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Malls’ Sales Jump Outpaced ’04 National Gain

South Coast Plaza easily remained the county’s biggest shopping center by sales last year, with Fashion Island swapping with the Market Place for the No. 2 spot, according to this week’s Business Journal list.

Sales were strong for nearly all of Orange County’s 25 biggest shopping centers in 2004, rising 9% to $6.2 billion, according to the list, which ranks the largest malls by taxable sales last year.

The 2004 results outpaced the 6% gain a year earlier for local malls, and beat the 7% rise in U.S. mall sales last year, according to the New York-based Internation-al Council of Shopping Centers.

The U.S. sales growth was the biggest since 1999, according to Wash-ington, D.C.-based National Retail Foundation. The trade group expects a slowing economy to cut U.S. sales growth to 4.8% this year.

Locally, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa kept the No. 1 spot with a 13% increase in sales to $1.2 billion. The luxury goods shopping center added a slew of stores in 2004, including Nathan Allen Jewelers, Restoration Hardware, nikewomen, Brooks Brothers, Agnona, Ralph Lauren, Atelier Troquet and New Balance.

South Coast Plaza is the county’s largest shopping center by size, with 2.8 million square feet of retail space.

Fashion Island in Newport Beach took the No. 2 spot on a 10% rise in sales to an estimated $530 million.

“Last year, the center had strong sales not only because of economic reasons, but we opened numerous new stores including more boutiques exclusive to Orange County and Southern California,” said Tanya Thomas, general manager of Fashion Island.

Thomas named Talulah G, jules allen, Charlotte, lululemon athletica and Avitatt as some of the new stores adding to sales. Existing stores such as Traditional Jewelers, Apple Computer’s store and Bose also are doing well, she said.

“Orange County continues to be one of the strongest retail markets in the country and we look forward to another successful year highlighted by Neiman Marcus and the completion of their two-year expansion and remodel,” Thomas said.

No. 3 Market Place saw sales rise 2% to $505 million, according to a Business Journal estimate.

The Market Place, which straddles Jamboree Road in Tustin and Irvine, took a hit when it lost Ikea to Costa Mesa in 2003. Ikea was one of Tustin’s top sales tax generators.

Best Buy has moved into Ikea’s former home, but its late 2004 debut won’t fill the hole left by Ikea until next year. Another new store at Market Place: Linens ‘n Things, which opened in December.

Rounding out the top five are No. 4 Brea Mall, which had a 1% decrease in sales to $454 million, and No. 5 The Shops at Mission Viejo, which saw sales spike 14% to $389 million.

The Shops has been building a niche as the “mom’s” mall, with nursing areas, kids’ play sections and family restrooms.

“It’s really amazing how many pregnant people you see at the mall,” said Patsy Sanquist, area director for Simon Property Group, which also owns Brea Mall, No. 6 Westminster Mall and No. 15 Laguna Hills Mall.

Some of the stores added last year include Babystyle, nikewomen, kid’s clothier Naartjie, Lucy and a Gloria Jean’s coffee shop.

There’s a waiting list to get into The Shops, Sanquist said. She’d like to see more restaurants in the mix. In July, sushi restaurant Woomi is set to open.

The Irvine Company owns five shopping centers on the list,the most of any company on the list. In addition to Fashion Island and Market Place, the Irvine Co. has No. 11 Irvine Home Center, No. 12 Irvine Spectrum Center and No. 13 Crossroads/Westpark.

Irvine Home Center moved up a spot with a 16% rise in sales to an estimated $190 million. The strong housing market and demand for furniture and other goods spurred gains at the center.

A few of OC’s top 25 malls beat the national sales average of $366 per square foot, according to the International Council. South Coast Plaza saw sales of $444 per square foot, Fashion Island had $408; No. 8 Metro Pointe at South Coast had $635, Irvine Home Center had $576 and No. 17 Downtown Disney had $434.

Metro Pointe at South Coast, which includes Best Buy, Pacific Sunwear and The Container Store, saw sales jump 23% to $245 million.

Solid business at Nordstrom Rack, Edwards Theatre and Best Buy’s new Magnolia home theater unit boosted sales, said general manager Rosanna Dalat.

No. 10 Block at Orange, known more as an entertainment venue, has been adding more stores to its mix. Sales rose 10% to $191 million last year.

No malls debuted on this year’s list. The 700,000-square-foot Bella Terra in Huntington Beach is expected to be fully open by next year.

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