Metreon

Shopping mall in California, United States

Metreon

c. 2002

Location| San Francisco, California, United States
Coordinates| 37°47′04″N 122°24′12″W﻿ / ﻿37.784374°N 122.403424°W﻿ / 37.784374; -122.403424Coordinates: 37°47′04″N 122°24′12″W﻿ / ﻿37.784374°N 122.403424°W﻿ / 37.784374; -122.403424
Address| 135 Fourth Street
Opening date| June 16, 1999; 23 years ago (1999-06-16)
Developer| Sony
Management| Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
Owner| Starwood Capital Group
Architect| Handel Architects
No. of stores and services| 25
No. of anchor tenants| 1
Total retail floor area| 350,000 sq ft (33,000 m2)
No. of floors| 4
Parking| 1,800
Public transit access| Powell Street station
Website| shoppingmetreon.com

The Metreon is a shopping center located in downtown San Francisco, California, United States at the corner of 4th Street and Mission Street. It is a four-story 350,000 sq ft (33,000 m2) building built over the corner of the underground Moscone Center convention center. Metreon opened on June 16, 1999, as the first of a proposed chain of Sony "urban entertainment centers", aggregating dining, games, music, exhibitions, shopping, and movies. Sony intended the ambitious US$85 million (equivalent to $138 million in 2021) project to be a theme park and gallery for Sony products, and to reinforce a sophisticated image for the Sony brand.

In 2006, Metreon was sold to Westfield Group, a mall developer, and it was refashioned as a food-oriented mall. In 2011, most remaining businesses in the mall were closed. Westfield began a major renovation with an emphasis on dining, including Target creating a large downtown department store that now takes up the second floor. In April 2012, Westfield sold the Metreon to Starwood Capital Group.[1] Westfield (and its successor, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield) continues to be responsible for management.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Features
* 3 References
* 4 External links

## History[edit]

The Metreon's original attractions include a movie theater with both standard and IMAX screens, a multimedia edutainment presentation involving audio-animatronics and 3-D film based on the famous book The Way Things Work by David Macaulay, a play area for young children based on Maurice Sendak's popular children's book Where the Wild Things Are (sharing a floor with an In the Night Kitchen themed restaurant), and an arcade and bar, the Airtight Garage, based on French comic artist and graphic designer Jean "Moebius" Giraud's graphic novel of the same name and featuring all original games.[citation needed]

The Metreon at night, prior to its sale to Westfield

In October 2001, Metreon, in partnership with Sony's anime television network, Animax, was host to an anime festival, in which numerous anime videos were broadcast across its Action Theatre.[2] As a hub for Sony products, the Metreon often hosted special events for the public when new products were released. Consumers flocked to the Metreon for high-demand items such as the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation 3.[citation needed]

Although Sony opened two additional centers in Tokyo and Berlin in 1999, the original center failed to turn the expected profit. Sony promised first-year foot traffic of six million, one million above pre-launch projections, but by mid 2001 "The Way Things Work" was closed. The other major exhibit, "Where the Wild Things Are," closed sometime after July 2004.[citation needed]

The Airtight Garage's games were unpopular, with the exception of HyperBowl, a 3D obstacle course bowling game featuring air-supported bowling balls used as trackballs, and they were gradually replaced by other, better-known games. The arcade was finally closed, then reopened as Portal One, which preserved the decor, full bar, and Hyperbowl but was otherwise a typical arcade. May 13, 2007 was Portal One arcade's last day of operation. The arcade was relaunched again as a Tilt.[citation needed]

The 16-screen Loews (now AMC) theater was a success, becoming one of the most profitable theaters in the country and claiming much of the Metreon foot traffic; the lease agreement did not apportion ticket or concession sales to Metreon, however.[3]

By 2002, persistent rumors said that Sony wished to withdraw from management of the property. In February 2006, Metreon was sold to The Westfield Group, the owner of the nearby Westfield San Francisco Centre shopping mall, and Forest City Enterprises, a real estate development company.[citation needed]

