Valley Gurl Series: How the Valley Has Changed - And What It Was Like Growing Up

So, what was it like growing up in the Valley, you may ask?

Honestly, it was nice. Most of the time it was pleasant, and I can’t complain about it one bit if I’m being completely honest. I’ve been here for three decades now, and I don’t see myself leaving anytime soon.

Growing up in the Valley meant a lot of simple moments that turned into core memories.

When I was younger, I spent a lot of time hanging out at the Northridge Fashion Center. From about 7th grade until I graduated high school, that mall was basically the hangout spot. My friends and I would meet there all the time. We’d see movies, grab food at the food court, sit around in groups talking for hours, and of course take photos together. It was one of those places where you could spend an entire afternoon and never feel bored.

I also went to the Winnetka Pacific Theatres a lot with my family and friends. That theater holds a lot of memories for me. Unfortunately, after the pandemic, it never really came back. The building is still physically there, but other things have taken over the space. It’s strange seeing places you grew up going to slowly disappear or transform into something completely different.

Most of my high school years were spent in Granada Hills since my school was right there. My friends and I had our little routine. Fridays usually meant stopping by Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt or Starbucks after school. It sounds simple, but those moments were some of the best times. Just laughing, hanging out, and enjoying the start of the weekend.

Every once in a while, I would also venture out to the west side of the Valley and visit the Westfield Topanga and the Westfield Promenade. When I started college, I found myself in that area more often, so those places slowly became part of my routine too.

Over time, I started favoring Topanga a bit more than Northridge. In my opinion, the Topanga mall has gone through a lot of updates and changes over the years. One of the biggest additions was The Village at Westfield Topanga, which opened in 2016 and completely transformed the area. It made the whole shopping experience feel more modern and more like a destination rather than just a mall.

Another big Valley memory for me is the Promenade in Woodland Hills. Back then it had an AMC theater, Ruby’s Diner, a food court, and a bunch of small shops that made it feel lively and fun.

I say had because right now the Promenade is officially being torn down as part of the future development connected to the Los Angeles Rams headquarters area. The only place still standing nearby is P.F. Chang’s. As of now, it’s still unclear whether they’ll build around it or eventually remove it as well.

Unfortunately, other longtime spots disappeared too. Maggiano’s Little Italy, Corner Bakery Cafe, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House were all part of that area for years. Ruth’s Chris relocated nearby, but the others are gone for now.

The Promenade was such a great place to meet up with friends, watch movies, or just relax and grab dinner. I watched movies there all the time with my grandma, my friends, and my fiancé. One memory that really stands out was seeing The Avengers there in 2012 with a huge group of my high school friends. Years later, Brandon and I went back to see Avengers: Endgame together.

Funny enough, we saw Endgame at three different theaters — first at the Fallbrook AMC, then at the Promenade AMC, and finally at Northridge when it was still Pacific Theatres (which is now AMC). It’s funny how one movie can end up connecting so many memories across different places.

Another Valley spot that has slowly been changing over time is The Commons at Calabasas. The area still has its charm, but some things have changed. The movie theater there was unfortunately torn down, along with places like Fresh Brothers Pizza. Like many other shopping areas such as The Grove and Americana at Brand, they’re adding apartments and redeveloping parts of the space.

One place everyone seems grateful is still there Barnes & Noble. That place is such a chill spot to hang out, read physical books, and grab coffee. It’s one of those places that still feels peaceful in a world that’s constantly changing.

The Commons also holds personal memories for me. I used to go there occasionally with my parents and grandparents growing up. But it also became special for another reason — it’s where Brandon and I had our very first official date back in March of 2015. We spent the entire day there.

Even now, we still hang out there sometimes. It’s funny how life comes full circle because today both Brandon and I work around that same area.

The Commons still has its turtles, some longtime restaurants, and the atmosphere that made it special in the first place. It may be evolving like everything else, but parts of it still feel familiar.

So much has changed around the Valley over the years, and these are just a few of the places that come to mind. There are many more locations and stories that I’ll get into as this series continues.

The Valley is truly a unique character of a place.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:

The Valley is part of LA — but it’s also its own thing.