i love this are so much. literally everything is here. can be a bit touristy but definitely a great place to shop. read more

I'm here from out of town. This mall has so much potential. I felt kind of sad walking through seeing how many empty stores were around and how many stores look like they're holding on by thread If this was my town, I would definitely want to pull community together to get it going. We walked in here to find food. Unfortunately, the food court only had five different places only two to choose from for food. Unfortunately, the Ramen place was a no go for us. The Taqueria Gabrielle was super good and they do a great job at how much food they put together in their food and prices are well meaning french fries meat, etc. The service was really great at the Taqueria Gabriel they do have a coffee shop here called the daily grind coffee I have to say my favorite place to see here was the bookstore. If you love books definitely drop by. It is huge. It is so nice. You could get lost in there. I really hope the community comes together and makes this place a great place that it can be for all the teenagers and young parents to come and bring their kids and go shopping . Don't forget to check out the thrift store if you're around as well ! Lots of parking and they have tons of bus stops so you're able to come with public transportation and or have plenty of places to park read more

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The Capitola Mall is in the best location! Unfortunately the only reason to visit is Target, which is -- no offense to Target -- but a very dreary statement to make because this is A MALL! Even the food court has empty stalls. I can't even find food! You have to walk past more empty shops to get to occupied shops. It's really eerie. So maybe come during Halloween for a spooky activity! There are some stores trying to hang on, but there needs to be more stores in the mall to make Capitola Mall a destination for shoppers. You literally can hear your footsteps echoing as you walk because it's THAT empty in the halls. It makes walking around there not very pleasant. I only go when I know exactly what I need. I hope Capitola Mall can be saved. read more

Capitola Mall is a classic, low-key shopping mall with a quiet vibe. You'll find the essentials like Target, Macy's, and Kohl's, which anchor the mall and a few niche shops. My favorite was the "Just Thriftin" thrift store - so cool! The food court was VERY limited but the entire place was clean & there was plenty of parking. This mall should cover any basic needs - worth visiting at least once. read more

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Stopped by because I was in the area and needed to pick up some shoes and a few things from Ulta. Honestly, this mall is pretty dead. A lot of empty storefronts and not much going on. It's convenient if you need something specific from one of the few stores that are still open, but overall it doesn't have much going for it. Definitely not a place I'd go out of my way to visit. read more

Capitola Mall is easily accessible from Hwy 1, just take the 41st Street exit and head a short distance west. The mall has potential, however it's a pretty sad mall in its current state. The Sears location has been empty for a long time. The anchor stores are Macy's, Kohls and Target (and maybe Ulta can be considered one, too). There is a small food court, if you can call it that. Half of it is vacant. It's just Taquizas Gabriel, Ramen Kaito, and Terra Superfoods, Sugar Bakery and Wetzels pretzels. There aren't very many interesting stores to visit, and many of the storefronts are vacant. The only place I look forward to visiting are the Friends of the Capitola Library Bookstore and Hot Topic. The mall is not really a destination you go out of your way for. But I will stop by on the way to Monterey, as it's a nice place take a break, stretch my legs and maybe pick up something from the Target store. Parking is plentiful since it is a mostly dead mall. read more

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This mall was an hour away from my home, but so much fun to shop at. They have almost everything under the sun you would want. Especially thr food mall... The place is really kept clean and well maintained. Well worth the drive read more

What a quaint town!!! The houses were so picturesque and the stores were super cute. Can't wait to come back!

I have always got great service from Becks Shoes store at Capitola mall location. Since it has been a few years, I did not know that the Store moved to a new location. Becks Shoes 4105 Portola Drive Santa Cruz. The new location is great and accessible from 41st avenue and is in the corner of 41 st Ave and Portola Drive. There is parking in the back and the front of the store is off of Portola Drive. Addison the sales clerk is very knowledgeable and very easy to work with. Not a pushy salesman! He provided his knowledge and patience and helped me select the appropriate superfeet orthotics for my feet to give me comfort and stability to my tennis shoes! He also suggested a certain type of tennis shoe that can provide stability for pronation and supination. He did not push me in buying these new stability tennis shoes. But he actually found some good superfeet insoles for my condition and and stability and comfort for my existing tennis shoes. In the future I will look into buying new tennis shoes that he recommended that I can fit my new superfeet orthotics and provide more stability and comfort! I greatly appreciate his help and easygoing manner and would recommend you stop by the new Becks Shoes store at the above mentioned location. Thank you, Alberto Barba read more

