Country Club Villa Shopping Center

I’ve been shopping in the area since the late 80’s. They have done a beautiful job remodeling but this was always a beautiful shopping center.
A lot of the shopping center has changed. Save Mart used to be where CVS now is. Just wish they still had the car shows, the pumpkin patch and Christmas tree area during the holidays. As a child we would go there every year to pick a pumpkin or pick a tree.
I am glad they still left the side open a little for the ppl who live in the area. We are still able to take nice walks with our family over to the shopping center. Where the apricot orchards once were!

Nice place. one stop shop.
Some notable businesses there.
SJ Boxing
CVS
Jack In The Box
Anhson Bakery
Save Mart Supermarkets
Poly Cleaners

Woot First Review!
OK This review is gonna be real special Unilocalers. Why? Because I happen to have first hand knowledge of this shopping center and its history.
Country Club Villa Shopping Center is owned by the Cortese family. Cortese is my last name! Cortese is my family!
The shopping center and the apartments behind it were all a huge Apricot orchards sitting at the foot of the east foothills. At the time the area had few people living around there. There was a few attractions in the form of the SJ country club and Alum Rock Park.
After WWII the area had a housing boom because of the returning GI’s. My great grandfather decided to turn ½ of his Orchard into a shopping center. It took some finagling with the city but the permits were granted and the building started. It was built with all the glean and shine that you would expect out of 50’s building technology.
An interesting feature from a civil engineering standpoint is the shopping center sits in a giant pit. The ground literally goes 20 feet down from the sidewalk. After it was all built my great grandfather was quoted as saying «They should have raised it another foot»
The shopping center was a huge investment for the family. Over the years there’s been many businesses in and out of it. Most notable was one of the last independently owned pharmacies, Cliffords drugs. Growing up I spent more than my fair share of time at the different shops and the family owned dry cleaners there.
After over 4 decades in service the old center went through a major renovation and facelift. The once run down center from a bygone era was reborn to look like an Italian Villa. A new facility for save mart was built, and it got the addition of a Jack in the box.
All these years later, my great grandpas house is still there. Great grandpa is gone, but his house, like his shopping center still stands.
Some notable businesses there.
Anhson Bakery.
Save Mart Supermarkets
Poly Cleaners