When the Irvine Spectrum Center opened 30 years ago, it wanted to be known as Orange County’s downtown in the heart of Irvine with restaurants and entertainment venues as anchors, not big-box stores.
The mall debuted in 1995 as “The Entertainment Center at Irvine Spectrum” being home to one of the county’s earliest multiplexes, now known as Regal Irvine Spectrum, and the launch of Sega’s first-ever arcade venue.
“As the surrounding area evolved into a dynamic mixed-use district with new apartments, homes and office towers, the Center expanded its retail and dining offerings while continuing to build on the entertainment-first foundation that set it apart,” General Manager Blake Windal told the Business Journal.
Today, Irvine Spectrum is the fifth largest shopping center in Orange County with taxable sales of $622 million for 12 months ended June 30, 2024.
The center spans 1.2 million square feet and draws more than 16.5 million visitors annually.
With 130 stores and counting, the open-air shopping center considers its tenants as a collection of “elevated” retail and lifestyle offerings. And its entertainment lineup is “stronger than ever,” according to Windal.
A new ‘Giant Wheel’ is on its way running 23 feet higher than the current 10-story edition, according to the center’s owner Irvine Co. The new attraction was made in Italy like its 108-foot-high predecessor, which first opened in 2002.
The soon-to-open Holey Moley and Hijinx Hotel miniature golf and interactive gaming concept, it will be the latter’s first location in both Orange County and the U.S.—will open next door to the Improv Comedy Club and by the Regal movie theater.
Windal also credits “powerhouse restaurants” such as Javier’s Cantina & Grill, The Cheesecake Factory and Habana as contributors to the center’s sales and foot traffic.
Newcomers Din Tai Fung and Mastro’s Ocean Club are currently under construction. The GM added that retailers like Target, Nordstrom, Sephora, Apple and EV-maker Rivian—which opened a retail showroom earlier this year—are also key to overall performance.
“Our goal is to attract the broadest audience possible by featuring the best shopping, dining and entertainment brands for every generation,” Windal said.
Getting Up Close with Rivian
Local automaker Rivian Automotive Inc. looked to open a retail hub at the Irvine Spectrum Center to maximize consumer engagement in a key, high traffic area.
“Opening a Rivian space in the heart of Orange County has been a long-standing goal, with many of our key offices located here,” Mike Voegtlin, director of Spaces network development, said. “California represents one of our strongest EV markets, with Orange County being one of the key locations.”
Rivian is also Orange County’s largest automaker by local employee count.
The store, which the company refers to as a Space, is meant “for current and potential customers to get up close with our vehicles, software, and accessories,” Voegtlin told the Business Journal when it opened in March.
Compared to the format of Rivian’s Laguna Beach flagship, the South Coast Theater, the 3,755-square-foot Irvine showroom, is designed to be less immersive and more accessible to passersby.
“We want to create spaces that allow people to get exposure to our products, and not just Rivian products, but truly come in and explore and learn about EV ownership,” said Sara Webster Wylie, director of Spaces marketing.
“With its central location and convenience, choosing the iconic Irvine Spectrum Center was a no brainer,” Voegtlin added. “It allows our team to spend even more time engaging with our customers and owners, while growing our presence in a key market that’s close to home.”
The Irvine space, located on the north side near the Regal movie theater, was part of Rivian’s push to have 35 retail Spaces open by the end of 2025.
Spectrum’s Pop-Up Incubator
The Irvine Spectrum Center has expanded in phases to make space for a variety of shops and restaurants since debuting in November 1995.
“We focus on curating a lineup of best-in-class brands that reflect what our community wants, both established names and fresh, first-to-market concepts,” General Manager Blake Windal told the Business Journal.
Not every concept can be a slam dunk, so the center has developed a pop-up program to figure out if brands can be successful at the center.
“Our pop-up program serves multiple purposes: enhancing the customer experience, adding depth to the existing retail mix and acting as an incubation platform for new or emerging brands to test the market,” Windal said.
The GM said the pop-up stores have led to several long-term leases for merchants such as Somi Somi, Swish Studios, OluKai and Hello Kitty Grand Cafe.
A local jewelry business, Caitlyn Minimalist, is one benefactor of the program.
Founder Kate Kim immigrated from Vietnam in 2012 to attend college in California and was making money by designing jewelry to sell on Etsy.
Kim attended school wearing a necklace with her name in her grandfather’s handwriting, and classmates soon asked her to make personalized versions. When requests expanded to rings and birthstone charms, she broadened her offerings.
“I wanted it to be custom jewelry with a minimal aesthetic,” Kim told the Business Journal.
After several years on Etsy, she launched her own direct-to-consumer website for more control. Business took off and by 2021, she opened a 12,000-square-foot distribution center in Irvine.
In 2024, Kim said Caitlyn Minimalist generated $25 million in revenue across all its online channels. The next step was breaking into retail with a brick-and-mortar.
“It gives us a chance to really showcase our brand and be face to face,” Kim’s husband Michael Holcombe and business partner said.
During her storefront search, Kim connected with an Irvine Company executive through a friend who was a local restaurant owner.
“When I do anything, I want it to be big. I want it to make noise,” she said.
She opened a pop-up at Irvine Spectrum Center last October, which led to a second at Fashion Island in March.
These stores have allowed other developers to see the company’s efforts and legitimacy, Kim said.