As a local I've always loved this store. I'm glad it's still in business after many years! a new store they have called "just thrift" is one of my favorite business there! they are very kind, and they are very welcoming! the best thing about their business is that their prices are very affordable. I've gotten one of my favorite fabulous Harley Davidson shirt. and I love their diverse clothes and item selections. and its very well decorated. they sell shirts, pants, shoes, and many other amazing items, which I love of their store! and even better the mall is a perfect hanging out spot! and their food court is amazing! Ive had the best service there. I do recommend if your in Santa Cruz to go to this location. read more

Quietest mall I've ever been in but very clean check out there artist of the month over my Ulta/khols read more

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There is literally no reason to come here. Terribly sad shell of a mall. On a Saturday night at 7:00 p.m., what few stores are left are closed. Stopped here for Target, then stumbled onto the sad portal into the dark dreary Mall. read more

The Capitola Mall is getting worse when each time I'm there! I have come to the Capitola Mall about 1-2 times a year when I visit the area. The mall was pretty attractive to me many years ago, but going downhill slowly as lots of older shopping malls in California. They have many empty spaces in the mall. It makes me sad when I'm walking in the mall. I remember the Capitola Mall was pretty busy when I'm there years ago! I hope they will be able to find a solution to attract the customers back to the shopping mall once again. They should be the shopping and dining center of the whole area! The parking lot looks safe and very easy to find the parking space in front of the shopping mall. I hope more people are going back to support the local businesses! read more

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What do you do on vacay when it is raining? We ended up going to the only indoor mall in the area. It is a nice small mall. Did some holiday shopping and found an awesome bookstore here. Lots of the standard store...tiny food court. read more

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It's got a nostalgic charm I suppose I didn't properly appreciate on my last review. Very empty, with empty store fronts, but in a way that gives it a cool abandoned vibe. Free wifi in the food court area. Chances are you'll have the place to yourself. read more

We stopped here because I was looking for a place to do my eyebrows. The mall is pretty, is big and it has a great selection of stores. Including a target and a starbucks. There is plenty of parking and even a bus stop by the target area. The mall felt open and spacious but I did got out of there having some allergies. They have a giant chess set to play with, I am disappointed that I lost to my 12yr old but what can you do. read more

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Covid killed the mall. We went a couple weeks ago, the food court was completely dead, not one food area in food court was open, all shut down. The wetzel pretzels was I believe the only place in the area with food. I would say more than 3/4 of the stores were competely shut down and gone. So sad that covid destroyed so many businesses. You also can not go from Target or Kohls into the mall, it is closed off. If you want to go into the mall, you have to go to the sidedoors to go in, just to see less than a handful or stores that are barely surviving. read more

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This mall is SO SAD now and days! I used to love going there as a child and there were SO many stores there back then. I'm 28 now so you do the math. Only reason I go there is mainly to shop at Khol's and that's about it...... read more

I've been going to this mall for years. Remember the Gottchalks before Target or the JC Penney before Macy's? If not, then you probably don't realize how far this Mall has come to better suit local clientele. Capitola Mall now boasts Target, Sears, Kohl's, and Macy's as their anchor stores. These are all pretty big considering how small Capitola Mall is. There's also a stand alone Ross across the parking lot from Kohl's. For those of you used to malls being the size of Valley Fair, Oakridge, Stoneridge, or Stonestown, yes this would be a disappointment for you. However, for locals who want to pick up something without having to drive long distances, you can probably find something at Capitola Mall. When I was a student, my friends and I had to drive all the way to Watsonville to go to Target. The students who had to bus it there told me it took hours because of all the stops along the way. This all being said, the non-anchor shops like Bath and Body Works, Coach, Victoria's Secret, Express, Payless Shoe Source, and Hallmark seem to be doing fine. Over the years, there have been closures of an American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, and now PacSun. I will say that food choices are few. I tended to frequent Chili's whenever I'm hungry or the Carl's Jr./Green Burrito. Occasionally I'd grab something from Hot Dog on a Stick. Or I'd cross the street and go to the McDonald's in the Whole Foods Shopping Center. Parking is generally plentiful as there are numerous lots around the mall. The only time these seem to fill up is during the holidays. read more