In early 2009, Sony announced that it would be closing the Sony and PlayStation stores, the last flagship stores located in the mall. Following the announcement, on March 3, 2009, the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency approved plans from owners Westfield Group and Forest City Enterprises to renovate Metreon into a "restaurant-centric" mall. Expected modifications include relocation of the Fourth and Mission street entrance to the center of the block and the installation of a food terrace facing Yerba Buena Gardens. The San Francisco Filipino Cultural Center and the "Tavern on the Green" restaurant were projected tenants.[4] Tavern on the Green, however, entered bankruptcy on September 11, 2009, "throwing into doubt" the plans for the Metreon location.[5]

The Metreon building has been redeveloped as a Target store, opened in October 2012.[6] Target is leasing 99,677 square feet (9,260.3 m2).[7] The other tenants are the AMC theater (now with its own entrance), a food court, Chronicle Books, Massage Envy, National University, The City View event space, and various other food purveyors not directly in the court.[8] The Sanraku sushi restaurant and Buckhorn sandwich shop remain in the new food court, along with Jillians, which is now only accessible from outside. The movie theater has also experienced upgrades, with the IMAX auditorium now featuring their new laser projector, and the addition of Dolby Cinema and recliner seats.

## Features[edit]

The Metreon 16, an IMAX 3D movie theater and Dolby Cinema theater operated by AMC Theatres, and Jillians, a restaurant, were the only attractions that remained open when Target opened in 2012.

The Walk of Game is loosely based on the Walk of Fame, in which honorees include Shigeru Miyamoto, Nolan Bushnell, StarCraft, Sid Meier, John D. Carmack, Super Mario, Sonic The Hedgehog, and Link from The Legend of Zelda series. A special Walk of Game event took place there in 2005 and 2006. It was unknown that it would ever continue and is now most likely obsolete, now that Target is taking up the second floor where the Walk of Game was.

A seven-day-a-week farmers' market operated as an interim tenant in the former Discovery Channel Store space between May and November 2009.[9]

The Michelin-starred Tsuta ramen shop in Tokyo, Japan, expanded into the Metreon in October 2019.[10]

## References[edit]

1. ^ Ross, Andrew S. (April 18, 2012). "San Francisco's Metreon sold". Retrieved April 18, 2012.
2. ^ "Metreon media release". Anime News Network. October 9, 2001.
3. ^ Lazarus, David (January 24, 2003). "Metreon's great view wasted". San Francisco Chronicle.
4. ^ Upton, John (March 4, 2009). "Revamped Metreon slated to be restaurant-centric". San Francisco Examiner. Archived from the original on March 10, 2009.
5. ^ Selna, Robert (September 12, 2009). "Tavern on the Green's struggles may hurt S.F." San Francisco Chronicle.
6. ^ King, John. (October 10, 2012). "S-F-Target-makes-Metreon-a-better-box". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
7. ^ Duxbury, Sara (April 19, 2011). "Target lease in Metreon is official". San Francisco Business Times.
8. ^ Sarah Duxbury. "Metreon reopens, ready to try again". San Francisco Business Times. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
9. ^ Said, Carolyn (May 15, 2009). "New farmers' market finds a home at the Metreon". San Francisco Chronicle.
10. ^ "Tsuta's Michelin-starred ramen loses traction in San Francisco". SFChronicle.com. January 16, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.

## External links[edit]

* San Francisco Bay Area portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Metreon.

* Official website
* Sarkar, Pia; Debare, Ilana (February 23, 2006). "Metreon gets new lease on life: Purchase by Westfield and Forest City adds failing center to growing S.F. retail empire". San Francisco Chronicle.
* Lazarus, David (February 24, 2006). "Metreon's Shattered Dreams". San Francisco Chronicle.
* The "Where the Wild Things Are" attraction at the Metreon, July 23, 2004. A six-part video on YouTube.

