Longtime Ocean Beach Antique Mall Closes Its Doors

Ocean Beach’s mega-antique mall, which was a bit of an antique itself, closed its doors Sunday.

The mall has been a fixture of Newport Avenue for several decades, and the news that a Target would be moving in sparked anti-corporation protest in the beach community last year.

"It is sad to see it go,” said shopper Jake Zamzow the day before the mall closed its doors. “I don't think a lot of people want a Target to come in, but I understand the owner's need to retire and not a lot of people have a lot of money to shell out and turn it into anything else.”

Shoppers crowded the antique store to take advantage of discounts and grab those last-minute treasures.

“I have not seen this many people in there ever since I have been coming to this store,” Zamzow said. “I guess that's good. Go out with a bang!”

“It was a great place to grab a cup of coffee, walk around and reminisce, pretend like you are in grandma's house,” shopper Marissa Boatin said.

The landscape of Newport Avenue and Ocean Beach may be changing with the times, but the appreciation for the “good old days” still remains.

"There's a lot of folks that wander in here for memories," Anne Brooks who worked at the mall told NBC 7. "There's never going to be another one like it." 

NBC 7 reported in July the owners of the building entered into a lease agreement with Target. 

Tony Franco of The Franco Realty Group told NBC 7 the owners reached out to several companies but Target was the only group to show interest in the property.

According to Target's corporate website, the only new location opening up in San Diego is the one at 3029 University Avenue near Ray Street in North Park.

On Monday, Jacqueline DeBuse with Target confirmed the company plans to start early-stage construction this spring at the Newport Avenue site but added it's one of the "many steps in our process for potential new stores." 

"I don’t yet have any timing to share about a confirmed store opening, but we are excited by the possibility of serving guests in the Ocean Beach community," DeBuse said.