Thirty years ago, where this Center now stands, was a small, quiet, usually empty outdoor mall shopping sort of area. There were only two stores of note to me, a young 16yr old.

The first store of note is a modeling studio. Me and my younger brother would walk over here to sneak peeks at the mature 18yr old models who would commonly get their photos taken in different vignettes around the mall. I wonder if any of them ever made the big-time".

The other store of note was the Crystal Cave. It has since moved to a smaller space over in Costa Mesa. It is now a sort of new age shop. Back then, tho', it was a full-on witch's shop which sold assorted notions, lotion and potions for winning at love and pick six. The thing that drew me and my small cabal of friends, tho', was the spacious and well-stocked Dungeons & Dragons section. They had all the books and great prices on modules. Hanging on the wall in that section was a sign that said “Shoplifting Plays Hell With Your Karma". I didn’t understand exactly what it meant, but I wasn’t about to earn the ire of a shop of witches, so I never shoplifted there. More on this in my review for the present-day Barnes & Noble in this same Center.

There was also a diner here. I forget the name, but my buddy's Mom worked there. We never got any free stuff, but the food was real good. That was back when people still smoked in restaurants.

It was different times.