* v
* t
* e

South of Market, San Francisco

Buildings|

* 21st Amendment Brewery
* 33 Tehama
* 50 Fremont Center
* 101 Second Street
* 123 Mission Street
* 140 New Montgomery
* 140 Proof
* 181 Fremont
* 199 Fremont Street
* 222 Second Street
* 340 Fremont Street
* 350 Mission Street
* 399 Fremont Street
* 535 Mission Street
* 555 Mission Street
* Baker and Hamilton Building
* BridgeView
* Foundry Square
* Four Seasons Private Residences
* Hall of Justice
* Hugo Hotel
* The Infinity
* James Lick Baths
* Jasper
* JPMorgan Chase Building
* LUMINA
* Metreon
* Millennium Tower
* MIRA
* Moscone Center
* NEMA
* Oceanwide Center
* One Rincon Hill
* Palace Hotel Residential Tower
* Palace Hotel
* The Paramount
* Park Tower at Transbay
* Providian Financial Building
* Salesforce Tower
* San Francisco Mint

Businesses|

* Bootie
* Caldron
* Catacombs
* DNA Lounge
* The EndUp
* San Francisco Eagle
* San Francisco Marriott Marquis
* The Stud
* The Avery
* Theatre Rhinoceros
* W San Francisco

Culture|

* Cartoon Art Museum
* Catharine Clark Gallery
* Center for Asian American Media
* Children's Creativity Museum
* Contemporary Jewish Museum
* Art Hoppe
* Hosfelt Gallery
* Lamplighters Music Theatre
* Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District
* Museum of the African Diaspora
* San Francisco Museum of Art
* San Francisco Railway Museum
* Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

Education|

* California Institute of Integral Studies
* Golden Gate University

Geography|

* Barbary Coast
* Folsom Street
* Oracle Park
* San Francisco South of Market Leather History Alley
* South Park
* Yerba Buena Gardens

Public art|

* Aurora
* Statue of Mahatma Gandhi
* Shaking Man

Religion|

* St Patrick's Catholic Church

Transportation|

* 49-Mile Scenic Drive
* 2nd and King station
* 4th and Brannan station
* Central Subway
* Downtown Rail Extension
* Yerba Buena/Moscone station
* Salesforce Transit Center
* San Francisco 4th and King Street station
* San Francisco Transbay Terminal

* Category
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

San Francisco attractions

Landmarks|

* 49-Mile Drive
* Alcatraz
* Bay Bridge
* Cable cars
* The Castro
* Chinatown
* City Hall and Civic Center
* Cliff House
* Coit Tower
* F-Market Streetcar
* Fairmont Hotel
* Federal Reserve Bank
* Ferry Building
* Fisherman's Wharf
* Fort Mason
* Fort Point
* Ghirardelli Square
* Golden Gate Bridge
* Grace Cathedral
* Haight-Ashbury
* Jack Kerouac Alley
* Lombard Street
* Main Library
* Mark Hopkins Hotel
* Market Street
* Mission Dolores
* Nob Hill
* North Beach
* Old U.S. Mint
* Painted ladies
* Palace of Fine Arts
* Peace Pagoda
* Pier 39
* Sutro Baths
* Sutro Tower
* Transamerica Pyramid
* Treasure Island
* Union Square

Museums
and art|

* Asian Art Museum
* Aquarium of the Bay
* Cable Car Museum
* California Academy of Sciences
* California Historical Society
* Cartoon Art Museum
* Children's Creativity Museum
* Chinese Historical Society Museum
* Conservatory of Flowers
* Contemporary Jewish Museum
* Walt Disney Family Museum
* de Young Museum
* Exploratorium
* Haas–Lilienthal House
* Legion of Honor
* Musée Mécanique
* Museo ItaloAmericano
* Museum of Performance & Design
* Museum of the African Diaspora
* Precita Eyes
* Randall Museum
* Ripley's Believe It or Not!
* San Francisco Art Institute
* Diego Rivera Gallery
* San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
* San Francisco Maritime
* Railway Museum
* USS Pampanito
* Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts

