By Clyde Noel
 Photo by Joan Mosher/Special to the Town Crier |
Town Crier Correspondent
Shopping center paved the way for others to follow
Sunset Magazine once called Rancho Shopping Center the most beautiful shopping center in the United States from an architectural perspective. Developer/legend Christopher Wilder’s masterpiece, which officially turned 50 last Friday, is still considered a thing a rustic beauty with its wagon wheels and its small-town feel.
Located at the corner of Springer Road and Foothill Expressway, the shopping center also is still thriving - its parking lots are rarely less than full to capacity.
The neighborhood shopping center has inspired other locations, including Town & Country Shopping Center in Palo Alto.
“We feel fortunate to own the property in trust for the community,” said John Vidovich, current owner of Rancho Shopping Center and a part of De Anza Properties. “It is our intention to restore the property to its original condition and keep it a viable center with a mixture of local businesses.”
Steve Albin Picture Framing, open 31 years at the same location, is one of the oldest tenants in the center.
“Within a few years, Rancho went from a working community to an upscale tech community,” Albin said. “When Westinghouse and Lockheed came into the valley, they brought in people from all over the world and the community undertook a professional atmosphere.”
Albin said people who move to Los Altos are searching for a community to live in. His neighborhood business changed from a “mom at home with kids, to a mom who went to work.”
The Rancho Merchant’s Association has been a strong influence in maintaining the shopping center’s identity. Year-round promotions involve customers and neighbors of all ages and always begin as family promotions.
For more than 40 years, Rancho merchants give back to customers through the free annual pancake breakfast usually attended by more than 2,000 people. The Association uses the occasion as a fund-raiser for local PTAs.
At the annual Rock-Back-the-Clock event in September, the Rancho Merchant’s Association raises money for the Los Altos Festival of Lights Parade held in downtown Los Altos the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
Right after Thanksgiving, Santa’s Oak Tree House is installed at the north end of the shopping center. Santa Claus resides there and greets youngsters daily until Christmas.
Other events the Merchants Association schedules annually are the Foothill Men’s Garden Club sale and the Gem and Rock show. The summer jazz series was canceled because of lack of attendance.
Roy Jones, co-owner of Rancho Travel was president of the Merchant’s Association, but moved his business to downtown Los Altos and Marc Joseph, owner of Marc Joseph Hair Design has assumed the presidency.
“This is an honor for me because most Rancho merchants are not only colleagues, but friends,” Joseph said. “We are all small businesses with the same needs, and the more input, the better we will be.”
Joseph has operated his salon in Rancho for 34 years and is the oldest merchant in continuous operation.
“As president, we want activities that benefit the schools and the community, because that’s the tradition of Rancho,” Joseph said.
When Wilder organized Rancho he tried to include different types of stores. He started with Rancho Jewelers, Rancho Hardware, Rancho Barber Shop, Rancho Camera Shop, Rancho Cobbler & Cleaners, Rancho Video and TV and Rancho Bakery.
Many of those retail establishments still exist, but the ownership has changed over the 50 years of operation.
Hartman’s Fashions started as Judy’s then Gerald’s took over. For the last 11 years, Rose Hartman has owned the clothing store.
“We have experienced some turbulent retail periods, but you can establish a fabulous relationship in the community with your customers,” Hartman said. “I’m happy with Rancho. This type of center is a lost art. No big chains, and customers enjoy shopping here.”
Jason Fass, co-owner of FIT, said “As one of the newest merchants in Rancho, it’s great to be a part of this community family. The number of families and residents close to the center make the location very interesting to us.”
Rancho Hardware was built in 1956 after the shopping center was started. Troy Underwood purchased the property and became a member of the Merchant’s Association in 1972.
“With the new ownership, Vidovich has made the center better and stronger than ever. Once Andronico’s became the anchor, it prospered,” Underwood said.
The diversity of stores in the shopping center make it popular as a family center.
Kevin Sawyer, DDS, has maintained his dental office for years, Just For You Florists, Lappert’s Ice Cream & Coffee, Preziosi Jewelers, Papa Murphy’s Pizza Take ‘N Bake, Rancho Barber Shop, Score, Starbucks Coffee and Tanfastic Tanning Co. are some of the merchants doing business currently in Rancho Shopping Center.
“This shopping center is a diamond in the rough,” said Tom Mooney, owner of Rancho Texaco Service Station. “The people in the community are nice, and if I couldn’t be in business here, I would get out of business.”
Steve Blach, owner of Clarke’s Charcoal Broiler, is active in the association and as events roll around, he not only volunteers but frequently donates food that contributes to the success of events.
Vidovich also owns numerous shopping centers, hotels, mobile home parks and other properties in the county.
“This is one of our stellar properties and the city of Los Altos has been very good to us.” Vidovich said and we try to reciprocate. “When the city asked us to help pay for the signalization at Springer and Foothill Boulevard, we paid for the majority of the installation.”
Jeremy Liewer, in charge of promotions for Rancho, said a 50-year anniversary celebration of the center may include an exhibition of photos from Rancho’s early days at the former location of All Horizons Rancho Travel, but the idea was far from finalized as of last week.
