Powell Street Plaza

Worthwhile describes Powell Street Plaza. It is near the freeway and has lots of parking. Although shopping at big box stores requires going a few blocks around Emeryville, there is plenty to do here. A Trader Joe’s and a Ross are among what is here.
I have been here a few times for clothing, most of which were troublesome, hence my decision to lose weight. Trader Joe’s and some clothing is a good possibility of itinerary, but there are rival shopping centers in Emeryville where you really can get just about everything and many Targets are in close range.
Here might be a great place to go weekly of you are a local.

It’s true this shopping center has many great stores. Trader Joes, Nothing bundt cakes, DB shoes a lot of them we didn’t try. Parking at this plaza is a different story. In order to go to these great stores, you have to avoid having a heart attack trying to park. For the amount of stores, and obviously the popularity of them, there are definitely not enough spots to park. I’m not saying everyone here was a bad driver, but I do think the pressure of trying to find a place to park, and the pressure of trying to get out of your parking spot without hitting someone makes people very anxious to the point where they do sadly become a bad driver. Just for a short period of time (I hope).

I love this outdoor shopping center a lot. I used to go to the shopping center when I was a kid in the 90’s. One thing I would like to see here is EV public charging stations throughout the parking lot. EV charging stations for electric vehicles.

Great selections of shops and restaurants. I try to find street parking first before paying in the garage. The garage fills up fast and it’s not free

Ashley Steward, Rainbow & Ross have the post ghettoest workers ever! Layne Bryant & Bevmo are decent. Oh… not to mention the Uniform place. They are not professional. (look up my review for that one.) Chase, Togo’s, Starbucks & Trader Joe’s have normal workers. This plaza has a great parking lot, but people STILL are crazy cutting people off. The parking lot expands in the back of Ross also.

This is an outdoor shopping center that is anchored by Marshall’s, Ross and Trader Joe’s. There is a private parking lot, but during peak hours… it is really hard to find a parking spot and the parking spots are sooo small! Other than the parking issues, it is a nice little shopping center. Very small and can probably shop through it in less than an hour. This shopping center is more of a destination shopping center; You know what you want and you get out. Among the anchor stores, there is a Chase Bank, Starbucks, Jamba Juice, Togo’s and a few other stores.

Parking sucks here especially afternoons and weekend. Parking spaces are very compact. Most the time you end up taking up two spaces.

The parking is the worst I have ever seen. The spots are too small and the aisles are too thin (I drive an Altima). I seriously think about switching away from Chase bank because I can’t stand to go to the plaza. I’d stop going if I didn’t live so close (but just not enough to walk). It has the closest Trader Joe’s, BevMo, cat food. I like the store selection, but if they could put in a CVS or Walgreens that would be so awesome that would make it a one stop shop.
If anyone from the management company reads this. I understand you can’t just make the lot bigger, but how about repainting the parking spaces? Please…

I have a love hate relationship with this Plaza.
Considering I work nearby, I can come at times that others aren’t clogging the slenderest parking spots known to man. That is when I love it here.
If I come here on a weekend or at a time where there are a ton of other peeps, I hate this place and I want to bust a cap in someone.
I’m kidding, I have no caps to bust. but if I did, I’d do it in this parking lot. Just a straight up shooting spree from the rooftop of Trader Joe’s. (special focus on Prius & BMW drivers)
I got in a fight with some asshole in a construction truck for parking so close to me that I seriously had to get in from my passenger side door.
I also got in a fight some some bitch in an Esclade for sitting in the middle of one of the aisles while she talked to her friend who was walking. MOVE BITCH. she flipped me off and I almost lost my god damned mind. (don’t make me get out this car!)
I can’t tell you if Powell St. Plaza is worth going to or not because as much as there is to love, there is just as much to hate, if not more.
Enter at your own risk & don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Narrowest parking spots ever… and I drive a tiny SCION xA! Door dings are guaranteed. I left my car thinking there’s no way someone will attempt to get this fraction of a parking spot that a neighboring minivan straddled. WRONG! Some lady in a G20 snuck right in. Caught her in the act red handed.
2 stars for the variety of businesses within the plaza, some of which are useful like Trader Joe’s and the brand spanking new BevMo. But there is not nearly enough parking for these stores even.
Try to avoid.

Everyone who’s worked or lived in Emeryville before the boom knows this little shopping center well. It was all there was besides the Market. Used to have Tower Records, which gave me an excuse to go to Togo’s or Burger King for lunch. but now its a chair store or something. I really wanna give this one more than 3 stars because in lieu of Tower closing, they finally put in a Wamu with an ATM. Togo’s and Trader Joe’s are still kicking and Burger King will be there forever. But the thing that really loses the stars for me tho is the Parking. Imagine a «compact» parking space. now make it 15″ smaller. You get a scenario where every other car is parked ¹⁄₃ of the way into the next space. so in trying to create more spaces, the cheap ass parking lot designer ended up with ½ as many cars able to park in it. totally sucks.
update: Bevmo, just opened. root beer for me!