Parks and
recreation|

* Alamo Square
* Alta Plaza
* Bay Area Ridge Trail
* Bayview Park
* Candlestick Point
* Civic Center Plaza
* Corona Heights
* Crissy Field
* Mission Dolores Park
* Glen Canyon
* Golden Gate National Recreation Area
* Golden Gate Park
* Huntington Park
* Lafayette Park
* Lake Merced
* Marina Green
* McLaren Park
* Mount Davidson
* Mount Sutro
* Ocean Beach
* The Presidio
* San Francisco Bay Trail
* San Francisco Zoo
* Stern Grove
* Twin Peaks
* Washington Square
* Yerba Buena Gardens

Views|

* Coit Tower
* Twin Peaks
* Seal Rocks/Ocean Beach
* Baker Beach
* Golden Gate Bridge
* Fort Funston
* Hamon Observation Tower at the de Young Museum
* Strawberry Hill
* Crissy Field
* Pacific Heights
* Alamo Square/Painted ladies
* Top of the Mark
* Alcatraz
* Treasure Island
* Lombard Street
* Powell-Hyde Cable Car
* Ferry Building
* Bernal Hill
* 49-Mile Scenic Drive
* Hawk Hill
* Fort Baker

Entertainment|

* American Conservatory Theater
* Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
* Cow Palace
* The Fillmore
* War Memorial and Performing Arts Center
* Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

Sports|

* San Francisco Giants
* Golden State Warriors
* Oracle Park
* Chase Center
* Kezar Stadium
* San Francisco Dons

Food and drink|

* Anchor Steam
* Boudin Bakery
* Buena Vista Cafe
* Cioppino
* Dungeness crab
* Ghirardelli Square
* Mission burrito
* Tadich Grill
* Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar
* Top of the Mark

Shopping|

* Japan Center
* Metreon
* Stonestown Galleria
* Union Square
* Westfield San Francisco Centre

National Register of Historic Places listings in San Francisco

* v
* t
* e

Shopping in the San Francisco Bay Area

North Bay|

* The Mall at Northgate, San Rafael
* Town Center at Corte Madera
* The Village at Corte Madera
* Solano Mall, Fairfield

Oakland/East Bay|

* 4th Street, Berkeley
* Abella Center, San Pablo
* Bay Street Emeryville
* Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
* El Cerrito Plaza
* Grand Lake, Oakland
* Hilltop Mall, Richmond
* Jack London Square, Oakland
* Macdonald 80 Shopping Center, Richmond
* Montclair Village, Oakland
* NewPark Mall, Newark
* Oakland City Center
* Pacific Commons, Fremont
* Pacific East Mall, Richmond
* Piedmont Avenue, Oakland
* Point Richmond Historic District
* Rockridge Market Hall, Oakland
* Skywest Commons, Hayward
* Solano Avenue, Albany and Berkeley
* Somersville Towne Center, Antioch
* Southland Mall, Hayward
* Stoneridge Shopping Center, Pleasanton
* Sunvalley Shopping Center, Concord
* Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley
* Union Landing Shopping Center
* Uptown Oakland
* Westgate Center, San Leandro
* The Willows Shopping Center, Concord

San Francisco/Peninsula|

* Bridgepointe Shopping Center
* Chinatown, San Francisco
* San Francisco Ferry Building
* Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
* Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco
* Hillsdale Shopping Center, San Mateo
* Metreon, San Francisco
* Westfield San Francisco Centre
* Serramonte Center, Daly City
* The Shops at Tanforan, San Bruno
* Stonestown Galleria, San Francisco
* Union Square, San Francisco
* Westlake Shopping Center, Daly City

San Jose/South Bay|

* Eastridge Center, San Jose
* Great Mall of the Bay Area, Milpitas
* Downtown Los Gatos
* Milpitas Square
* PruneYard Shopping Center, Campbell
* San Antonio Shopping Center, Mountain View
* Santana Row, San Jose
* Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto
* Vallco Shopping Mall, Cupertino
* Westfield Oakridge, San Jose
* Westfield Valley Fair, San Jose
* Westgate Mall, San Jose

