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 Before WWII, South Lake Avenue was a residential neighborhood bounded by houses on both sides of the street. In September of 1947, Bullock's Department Store opened and South Lake would never be the same. This "store of tomorrow" was designed by renowned architect, Welton Becket and appealed to the "carriage trade" arriving by automobile. His style, influenced by the Late Moderne and International style, embraced the philosophy of "total design" which encompassed designing both the exterior as well as the interior of a building to achieve an overall unity. With that philosophy in mind, Bullock's was created with an atmosphere of a "home" or an exclusive country club. The elegance and prestige of Bullock's led to the further development of South Lake Avenue with upscale shops, boutiques, national retailers and restaurants. I Magnin, another upscale department store noted for its elegant Art Deco and chic sophisticated decors, contributed to the reputation of South Lake as the premiere shopping destination of the San Gabriel Valley. In the early 1960's, the northern section of South Lake Avenue, near Green, began to develop as a financial and professional district. This growth continued during the 1970s and 1980s, significantly increasing the professional day-time population.Today, many of the shops, restaurants and professional offices remain the same carrying with them the history of South Lake Avenue. In addition, many new businesses have moved into the area to address the changing needs of our time. Anthropologie, a unique upscale woman's store, opened its doors in 2003 as did The Shops on South Lake, a state-of-the-art development, which houses over 136,000 square feet of new retail space. The Shops on South Lake is also the site of the Mobius Bench by Acconci Studio, a piece of public art that also serves as a Mobius bench. I Magnin closed its door and is now the home of Borders Books and Music. Macy's is now the home of the former Bullock's with much of the original design preserved. As we look toward the future, South Lake Avenue continues to prosper. New development sites include: |
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 Lofts at South Lake Pasadena Collection Pasadena Collection Luxury Apartments San Pasqual Residential Development |
Throughout its fifty plus years of growth and expansion, one thing has remained the same: South Lake Avenue's distinguished mark in the City of Pasadena as vital thriving community. | |
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