Anaheim’s GardenWalk now boasts an AMC theater, new shops and more food options
A little more than six months after a new owner took over GardenWalk, a high-end AMC movie theater has become one of the latest tenants expected to increase business at the Anaheim mall a stone’s throw from Disneyland.
The mall has struggled to find its footing over the years, going through a bankruptcy and three different owners since opening in 2008. But STC Management, the Whittier-based company that took over the mall in December, has aggressively pursued new tenants to fill store spaces and to rebrand GardenWalk as a destination for entertainment and dining, rather than just shopping.
With recently signed leases, the mall’s occupancy is now around 96 percent, STC Management CEO John Hsu said. It’s a big jump from the 67 percent reported 18 months ago by the real estate firm that brokered the recent sale.
“Now the challenge is getting them open,” Hsu said – and that challenge should keep him busy well into next year.
The movie theater opened in late June and joins the growing number that offer online tickets, reserved seating, plush recliners and up-to-date sound systems. It also plans to add a full menu including flavored popcorn, hot dogs with specialty toppings, flatbread pizzas and alcoholic beverages for adults.
An existing escape room has doubled its size, and recently opened businesses include Dara Beauty, which offers jewelry, costumes and Disney-style makeovers; and several coffee and tea vendors. Hsu said upscale Mexican grill Casa de Pancho will open this month, breakfast and lunch restaurant Huckleberry’s should be in business by fall, and an open-air beer garden with food kiosks is coming in early 2020.
More entertainment is in the works too, Hsu said, including an arcade, a flight simulator and a year-round haunted house. Next month the mall will start hosting outdoor movie nights and salsa dancing lessons in the courtyard, September will bring a multicultural festival, and in October mall management will throw a grand reopening celebration and a tenant and customer appreciation event.
The new businesses and other changes such as more plants and new lighting have already won favorable feedback and positive online reviews, he said.
Ultimately, he’s hoping to build GardenWalk’s customer base to include Southern California residents as well as visitors headed to Disneyland or local conventions who “want to unwind, they want to relax, they’re seeking adventures,” he said.