* v
* t
* e

Westfield Shopping Centers in the United States

California|

| Northern California|

* Galleria at Roseville
* Metreon †
* Oakridge
* San Francisco Centre
* Valley Fair

|

Southern California|

* Century City
* Culver City
* Fashion Square
* Mission Valley
* North County
* Plaza Bonita
* Promenade
* Santa Anita
* Topanga
* UTC
* Valencia Town Center

Connecticut|

* Trumbull

Florida|

* Brandon

Illinois|

* Old Orchard

Maryland|

* Annapolis
* Montgomery
* Wheaton

New Jersey|

* Garden State Plaza

New York|

* South Shore
* World Trade Center ‡
* Fulton Center ‡

Washington|

* Southcenter

† Managed with no ownership interest, owned by Starwood Capital Group. Does not carry the Westfield brand.
‡ Managed with no ownership interest. World Trade Center space is owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Fulton Center space is owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

* v
* t
* e

Shopping malls in California

Northern California

| Alameda|

* Bay Street Emeryville
* Bayfair Center
* Eastmont Town Center
* Fremont Hub
* NewPark Mall
* Oakland City Center
* Pacific Commons
* Rockridge Market Hall
* Southland Mall
* Stoneridge Shopping Center
* Union Landing Shopping Center

|

Contra Costa|

* Abella Center
* Broadway Plaza
* El Cerrito Plaza
* Macdonald 80 Shopping Center
* Pacific East Mall
* Somersville Towne Center
* Sunvalley Shopping Center
* The Shops at Hilltop
* Willows Shopping Center

Fresno|

* Fashion Fair Mall
* River Park

Marin|

* Mall at Northgate
* Town Center at Corte Madera
* Village at Corte Madera

Monterey|

* Carmel Plaza
* Del Monte Center
* Northridge Mall

Sacramento|

* Arden Fair
* Country Club Centre
* Downtown Commons
* Florin Towne Centre
* Sunrise Mall
* Town & Country Village

San Francisco|

* Metreon
* Stonestown Galleria
* Union Square
* Union Street Stores
* Westfield San Francisco Centre

San Mateo|

* Bridgepointe Shopping Center
* Hillsdale Shopping Center
* Serramonte Center
* Shops at Tanforan
* Westlake Shopping Center

San Joaquin|

* Sherwood Mall
* Weberstown Mall
* West Valley Mall

Santa Clara|

* Eastridge
* Great Mall of the Bay Area
* Mayfield Mall
* PruneYard Shopping Center
* San Antonio Shopping Center
* Santana Row
* Stanford Shopping Center
* Sunnyvale Town Center
* Vallco Shopping Mall
* Westfield Oakridge
* Westfield Valley Fair
* Westgate Center

Sonoma|

* Coddingtown Mall
* Montgomery Village
* Santa Rosa Plaza

Elsewhere|

* Bayshore Mall
* Capitola Mall
* Chico Marketplace
* Solano Town Center
* Vintage Faire Mall
* Visalia Mall
* Westfield Galleria at Roseville
* Yuba Sutter Marketplace

Southern California

| Los Angeles|

| L.A. Central Area|

* ARCO Plaza*
* Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza
* Beverly Center
* Beverly Connection
* The Bloc Los Angeles
* Broadway & 87th Street*
* Crossroads of the World
* Eagle Rock Plaza
* El Mercado de Los Angeles
* Farmers Market
* FIGat7th
* Grove at Farmers Market
* Japanese Village Plaza
* Los Angeles Mall
* Midtown Crossing & Sears-Pico
* Ovation Hollywood
* Town & Country Market*
* Weller Court
* West Hollywood Gateway

|

Westside|

* Airport Marina Hotel*
* Brentwood Country Mart
* Edgemar
* Malibu Country Mart
* Palisades Village
* Platform, Culver City
* Promenade at Howard Hughes Center
* Santa Monica Place
* Third Street Promenade
* Westfield Century City
* Westfield Culver City