There's a awesome toy store that just opened in the front entrance of the mall and they carry vintage as well as newer toys and collectibles. Inside the same store there is a video game selection that buys sells and trades everything from the older Nintendo - Playstation 5! If you're gonna go to the capitola mall for any reason , check these guys out and support two local boys business. read more

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This place has potential. I'm not sure what this place looked like when it had more open stores but it isn't terrible now. They have a bunch of anchor stores, which I assume keep this place running, Macy's, Target, Kohl's and Ulta. I only saw 2 or 3 food spots and most of the stores are not open regular hours. It has a good floor plan and could definitely be revamped read more

Mall closes early. Beware! Had to walk around the entire outside of mall since it shuts hallways so early.

Affectionately known as Crapitola Mall... this mall is just ok. Parking is fine and there is a Pier One, Trader Joe's and Bed Bath and BeyooOOooOoond across the street... which is good for one stop shoppin'. Ross and Starbucks, too.. should you feel the need. Of interest to me, in the actual mall, are a small Macy's, Express, Sunglass Hut, Victoria Secret, Limited, Vans Shoes, Bath and Body Works and Hot Topic (come on, Hot Topic is fun). The Macy's is SO small though.. I only go there for basics I can get at any Macys like makeup and perfume (they do have a MAC counter). It's okay in a pinch but for anything else it's better to drive over the hill to Valley Fair. There's also an Ann Taylor Loft, which some of my friends like.. and Abercrombie and Fitch. Food Court.. pretty uneventful (Hot Dog on a Stick lost it's novelty when I was in high school, Sbarro, Subway, Casa Moreno... which I've not tried but looks like it might actually be okay... Sorabol)... but boyfriend loves Cinnabon. He's gonna die of heart failure. read more

I heard a rumor that this mall was closing down and honestly I'm fine with it. This ''mall" shouldn't even be called a mall because of how bad it is. There's no people (for a good reason) the stores suck and I'm pretty sure that theres more closed down stores than open stores. It's pretty obvious that this mall is dead. read more

When we moved to Santa Cruz in 1982, we had a house 2 blocks behind the Capitola Mall. Back then it seemed to be a pretty good place to shop -considering I came from SJ and was used to Valley Fair Mall - but over the years Capitola Mall had gone downhill rapidly. The death nil for me was when they built a children's play area right smack dab in the center of the food court. Oh yea, the shrill screams of wild savages running around really made me want to sit and have a quick bite. Nope, no way, no sirree! Fast forward to last Tuesday night: husband had a physical therapy appt so I had him drop me off at the Capitola Mall so I could pick up a few things at Macy's and Bath & Body Works. I figured it had been at least a couple years since I'd been there so I was hopeful that it had changed. It took me about 20 minutes to get what I had come for so I still had about an hour to kill. I noticed the place was fairly dead considering it is Christmas shopping time, so I decided to take a walk around to see what was still there that I remembered. Sadly, except for a scaled down Macy's, Bath & Body Works, Hallmark, Sears, & Claire's (costume jewelry), there was nothing there I was interested in. I also noticed a complete lack of stores for anyone over a size 16, for both men and women. Wasn't there a Lane Bryant store here once upon a time? The Disney Store is gone as was Bombay Company, always great for after Christmas sales! I'm not sure who Mall management thinks they are catering to but if you like LOTS of cheaply made crap and lots of cheaply priced clothing, the Capitola Mall is right for you. I ended up sitting on a bench next to Santa's Workshop, also surprisingly dead, and played a video game on my Blackberry until my husband picked me up. PATHETIC!!! read more

This mall is dead, however it's a sweet mall. I really hope that more stores open up. I liked the art store and the ASPCA store. If you're in the area, they can use your support. read more

