“Before they built the Orchard Farms Shopping Center, it was all empty fields and hills where all of the kids would gather and ride their bikes,” Class of 1977 alumna Vicki Ransom said. “It was a big part of everybody’s life.”

In September 1969, along with the accelerating urbanization of Silicon Valley, the fruit orchards at the intersection of Bollinger and Miller were transformed into a 28,000-square-foot Safeway and a 13,200-square-foot TG&Y variety store. Several satellite shops also opened, including an All American Pharmacy, Bressler’s Ice Cream, Round Table Pizza, Time Zone and Winchell’s Donuts, forming an outdoor mall. 

“As a teenage girl, All American Pharmacy was where I bought all of my makeup, hair products, hair accessories and music magazines,” Class of 1987 alumna Kristine Simoni, said. 

With its ample parking and open-air shopping environment, the Orchard Farms Shopping Center quickly became a go-to spot for many students to hang out after school. Its wide variety of stores, from Safeway to a local pharmacy to small eateries, caught the interest of many teens in the West San José community. For decades, students have taken up part-time jobs at Orchard Farms, like Ransom who was hired at TG&Y during the fall of her senior year and worked there until the spring of 1978.

“TG&Y was the first job I ever had,” Ransom said. “I was assigned to restock merchandise, operate the cash register and on fortunate days, I was in the fabric department.”

In the early 1980s, construction at Orchard Farms began, with the left-hand side of Safeway experiencing a slight expansion. By 1991, all of the shops at Orchard Farms were demolished except for Safeway, which was renovated to match the new infrastructure. The new plaza was co-anchored by a Pay Less Drug store, with stores forming an L-shaped strip mall. 

“Back then, we didn’t have to drive far to get anything,” Simoni said. “It was all about convenience; anything you needed you could find at Orchard Farms.”

Orchard Farms Center continues to cater to its new generation of shoppers by opening new restaurants and trendy cafes, gaining popularity among both students and families. Safeway still thrives at Orchard Farms Shopping Center, surrounded by a row of more recent additions like Grand Dynasty, a cozy dim sum restaurant; Shang Cafe, an authentic Sichuan restaurant; and the newly opened Phin Cafe, a Vietnamese coffee and sandwich shop.

“Before sleepovers, I’ve always gone to Safeway with my best friends to get ingredients for baking,” senior Anoushka Chakravarty said. “Also, on the last day of freshmen and sophomore year, we’d always go. It was like a ritual for every student to stop by with their friends.”

For many Lynbrook and Miller students, stopping by Orchard Farms has become a part of their after-school routines, drawn by its convenience and close proximity. Stores like Cicero’s Pizza and Tea Top, a Taiwanese milk tea and boba store, have become fan favorites.

“Tea Top is really affordable compared to other milk tea places and offers authentic flavors,” senior Kate Dufor said. “I love getting my go-to passion fruit green tea medley with friends after a long school day.”

For shop owners at Orchard Farms, it is a place where they can socialize and connect with members of the West San José community as well as other businesses at the plaza. Dave Piet, the store manager of the Safeway at Orchard Farms, recalls a memorable moment while working during COVID-19. A father and son, who were regular customers at Safeway, gifted Piet a clay tile as a token of appreciation for keeping the shelves stocked and customers safe during the pandemic. 

“As neighbors of Calabazas Bikes and the old wine rack, it’s been great getting to know and growing up with the owners of those businesses and the workers that work there,” Cicero’s Pizza manager Charlie Laverdi said. 

While the plaza has changed and evolved, Orchard Farms Shopping Center continues to stand as a hallmark of the West San José community where people gather to enjoy different shops and restaurants. To its local residents, Orchard Farms is more than just a collection of stores: it’s a place where memories and friendships are built, and bonds are formed between students, families and local businesses.