San Fernando Valley|

* Americana at Brand
* Burbank Town Center
* Commons at Calabasas
* Fallbrook Center
* Glendale Fashion Center
* Glendale Galleria
* NoHo West
* Northridge Fashion Center
* Panorama Mall
* Promenade (Woodland Hills)*
* Sherman Oaks Galleria*
* Universal CityWalk
* Valley Plaza*
* Westfield Fashion Square
* Westfield Topanga

San Gabriel Valley|

* Eastland Center
* El Monte Shopping Center*
* El Rancho Santa Anita
* Indian Hill Mall*
* Paseo Colorado
* Plaza West Covina
* Pomona Mall*
* Puente Hills Mall
* Westfield Santa Anita

South Bay|

* Del Amo Fashion Center
* Fisherman's Village
* Hawthorne Plaza Shopping Center
* Old Towne Mall*
* Peninsula Center
* Promenade on the Peninsula
* South Bay Galleria
* SouthBay Pavilion

Southeast L.A. Co.|

* Los Cerritos Center
* Cerritos Towne Center
* Citadel Outlets
* Lakewood Center
* La Mirada Mall*
* Plaza México
* Promenade at Downey
* Quad at Whittier
* Santa Fe Springs Mall*
* Santa Fe Springs Shopping Center*
* Shops at Montebello
* Stonewood Center
* Whittier Downs*
* Whittwood Town Center

Long Beach|

* Long Beach Plaza
* Long Beach Towne Center
* Los Altos Center
* Marina Pacifica Mall

Northern L.A. Co.|

* Antelope Valley Mall
* Westfield Valencia Town Center

Orange|

* Anaheim GardenWalk
* Anaheim Plaza
* Anaheim Town Square
* Asian Garden Mall
* Bella Terra
* Brea Mall
* Buena Park Downtown
* Downtown Disney
* Fashion Island
* Honer Plaza*
* Irvine Spectrum
* La Habra Fashion Square*
* Laguna Hills Mall
* MainPlace Mall
* The Market Place
* Orange County Plaza*
* Orangefair Mall*
* Outlets at Orange
* Shops at Mission Viejo
* South Coast Plaza
* Village at Orange
* Westminster Mall

Riverside|

* Desert Fashion Plaza
* Galleria at Tyler
* Hemet Valley Mall
* Indio Fashion Mall*
* Main St. pedestrian mall, Riverside
* Moreno Valley Mall
* La Plaza (Palm Springs)
* Promenade In Temecula
* Riverside Plaza
* Westfield Palm Desert

San Bernardino|

* Barstow Mall
* Carousel Mall
* Citrus Plaza
* Citrus Village
* Inland Center
* Mall of Victor Valley
* Montclair Plaza
* Ontario Mills
* Redlands Mall
* Victoria Gardens

San Diego|

* Chula Vista Center
* College Grove
* Escondido Village*
* Fashion Valley
* Grossmont Center
* La Jolla Village Square
* Las Americas Premium Outlets
* Linda Vista Shopping Center (demolished)
* One Paseo
* Otay Ranch Town Center
* Parkway Plaza
* Seaport Village
* South Bay Plaza
* Westfield Carlsbad
* Westfield Horton Plaza
* Westfield Mission Valley
* Westfield North County
* Westfield Plaza Bonita
* Westfield UTC

Santa Barbara|

* La Cumbre Plaza
* Paseo Nuevo
* Santa Maria Town Center

Ventura|

* Collection at RiverPark
* Esplanade
* The Oaks
* Pacific View Mall
* Simi Valley Town Center

Elsewhere|

* Imperial Valley Mall, El Centro
* Valley Plaza Mall, Bakersfield

See also: History of retail in Southern California – History of retail in Palm Springs — Note: starred (*) listings indicate former regional mall now site of strip-style community center with new name
*[c.]: circa
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template