1977 mega mall in California demolished
Hawthorne Plaza, a sprawling 35-acre mall in Southern California, has been demolished after decades of vacancy. Once a major retail destination with over 130 stores, the property struggled to compete with other South Bay shopping centers during the 1990s and closed in 1999. The empty mall became an unlikely Hollywood backdrop for films like 'The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift' and 'Gone Girl'.
However, the abandoned property also faced numerous safety issues, including trespassing, vandalism, and illegal dumping. In 2026, the City of Hawthorne took legal action, requiring the owners to demolish the property by August 14. Despite past redevelopment proposals, demolition is now the immediate focus, with work being carried out in phases starting at the southern end of the site. The future of the former mall remains undecided.
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