Metreon facts for kids
The Metreon during the day
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| Location | San Francisco, California, United States |
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| Coordinates | 37°47′04″N 122°24′12″W / 37.784374°N 122.403424°W |
| Address | 135 Fourth Street |
| Opening date | June 16, 1999 |
| Developer | Sony |
| Management | Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield |
| Owner | Starwood Capital Group |
| Architect | Handel Architects |
| No. of stores and services | 25 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 1 |
| Total retail floor area | 350,000 sq ft (33,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 4 |
| Parking | 1,800 |
| Public transit access | Powell Street station |
The Metreon is a big shopping center in downtown San Francisco, California. It is located at the corner of 4th Street and Mission Street. This four-story building is about 350,000 square feet. It was built over part of the underground Moscone Center, a large convention center.
Metreon first opened on June 16, 1999. It was meant to be a special "urban entertainment center" by Sony. Sony wanted it to combine dining, games, music, exhibits, shopping, and movies. This big project cost 85 million dollars. Sony hoped it would be a fun place and show off their brand.
In 2006, the Metreon was sold to Westfield Group, a company that builds malls. They changed it to focus more on food. By 2011, most of the remaining stores closed. Westfield then started a big makeover. They focused on dining and added a large Target department store. Target now takes up the entire second floor. In April 2012, Westfield sold Metreon to Starwood Capital Group. However, Westfield still manages the building.
Contents
Discovering Metreon: A Cool Spot in San Francisco
Metreon's Early Days: Fun and Entertainment
When Metreon first opened, it had many exciting attractions. There was a movie theater with both regular and IMAX screens. One cool exhibit was based on the book The Way Things Work. It used audio-animatronics and 3-D film to show how things work.
There was also a play area for younger kids. This area was based on Maurice Sendak's book Where the Wild Things Are. Next to it was a restaurant themed after In the Night Kitchen. For older kids and teens, there was an arcade and bar called the Airtight Garage. It had unique games inspired by the artist Jean "Moebius" Giraud's graphic novel.
Metreon also hosted special events for new Sony products. For example, when new PlayStation consoles like the PlayStation 2 or PlayStation 3 came out, many people visited Metreon. In 2001, Metreon even hosted an anime festival with Sony's Animax TV network.
Even though many people visited Metreon, it didn't make as much money as Sony hoped. Because of this, "The Way Things Work" exhibit closed in 2001. The "Where the Wild Things Are" play area also closed a few years later. The games in the Airtight Garage arcade were not very popular, except for Hyperbowl. Over time, the arcade changed hands and names, eventually becoming "Portal One" and then "Tilt."
Changes Over Time: From Sony to Target
The 16-screen AMC movie theater was very popular. It became one of the most successful theaters in the country. However, the Metreon building itself didn't get a share of the movie ticket sales.
By 2002, there were rumors that Sony wanted to stop managing Metreon. In February 2006, Metreon was sold to The Westfield Group. This company also owned the nearby Westfield San Francisco Centre shopping mall.
In 2009, Sony announced it would close its Sony and PlayStation stores at Metreon. These were the last main Sony stores there. After this, the owners decided to change Metreon. They planned to make it a mall focused on restaurants. They also moved the main entrance and added a food terrace.
What You Can Find There Now
The Metreon building was redeveloped, and a large Target store opened in October 2012. Target now uses almost 100,000 square feet of space. Other businesses there include the AMC theater, which now has its own entrance. There is also a food court, a bookstore called Chronicle Books, and other food places. Some restaurants like Sanraku sushi and Buckhorn sandwich shop are still in the new food court. The movie theater has also been updated with new features like a laser projector for IMAX and Dolby Cinema with comfy recliner seats.
Fun Things to See and Do at Metreon
The Big Movie Theater: AMC Metreon 16
The AMC Metreon 16 is a large movie theater inside the Metreon. It has IMAX 3D and Dolby Cinema screens. This movie theater and Jillians, a restaurant, were the only original attractions that stayed open when Target moved in.
The Walk of Game: Honoring Video Game Heroes
The Metreon was once home to the Walk of Game. This was like the famous Walk of Fame, but for video game legends! It honored important people and games in the video game world. Some of the people honored included Shigeru Miyamoto (who created Mario) and Nolan Bushnell (who co-founded Atari). Famous games and characters like StarCraft, Super Mario, Sonic The Hedgehog, and Link from The Legend of Zelda series were also honored. Special events for the Walk of Game happened in 2005 and 2006. Since Target now takes up the second floor where it was, the Walk of Game is likely no longer there.
Tasty Food and More
Between May and November 2009, a farmers' market was held at Metreon. It was in the space where the Discovery Channel Store used to be. In October 2019, a famous Michelin-starred Tsuta ramen shop from Tokyo, Japan opened a location at Metreon. This gives visitors even more tasty food options.
