (later of Deems-Lewis), Frank L. Hope & Associates backstopped the project locally.