This mall has definitely changed over time since I've been living in the Santa Cruz area in terms of stores that they have been opening and closing. Ever since the new Target opened, I feel as if Capitola Mall just got a little more attention. I would only come here if I needed some last minute attire or pick-me-up since they have stores that fit your needs and nothing more luxurious. They have mediocre department stores such as Sears and Kohl's. Their selection at Macy's definitely doesn't compare to the one in larger cities, such as San Francisco. They have the staple mall stores such as Victoria's Secret, Vans, PacSun, Bath and Body Works, Hot Topic, Journey's, Coach, Aeropostale, Claire's, Express, and others. Their food court is really small; probably only like 4 selections? (maybe i'm exaggerating.. but it's really little. Don't expect too much.) I only come here .. once every three months or so. Otherwise, malls in the bigger cities like San Jose or San Francisco definitely offer way more of a selection. What I really do like about this mall is that it's never crowded, even on weekends. The employees I've encountered are usually pretty nice, so no complaints there. read more

Although Covid has done a number on the mall I still shop there for shoes and for clothing. I love the antique store that is there and I go to Target once a month. Recently I was there and I ventured into the calendar store because the had a sign in the window that stated "Entire store half off". I took some time and picked out a couple that I wanted, waited at the register, A very unfriendly young man rang me up and pointed to the price. I said "I thought these were half off" He bluntly told me only this half of the store." But it said the entire store" said I. With that he said no. Bait and switch I guess, Most retailers are very thankful that we are still shopping there read more

I was looking up Korean cuisine around the Santa Cruz area for my family and sadly, this mall came up because Sorabol was listed and the mall received 2 stars from 45 reviews. I'm pretty sure the 45 yelpers are right on lol The mall has a crowded parking lot and it feels dangerous. The only highlights of the mall are the stores like Victoria's Secret & Express and fast food places like Hot Dog on a Stick and Orange Julius. All of them are located on the first floor which is the only floor the mall has lol They are blessed to have a Target too but I pretty much saw everything I needed to see when my family and I headed to the food court for Sorabol. My family decided not to have Sorabol anyways just because it wasn't a dine-in restaurant and the mall was pretty much whack :( read more

I always find the Capitola and Santa Cruz areas to be rather isolated in comparison to the hub-bub of the East Bay, where I make my home. Any time I am down that way I think "Geez how far do these folks have to drive for a Macy's or a Target!!" Well, apparently not too far thanks to the Capitola Mall. It's not a destination shopping experience by any measure, but we ended up stopping here after a day in Santa Cruz, just to get some sodas at Target and stretch our legs before a long drive home. Overall, I found the mall to be clean, modern looking and on a Saturday night have a relatively low key crowd. True, it doesn't have certain mall staples like the GAP or Old Navy, but you can do pretty well on the clothing spectrum with Macy's, Kohl's and Target. Other specialty stores included Bath & Body Works along with Coach and a pretty well stocked comic book store. One can probably meet their basic shopping needs here, although the food choices were a bit dismal (unless of course you count Chili's as a viable option.) It's not as bad as other reviewers make it out to be-maybe a little sparse on the small side, but otherwise okey dokey. read more

The Sentinal reported that they just approved a Target going into the old Gottschalks building- YAY! http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_16698489 read more

When I was a teenager Capitola Mall was one of my favorite malls to visit especially when Dad would do work in Santa Cruz and Capitola. And each time we would go to Capitola Mall Mom and I would always end up with tons of bargains. My mother and I were fans of Gottschalks and this mall was where we first discovered Gottschalks and we would visit every trip. And when JCPenney was in Capitola Mall it was our favorite store along with Disney Store as well. It is a shame that Capitola Mall started going downhill when Sears closed and what I think could improve this mall is a bigger food court with Arby's and other restaurants and they could add a DD's Discounts location to this mall to help it stay on it's feet. But it really is a shopper's paradise if you are visiting Capitola or driving from Watsonville to do your shopping needs read more

being from san jose, I'm use to gigantic malls that take hours to get around (Valley Fair, Great Mall, Santana Row, etc) For the size (yes, for the record people, it IS small!), they actually have all your mainstream stores you'd want. no useless jewelry stores lining an entire hallway or anything. *and a spirit halloween store here for halloween!* it's small enough where when there's a particular store I want to go to, it takes no more than 5 minutes to get there. It can get intimidating in some stores during slow hours because sometimes you'll be the ONLY person in there. I never enjoy having the staff watch me the entire time I'm in a store. read more

