The Mountain Gate Plaza is a great plaza with a lot of parking spots and different stores. I came…read moreyesterday to get food from El Pollo Loco and also Pizza Hut. But I visited the UPS Store, Starbucks, Donut Cafe and 99 Cents store when it was there. Dollar Tree took over that location now. There are a lot of other stores still here that I haven't had the chance to visit yet like the Valley Marketplace. In the future, I plan on visiting more stores.

Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks is found on Moorpark Rd, between Hillcrest Dr & Brazil St. There…read moreare several restaurants & some retail shops here. There's plenty of free parking in front & there's also plenty of free parking at the back in the parking structure. It's a chill atmosphere. A bit too chill. The other night I saw various young adults wearing pajama pants. Maybe Bec it was cold. But, is that a thing here? Smh lols. Located towards the back is a Regal Movie Theater & a Gold's Gym. Towards the front is an Aldi & a PetCo. Some Restaurants that I can remember at the moment: Buca Di Beppo California Fish Grill Cold Stone Crazy King Kong Sushi Greco's NY Pizza Janchi Korean BBQ Karma Indian Cuisine Lucky's Dog House Matcha Boba Ot Bistro Panera Bread Pieology Sharky's Starbucks Sunset Terrace Wingstop Some Retail Shops that I remember at the moment: Aldi DSW Five Below Halloween Store Nordstrom Rack Old Navy PetCo Ulta For Fun: Dave & Buster's Eureka Brewing Co Sky Zone Sunset Terrace Lounge The Mighty Axe There's most likely more places that I didn't mention. Take a look at their new digital directory.

Janss Marketplace is massive! Not as big as The Oaks, but long stretches of a variety of places to…read moreexplore and experience. You come for amazing attractions like Reign of Terror, Jingle Bell Jump, Photos with Santa, outdoor concerts and Sky Zone! Parking is free... In structured lot with easy stair access... Though not so much elevator... If you park above level one... As sometimes it's working and sometimes it's not. There is some none covered parking near certain ends of this outdoor marketplace/center. Cold Stones, Pieology, Panera Bread, Lucky's Dog and Buca Di Beppo... are some eats to enjoy... As well as my spot Sharky's... Best one in SoCal! Tons of areas to hangout, relax or just stroll around... The restrooms aren't the best, but overall they do keep things up... Tons of empty spaces for rent... However The Mighty Axe (axe throwing bar), Regal (cinemas) and Dave & Busters are where the parties are! Not the greatest in terms of mall-like spaces, but not to far off from 2nd runner up. You can definitely find something to enjoy at Janss.

This is a great little shopping area if you live in Simi Valley. The main stores here that likely…read moreget the most traffic will be Walmart and Home Depot. There also an Aldi store, Bevmo and PetSmart too. I only visited Walmart and Home Depot so far. Party city is another store I visited as well but they went out of business so it's a vacant building now. There no EV charging station but maybe they'll add one in the near future.

The Vineyards at Porter Ranch is nothing but endless fun in all directions from the iconic AMC,…read morewhere they make movies better and also the it theater they filmed Nicole Kidman's openings, to the incredible Whole Foods, Le Popular, Patxi's Pizza and Finney's Crafthouse to the abundance of seating area including some with a toasty fire pit, running pond like water by the jungle gym and much more. TIFA Chocolate & Gelato has all the "nom"ptions, including dairy free and vegan friendly fun. Same for Patxi's and numerous other eateries. Go wild for Gus's. Exclaim about Cava. Keep it easy wit Chipotle, Habit, Mendocino Farms, Jersey Mike's or Silverlake Ramen, great cost affordable eats of all kinds. Feel the burn at YogaSix, Motivate Studios (or Cycle Club), Mayweather Boxing + Fitness Get the care you need with Kaiser, Exer and even Avant Eyes Optometry. Can't go wrong with Blow Blo Dry, Image by Ty Jordan and Ulta Beauty, all for personal self care. Abundant parking in all directions, including servel EV spots/areas. You can still enjoy seasonal and/or weekly events like the Farmer's Market (9 AM - 2 PM)and the upcoming annual tree lighting. And living up to the name you can spot various grape-producing vines between a lot of spaces/places here in the Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. No really Wi-Fi, but signal is solid. Typically open as early at Peet's Coffee at 5:30 am and as late as the ending screenings at the AMC 9.

12/4/2025 - Attended the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting, immediately followed by live performances at…read moreThe Vineyards at Porter Ranch, 12/4/2025. This upscale small shopping center is closer to reach to a 5-star rating upon all potential stores will be open in 2026, e.g., an upscale Italian restaurant will be open in 2026.

