Plaza Mexico is the largest Mexican themed mall in the US located at 3100 E Imperial Highway in Lynwood, Los Angeles, California 90262. It was originally built in 1972 as a Montgomery Ward shopping center. In March 1986 Montgomery Ward closed because they were losing money. The city of Lynwood offered them financing to stay but they still closed. Montgomery Ward allegedly gave the property to the city of Lynwood. The city of Lynwood also owned the large vacant property next door which they wanted to redevelop into a shopping center.
The property became a clearance center store after Montgomery Ward's closure. Later part of Montgomery Ward was demolished. By 1990 it was reopened by the City of Lynwood as the Lynwood Marketplace. It was then 100 shops in two stories with allegedly 800,000 sf per an LA Times article.
Starting around 2001 Korean immigrant brothers Min and Donald Chae began to turn it into the Plaza Mexico that we know today. The project reopened in 2002 after a $55,000,000 renovation. Per a 2005 LA Times article Lynwood Plaza Mexico replicated a traditional Mexican downtown. The plaza resembles Monte Albam, the ancient Indian ruins in Oaxaca. The shops have bold colors of typical provincial towns. There is a shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe which I believe became the chapel. The Plaza clock tower replicates the facade of the government palace in Guadalajara. Stones and lamps were imported from Mexico. Tiles on the plaza contain occasional figures from the loteria game. The Governor of the state of Nayarit donated a statue in honor of Mexican mothers. Plaza México has replicas of the Angel of Independence of México City and the kiosk of the Zócalo of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. A kiosk is an open-air structures with a raised platform enclosed by a simple hand-railing, and then covered with a roof to provide shade.
Chae stated he tried to make the Plaza into a Mexican "China Town." He hired Luis Felipe Nieto an archeologist and restoration expert from San Miguel Allender, Guanajuato, to advise him on Mexican designs and colors. Nieto passed away in 2024. Jon Jerde was the architect. Jerde was the architect for theme malls including Universal City Walk, Bellagio and the Wynn hotel. He passed away in 2015.
"Plaza Mexico is an iteration of a Jerde-influenced commercial center. This heavily Mexico-inspired outdoor shopping center, reaches for one of Jerde's most central placemaking ideals; to create authentic social engagement within a constructed, highly curated environment. Plaza Mexico's developer, M & D Regional Center LLC, two Korean brothers named Min and Donald Chae, attempted to build a culturally relevant, themed shopping center that would attract visitors and shoppers."
The Covid lockdown proved devastating to the destination theme mall. In 2021 Donald Chae's Plaza Mexico mall filed for bankruptcy right before a foreclosure sale. Property was sold in bankruptcy in 2022 for $164,000,000 to the Sterling Organization who owns it today.
Today Plaza Mexico hosts many Mexican and Latino events including El Grito de la Independencia, El dia 12 de Deciembre, Mexican Independence day, Dia de Muertos, Cinco de Mayo and more. Mexican politicians and the Consul General of Mexico of Los Angeles have frequent events at the mall.
Physical description: APN 6171-001-054 Legal description MODJESKA PARK VAC STS, BLK 15, 18 AND POR OF BLK 16. Three buildings. Two were built 1972 and the third was built 2002. 475,209 sf lot. 248,925 sf improvements. It's currently owned by Svap III Plaza Mexico LLC out of Florida. Property last sold in 2022 for $164,000,000.
Must sees at the mall.
The main entrance and clock tower 33.92907608122274, -118.21479515463186
Fountain of Independence 33.929250716415645, -118.21448617989691
Kiosk 33.92842989880324, -118.2135573785178
Aztec sun calendar stone 33.92861835984562, -118.21352842649486
Pancho Villa statue and a few other statues at the front of the clock tower entrance
Chapel de la Virgin de Guadalupe
Olmec head replica next to Planet Fitness
Quetzalcoatl fountain
China Poblana statue of a woman just as you enter the main entrance
Eat at one of the restaurants on the second level on the terrace. Don't eat at the food court unless you just want cheap lower quality food in a very loud gaming environment. Be sure to explore the outdoor mall area with the kiosk, fountains, Olmec head, chapel and Aztec stone. Don't just visit the large indoor mall building.
Other articles
LA Times "Non Latinos Mine Southland's Mexican Markets" December 2025
Print Magazine https://www.printmag.com/design-destinations/l-a-s-plaza-mexico-is-not-just-a-mall-but-a-city-within-a-city/
New York Times Magazine https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/01/magazine/latino-mall-los-angeles.html
The old Montgomery Ward in 1986.
Photos taken by Mary Cummins the author 09/30/2025.
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| Replica of a famous China Poblana statue. The words state "Tenias que ser poblana, china mia, para llevar a Mexico en tu gracia, tienese, como la ardiente tapatia (women from Guadalajara), ojos de fuego y cabellera lacia." English: "You had to be from Puebla, my China, to bring Mexico into your grace. You have, like the fiery Tapatia, fiery eyes and straight hair." |
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| Replica of a Mexican palace facade and clock tower |
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| Olmec head, reproduction |
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| Sign on back of Aztec sun calendar stone. Text: "Gobierno del Estado de Mexico. EDOMEX Decisiones Firmes. Resultadors Fuertes. Siendo, Gobernador Constitucional del Estado de Mexico. El Lic. Alfredo del Mazo Maza, se entrego el calendario Azteca o piedra del Sol, Replica elaborada a mano por artesanos de Chimalhuacan, Estado de Mexico, para la Plaza Mexico en Lynwood, California, EUA. Diciembre de 2018." Translated: | Government of the State of Mexico. EDOMEX Firm Decisions. Strong Results. As Constitutional Governor of the State of Mexico, Mr. Alfredo del Mazo Maza, presented the Aztec calendar or Sun Stone, a replica handcrafted by artisans from Chimalhuacan, State of Mexico, for the Plaza Mexico in Lynwood, California, USA. December 2018. |
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| Aztec sun calendar stone |
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| Kiosk |
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| Underside of roof of kiosk |
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| Dedication of la China Poblana statue on the back of the statue. Text: "China Poblana. Pedazo de Tierra Tradicion y Corazon de Puebla. Inaugurado por el: Lic Mario Marin Torres Gobernador de Puebla. Donado por: Ruben Gil Campos. Proyecto: Lice .... y elaborado por: Dr German Gutierrez. Casa Celia Talavera DO4, NOM 132 CRTAL 30 abril 2005." Translated: Piece of Land, Tradition and Heart of Puebla. Dedicated by the licensed attorney and former Governor of Puebla. |
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| Virgin de Guadalupe altar in the chapel |
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| Outside of the chapel |
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| Kiosk |
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| Angel of Independence |
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| Facade and clock tower of Mexican government palace |
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Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate is a certified residential licensed appraiser in Los Angeles, California. Mary Cummins is licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate appraisers and has over 42 years of experience.
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