Bay Street Emeryville facts for kids
The mall as seen from the Emeryville Hilton Hotel
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| Location | Emeryville, California, United States |
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| Coordinates | 37°50′07″N 122°17′32″W / 37.8353°N 122.2922°W |
| Address | 5616 Bay Street |
| Opening date | 2002 |
| Owner | Madison Marquette |
| No. of stores and services | 76 |
| Total retail floor area | 400,000 square feet (37,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 3 |
| Parking | 2,000 spaces |
Bay Street Emeryville is a lively place in Emeryville, California. It's a "mixed-use development," which means it has many different things all in one spot! You can find 65 stores, ten restaurants, a big movie theater with 16 screens, a hotel with 230 rooms, and 400 homes where about 1,000 people live. It's a popular spot for shopping, eating, and having fun.
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What's Around Bay Street?
Bay Street is located close to many interesting places. You'll find several hotels nearby, plus a big IKEA store. The famous Pixar animation studio is also in the area. There are three other shopping centers close by: East Bay Bridge Shopping Center, Emeryville Marketplace, and Powell Street Plaza.
Natural and City Connections
A natural stream called Temescal Creek flows through the property. It carries spring water and city runoff in a special concrete channel. This channel leads to the San Francisco Bay at the Crescent wetlands. Bay Street is also very easy to reach by car. It's right next to major highways like Interstates 80 and 580. It's also close to the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge and the MacArthur Maze. Across from the mall, you can see the Emeryville Crescent State Marine Reserve, a protected natural area.
History of Bay Street
Bay Street Emeryville opened in 2002. It's built on a very old site that has a long history.
Eco-Friendly Features
The mall has some cool eco-friendly features. For example, the West Elm store here is "LEED certified." This means it meets high standards for being environmentally friendly. It even makes some of its own solar energy! The store also has a special grass roof. This roof helps create a home for insects and keeps the building cooler. Many skylights are used throughout the mall to let in natural light. This helps save energy by reducing the need for electric lights.
A Site with Ancient Roots
The land where Bay Street stands was once an important place for the Ohlone Native American people. It was a burial ground and a "shellmound," which is a large mound made of shells and other items left by ancient communities. Because of this history, some descendants of the Ohlone people hold an event called "don't buy anything day" at the site each year since 2001. They do this to remember their ancestors and the importance of the land.
The Shopping Cart Christmas Tree
In 2010, Bay Street became famous for a unique Christmas tree. This tree was 34-foot-tall (10 m) and made out of 84 shopping carts! An artist named Anthony Schmitt created this special tree. It was a big attraction and brought many tourists to the mall. The shopping cart tree was displayed every winter season until 2014. In 2017, new management took over running the mall.
What Stores Can You Find?
Bay Street offers a mix of popular stores, from fancy shops to everyday favorites.
Popular Retailers
You can find a two-level Barnes & Noble bookstore, perfect for finding your next favorite read. There are also flagship stores for West Elm and Apple. If you like clothes, you'll find several Gap, Inc brands here. These include Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, and separate stores for men's and women's Banana Republic. Other well-known clothing stores like UNIQLO and H&M (with separate men's and women's stores) are also present.
Restaurants and Entertainment
When you get hungry, Bay Street has several great restaurants. You can grab a bite at California Pizza Kitchen, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, or Rubio's Coastal Grill. And for entertainment, there's a large AMC Theatres cinema where you can catch the latest movies.
Getting to Bay Street
It's easy to get to Bay Street Emeryville using public transportation.
Public Transport Options
- AC Transit Buses: Local bus line 36 connects the West Oakland BART station to the University of California, Berkeley. There are also commuter bus routes (C, F, J) that go to the San Francisco Transbay Terminal. The Z route offers a "reverse commute" from San Francisco to Emeryville, which is helpful for people working in Emeryville.
- Amtrak: The Emeryville Amtrak Station is also nearby.
- Emery-Go-Round: You can use the free Emery-go-Round shuttles. The Shellmound/Powell line takes you to the MacArthur BART station and other parts of the city.
Parking at the Mall
Parking at Bay Street used to be free, but now there's a fee. It usually costs between US$2 and US$10, depending on how long you stay. These parking fees have been a topic of discussion because they have increased over the years.