This shopping center on Tapo off Cochran sprawls for several blocks. Though I've only been into…read morethe Walmart Neighborhood Market and Jo-Ann's, I've noticed that the parking lot looks clean, and they have some basic landscaping to soften the overall space. The first time we came by, it was springtime, so the nearby hills sported a coat of green grasses. Not being as familiar with this side of town, I was pleasantly surprised to see the scenic backdrop as an aspect of shopping here. There's at least one restaurant here that I want to try, and I do come back to Jo-Ann's, so I won't be a stranger to this local plaza. Guess I'll have to pay attention to what else is here, too.

From Pier One to Tilly's, with Starbucks, Jamba Juice, Noah's Bagels, Men's Wearhouse, and other…read moreshops thrown in, this center came along within the past 15 years or so to anchor a spot on Moorpark Road at the foot of Thousand Oaks Blvd. A large fountain highlights the area with the food vendors, complete with rustic flooring tiles and landscaping to soften the space. It's somewhere you can hang out for a while and let the city's bustle pass you by. Don't count on the WiFi service, though. Something about the composition of the buildings seems to absorb the signals, so it's not the best place to try to work or even update something on your cell phone. There is plentiful free parking on the Moorpark side of the buildings, and also an area to the north side that can also be used as an overflow on that end of the plaza. While not a huge mall, the smaller, laid back venue seems to work well for this part of town. The Oaks is several blocks way, and ditto for Janss Marketplace. I like the way that the landscaping evokes a semi-tropical feel, adding to the casual appeal. We recently enjoyed sitting by the fountain, cool Starbucks' refreshing drinks in hand, followed by a browsing session at Pier One. All good!

This space held so much promise when it opened up alongside the revitalized Topanga Mall. However,…read morehigh rent and low foot traffic has lead to high turnover on businesses and the closure of some of the tentpole businesses (r.i.p Lucille's BBQ). I feel like most people come here for Costco, and then maybe just walk around. There just isn't enough there to draw its own crowds. All of that is to say, I really wish this place had more of a draw. It's a beautiful space that is maintained very well. There's plenty of parking (though it is paid which is a shame) and it's a great location. I want this place to succeed and be a draw. But they just need to find a way to attract good businesses and give them rent that justifies keeping them around, growing a customer base that will come back and then spill in to the other businesses there. All the pieces to a great outdoor shopping center in the West Valley. they just need to figure out how to get them all to come together.

The Village at Topanga is a modern open-air shopping plaza and it was previously known as The…read moreVillage at Westfield Topanga from 2015 to 2023, but it was sold to Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke in 2023 and is no longer affiliated with Westfield. Apparently the Los Angeles City Council has approved an urbanization project called Promenade 2035 to redevelop the Warner Center area (including this plaza) in Woodland Hills. [Parking]: The 1st hour = free and 1 - 1.5 hours = $2. After the 1st 90 minutes, the rate is $1 for every additional 30-minute increment with $14 daily maximum after 5+ hours. [Retails]: There aren't exactly any great anchor retailers here besides the neighboring Costco. While the Village has over 60 shops and restaurants, most of the businesses already have multiple other locations (e.g. Paper Source, Alfred Coffee, Sur La Table, REI, Eureka!, Tender Greens, etc.). [Atmosphere]: The plaza has a nice children's playground and a koi pond with certain areas spraying water mist. I will say it has a nice 1st date coffee vibe with (1) one hour of free parking, (2) Alfred Coffee, (3) modern-vibe plaza to walk around with Costco just across from Alfred Coffee, and (4) Westfield Topanga just across the street. [Conclusion]: This plaza reminds me of The Point in El Segundo but with a slightly nicer vibe. At its current stage, this plaza has nothing to write home about and the adjacent Westfield Topanga simply has more anchor retail stores worth visiting.

Usually I'm passing through this center to go to Jo-Ann's. Half a lifetime ago, I worked in the…read moreplaza at a store that is no more. There have definitely been many changes over the years. It's not a glamorous shopping center, but it is large enough to provide a hub for some popular stores, and essential services. In addition to Jo-Ann's, Ralph's, HomeGoods, and CVS are long-time anchors. Recent addition, Marshall's, will soon has a neighbor in Tuesday morning building out now. Many small service businesses tuck in, like a dry cleaner, Lay-La Threading, a marshal arts studio, and tropical fish store. Food-wise, Carl's Jr. has a stand-alone location, recently fully renovated, with drive-through. Snapper Jack's Taco Shack is on the north end, near Jo-Ann's. Alpine German Deli has been a fixture for almost three decades. And Topper's Pizza - puh-leez. Let's talk white sauce sausage pizza. Amazing! Popular with families and sports teams, they keep late hours, which is unusual in T.O. Around the corner from Snapper Jack's and Jo-Ann's is the charming & delicious Little Calf Creamery, plus a florist and an urgent care clinic. I may have missed your go-to place in the plaza, so be sure to write a review, too!