Scottsdale Fashion Square History

When it first opened in 1961, Scottsdale Fashion Square was an open-air
center that featured a Goldwater’s Department Store and a handful of
specialty shops. Today, with more than 200 shops and restaurants,
Scottsdale Fashion Square is one of the premier shopping destinations in
the country. 

Following is a timeline of key dates for the shopping center:

• 1961: Scottsdale Fashion Square opened as an open-air center that featured Goldwater’s Department Store, an AJ Bayless supermarket, and 15 small stores. 
  
  
  (Photo source: Scottsdale Historical Society)
  
  
• 1970s: The open-air center expanded further west, and added Diamond’s Department Store, and a roof. Camelview Plaza was built to the west, just on the other side of what is now known as Goldwater Boulevard.
  
  
• 1980s: Two become one: Westcor and the adjacent property owner agreed to build a bridge – and retail synergy – to connect the two properties, adding additional shops to span across Goldwater Boulevard. 
  
  
  
  
• 1990s: Arizona’s first and only Neiman Marcus opened, and Westcor purchased the adjacent mall, renaming the entire property Scottsdale Fashion Square. Nearing 1.3 million square feet in the 1990s, Westcor negotiated an entitlement to permit an expansion south across Camelback Road. This expansion brought new, first-to-market retail anchored by the state’s first Nordstrom.
  
  
  
  
• 2000s: Early in the new millennium, another major expansion pushed the center east to make way for a dozen new brands, including H&M and Ted Baker. In 2002, Macerich bought Westcor and acquired ownership of Scottsdale Fashion Square. 
  
  
• 2015: Further expansion brought Dick’s Sporting Goods and a new and larger Harkins Camelview Theater experience. Scottsdale Fashion Square boasted more than 1.9 million square feet, and continued to cement itself as Arizona’s premier shopping destination, offering more than 200 brands and one-of-a-kind experiences in the heart of a dynamic metropolitan area.   
  
  
  
  
• Dec. 2016: Macerich announced a multi-phased Scottsdale Fashion Square renovation as part of its long-term strategy of continually reinvesting and reinventing irreplaceable retail destinations.
  
  
• Sept. 2017: The first phase of Scottsdale Fashion Square renovation began in the luxury wing anchored by Neiman Marcus and Dillard’s. 
  
  The multidimensional reinvention includes a two-story luxury wing entrance, a grand promenade featuring new outdoor restaurants with one-of-a-kind dining options, more luxury and first-to-the-market brands, and the introduction of innovative services and amenities that will elevate the luxury shopping and dining experience.
  
  
• Fall 2018: Scottsdale Fashion Square debuted its new luxury wing renovation.