“You’re seeing a changing of the guard almost,” her husband said. “You’re seeing all these digitally native, e-commerce brands going omnichannel and filling these spots now.”
Capturing an “Everyday Dining Crowd”
Din Tai Fung is projected to open at the Irvine Spectrum Center by early 2026, joining a lineup of “powerhouse” restaurants, according to General Manager Blake Windal.
It will be the Arcadia-based restaurant group’s third outpost in Orange County—and is currently one of two locations under construction in the region.
“Our growth at Orange County has been very intentional and really rooted in guest demand, so traffic volume is a key consideration,” Din Tai Fung spokesperson Jessica Chao told the Business Journal.
Orange County’s first Din Tai Fung debuted at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa in 2014, where the company opened an “upscale and elegant” design to match the luxury mall environment.
For the Downtown Disney District location in 2024, the dumpling restaurant was developed with the entertainment district’s energetic crowds in mind. Both are among Din Tai Fung’s top five locations.
For Spectrum, “we’re trying to blend those ideas in crafting more of a modern, everyday dining crowd,” the spokesperson said.
The Irvine restaurant will be approximately 15,000 square feet with over 300 seats and will open near Target.
Chao said they look for a strong daytime population that can drive consistent traffic to the restaurant as well as a healthy retail environment with high-demand brands that align with potential customers.
The Spectrum provided these factors, she said.
“It’s a perfect example of everything that we’re looking for in a location,” Chao told the Business Journal. “It’s at the heart of Orange County. It’s where the 5 and 405 intersect, so it has great access and great visibility. We’re surrounded by good company at the Spectrum.”
Another Din Tai Fung is slated to open at the Brea Mall also.
“For us, we only open more stores when we’re confident that we can deliver a consistent, high quality guest experience we’re known for,” the spokesperson said. “Right now, our focus is on delivering the best experience in Irvine and preparing for Brea. Beyond that, we’ll continue to evaluate the market saturation, listen to our guests and grow where it makes sense.”
30 Years: Irvine Spectrum Center Milestones
1995 – After years of planning and two years of construction, Irvine Company debuts in November The Entertainment Center at Irvine Spectrum Center. The 250,000-square-foot open-air shopping, dining and entertainment center featured the first megaplex movie theater in the world with 6,400 seats and 21 screens including an eight-story IMAX theater.
1998 – The center’s second phase opens, doubling in size with design features – vibrant mosaic tiles, courtyards and fountains – inspired by Moorish architecture of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. New to the center: The Cheesecake Factory, Improv Comedy Club and Dave & Buster’s – businesses that remain at the shopping center.
2001 – The Carousel opens with 32 hand-painted fiberglass animals. The design reflects the center’s Spanish architecture with a rounded board featuring Southern Spain scenes and alternating faces of a bullfighter and flamenco dancer.
2002 – The linear center adds 332,000 square feet of retail, encompassing 60 shops and restaurants, including Robinsons-May (later Macy’s), Barnes & Noble, Urban Outfitters and Forever 21. The hand-crafted 108-foot tall Giant Wheel, now a fixture at the mall, arrives from Italy.
2004 – Javier’s Cantina & Grill and California Pizza Kitchen debut. The busy mall opens the first of two planned parking structures.
2005 – Nordstrom, Anthropologie, Bebe, LOFT, White House Black Market, Aveda and Old Navy arrive. The second parking deck opens. Apartment units surrounding the shopping center begin to open, including the Village at Irvine Spectrum.
2006 – The center solidifies its reach among a wide range of shoppers when it adds Target – marking the first time a Nordstrom and Target are paired together in one mall.
2007 – The mall debuts “curbside to go” – pick-up locations for takeout orders from its local restaurants. The move proved to be fortuitous as delivery and takeout orders would later skyrocket during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2012 – The dining destination adds more restaurants – Paul Martin’s American Grill, CUCINA enoteca, Tender Greens and Kabuki. The enclosed food court closes at the end of the year to make way for an expansion to the Improv.
2014 – The larger Irvine Improv debuts, doubling in size to over 15,000 square feet with an in-house Umami Burger, a Los Angeles brand capitalizing on the burgeoning gourmet burger trend.
2017 – The shuttered 140,000-square-foot Macy’s is demolished to make room for multiple shops.
2018 – A $200 million phase four is complete, introducing 30 new shops and restaurants and outdoor spaces where Macy’s once stood. One of the most anticipated new shops is the Hello Kitty Cafe, a first in the U.S. A two-story, 43,536-square-foot H&M, the chain’s largest in the Western U.S. at the time, also opened.
2020 – Edwards 21 reopens as Regal Irvine Spectrum after major remodel that includes a new entrance and lobby and upgraded audio-visual technologies.
2023 – Danny Meyer’s wildly popular New York City-based burger sensation Shake Shack opens its first Orange County location at the Spectrum near the movie theater. It is one of several brands and chains over the years that have chosen the Spectrum as their first OC outpost. Others include Sweetgreen, OluKai, Tender Greens, Beyond Yoga, Lip Lab, Edikted, Princess Polly, J&G Fried Chicken, Studs, Kalbi Social Club and Roark.
2025 – Local EV maker Rivian opens showroom in March, taking over a former Hurley store. Taiwanese dumpling sensation Din Tai Fung, whose first OC location debuted 11 years ago at South Coast Plaza, opens later this year.
Sources: Irvine Company, Nancy Luna, OCBJ, Orange County Register
— Nancy Luna