I like this mall because of its convenience. I like having a mall close to where I live. Plus it's small, not crowded, and quick to get through. I usually wander over here after doing some shopping at Target. But this place is depressing to walk through. Inside is dark, super outdated and half of the shops are empty. I can usually take care of what I need to get done here, but it's not an enjoyable experience. read more

Food court a joke, so many empty spots, sears is half closed. target sucks, just do your self a favor and drive to San Jose better mall read more

An OK shopping mall when you need to find something for someone or yourself. The retail markets are slowly disappearing. The food court here is pretty desolate. But overall, if you need a place to kill time, this is one of the few malls still operating in the area! read more

Capitola Mall - Shopping Centers Near Me - Capitola, California

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So did you hear what Northgate mall is doing (news may 2017) --- an entertainment venue will offer a selection of indoor activities including bowling alleys, fully equipped karaoke booths, billiards, ping pong tables, top-of-the-line arcade games and darts. So Capitola Mall how about competing with the Boardwalk --- I'm think 18 course mini golf --- huge! Laser tag area one for kids & one for adults --- maybe a indoor handball court --- rock climbing wall --- indoor sky fall --- bowling alley ---- indoor trampoline center...just to name a few things. Anyone listening....Now is the time to renovate & revitalize the Capitola Mall for the "I'm buying my stuff on amazon" generation. read more

Heavy turn over, low traffic, mediocre stores, and weak anchors. They should bulldoze this place and put in a giant home development or a water park. read more

As I've mentioned MANY times previously, I'm not the brightest star in the constellation when in comes to decisions. But there's a VERY important event on Wednesday, and I need to look hot. Crutches and all. So like the imbecile that I am, I went here on Black Friday. On crutches. Granted, I waited until the stampede had passed, but it was still crowded. In the past, I have managed to find a few hidden treasures in this mall, but like others have said, it's not large and it doesn't have the best selection. There are a few tried and true stores like Macy's, Abercrombie, and a bunch of stores owned by the Limited Company, and there's a few stores which I'm amazed stay in business. I only went to a few of them, but here is my tale: I know I keep harping on the fact that I'm a wee bit infirm, but I didn't realize how hard it was to a) not hit anyone with my crutches, b) move around on said crutches, and c) not get my foot banged by the sale-hungry masses. I also failed to realize just how much help I actually need because my hands are essentially non-existent, firmly gripping those rubber smelling cushions. But I digress. Here's a breakdown of the helpfulness of the stores for the gimpy (NOT the Gimp, because he's sleeping...and I really don't want to wake him up): The first store I went to was Wet Seal. And then found they moved across the way, so I had to circle the fountain. Why Wet Seal, since the average age is 12 and obsessed with that guy from Twilight? Because I was looking for something specific, and they had it online. Just wanted to check it out. Big mistake. Too many people, too many racks, not enough space. God I'm old. I then went to New York & Company, where there was a salesperson folding something. Looked right at me, all wobbly, and didn't offer to help. Commission FAIL. I have never bought actual clothes at this store, even though I've looked. Meh. Moved on to Express, where I found something, although not EXACTLY what I was looking for, hot nonetheless. While no one helped me as I was looking, they were very gracious when I went to checkout. And snagged the hanger on my crutches. They even offered me a bigger bag, which I declined. Commission PASS! Next was Macy's- the staff here was helpful through and through- one saleslady even offered to run to another department to look for something for me, but I told her I'd just make my way over there myself. Just ended up purchasing some hot lipstick at MAC, where the pressure wasn't too much. Commission PASS! All in all, not too horrible, although I will be thankful to have the use of both of my feet again. I will be back here often, because there's frankly not much else in Capitola. read more

while the capitola "mall" feels less of a mall in current day in the past it was filled with brilliant memories and sophisticated charm. i can still envision the memories it has held for me and many others in our formative youth. now i walk the halls in between wetzle pretzel and chilis and have a harder time finding the joy and brightness of this place but i see to it's potential and hope more people can find the quaint ambiance of this humble structure. read more