If you’ve lived in Davis for more than five minutes, you know the corner of Russell and Anderson. It’s a strange spot. For decades, University Mall Davis CA—or "U-Mall" to anyone trying to save a syllable—was basically a glorified parking lot with a grocery store and a handful of student-focused shops. It wasn't exactly a destination. You went there because you needed a cheap sandwich or a notebook, not because you wanted to "hang out."
But things have changed. Drastically.
If you haven't been by recently, you might not even recognize it. The old, sprawling, single-story layout is being swallowed by something much denser and more ambitious. It’s a massive shift. We’re talking about the transition from a 1960s-era suburban strip mall to a massive mixed-use hub known as The Davis Collection. This isn't just a face-lift. It’s a total identity crisis for one of the most visible corners in the city.
Why the old University Mall Davis CA had to go
Let’s be honest. The old mall was tired.
The stucco was peeling, and the layout was incredibly inefficient for a town where space is at a premium. Built back in the mid-60s, it served a purpose when Davis was a smaller, sleepier college town. You had the Grad, a legendary bar where many a student spent their Tuesday nights. You had a Trader Joe's that was notoriously cramped. It was cozy, sure, but it was also a mess.
The reality of 21st-century retail hit hard. You can't just have a giant asphalt lot sitting right across from a world-class university like UC Davis anymore. The city needed housing. The university needed proximity. The developers saw a goldmine.
Brixmor Property Group, the folks who own the site, realized that the highest and best use of this land wasn't just selling burritos and boba. It was about sticking apartments on top of those businesses. This is the "Main Street" model that’s taking over every college town in America, and Davis finally succumbed to the trend.
The Trader Joe's factor
It's impossible to talk about University Mall Davis CA without mentioning the Great Trader Joe’s Migration. For years, that TJ’s was the heart of the mall. It was also a nightmare. The aisles were too narrow, the checkout lines snaked into the frozen food section, and the parking lot was essentially a demolition derby.
When the redevelopment plans were solidified, the biggest question on everyone's mind wasn't about the new apartments. It was: "Where is the peanut butter going?"
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The move to the E. Covell Blvd location was a massive blow to the mall's foot traffic. Suddenly, the primary reason for non-students to visit the U-Mall vanished. This created a bit of a "ghost mall" vibe during the transition period, where only the most loyal patrons of places like Fluffy Donuts or Old Teahouse kept the lights on.
What's actually happening at The Davis Collection?
The redevelopment project is massive. It’s a $100 million+ investment that effectively levels the old site to build something called "The Davis Collection."
Here’s the breakdown of what is actually being built right now. They aren't just replacing the stores. They are building a four-story complex that includes:
- Student Housing: We’re looking at roughly 500 to 600 beds. This is huge for a city with a perennial housing crisis.
- Retail Space: About 90,000 square feet of revamped commercial space on the ground floor.
- Public Plazas: They’re promising "gathering spaces," which in developer-speak means benches and maybe a fountain where people can sit with their laptops.
The goal is density. Instead of a flat mall, you get a vertical neighborhood.
Honestly, it’s a polarizing move. Long-time residents hate the "monolith" look of the new architecture. They feel like Davis is losing its small-town charm. Meanwhile, students are just happy there might be a place to live that isn't a thirty-minute bike ride from campus.
The survivors and the newcomers
What’s interesting is who stayed. Fluffy Donuts—a literal institution in Davis—managed to stick around through a lot of the upheaval. It’s one of those rare spots that bridges the gap between the "Old Davis" and whatever this new version is.
But the new University Mall Davis CA is leaning heavily into the "lifestyle" brand. Expect more high-end fast-casual dining. Think CAVA or Shake Shack vibes, though the exact tenant list fluctuates as construction reaches the finish line. They want businesses that can survive on student spending money but also attract residents from the surrounding neighborhoods.
The controversy of redevelopment
You can't change a landmark in Davis without a fight. It’s just not the way this town works.
The approval process for the new University Mall project was a saga of city council meetings, environmental impact reports, and neighborhood complaints. The main gripes? Traffic and height.
Russell Boulevard is already a bottleneck. Adding several hundred residents and a high-density shopping center is, predictably, going to make that worse. There were also major concerns about the "character" of the neighborhood. The old mall was low-slung and largely hidden by trees. The new structure is bold. It looms.
But the city's hands were somewhat tied. California has strict housing mandates (RHNA), and Davis has been under fire for years for not building enough. This project was a "kill two birds with one stone" situation. It provides housing and refreshes a decaying tax base.
What about the "Grad"?
Losing The Grad was a punch in the gut for alumni. It wasn't just a bar; it was a community center. It had line dancing. It had cheap beer. It had a patio that felt like a backyard.
When the news hit that it wouldn't be part of the new University Mall Davis CA footprint, it felt like the end of an era. And it was. The new development doesn't really have space for a sprawling, messy, loud dive bar. It’s designed for clean lines and high rents. It’s a bit of a bummer, honestly. You can't replace soul with new siding.
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Navigating the construction zone
If you’re planning to visit the area today, bring your patience. The site is a jigsaw puzzle of orange cones and temporary fencing.
Parking, which was already bad, is now a creative exercise. You’ll likely have to park across the street or find a spot in the residential neighborhoods nearby—though be careful with the permit zones, because the Davis meter maids are legendary for their efficiency.
Current access to the remaining businesses is often through side entrances or temporary walkways. It’s not pretty. It’s noisy. But the progress is visible. The framing for the upper floors is mostly up, and you can finally see the scale of the thing.
The future of retail in Davis
Is this the future for the rest of the city? Probably.
Look at what’s happening downtown or at the Nishi site. The days of the sprawling, single-use commercial center are over. Land is too expensive. The climate impact of sprawl is too high.
The new University Mall Davis CA is a test case. If it succeeds—if the apartments fill up and the retail stays occupied—it will be the blueprint for every other aging shopping center in Yolo County. We’re likely to see similar transformations at the Marketplace or even the South Davis centers in the next decade.
Realities of the student market
One thing people forget is that students are fickle. They want convenience above all else.
The genius of this location is that it's literally across the street from the ARC and the north side of campus. You don't even need a bike to get to class. That alone guarantees that the residential side of the project will never have a vacancy.
The retail side is more of a gamble. Davis has seen plenty of businesses come and go. If the shops in the new "Collection" are too expensive, students will just keep going to Safeway or ordering everything on the internet. The developers need to find that sweet spot between "cool enough for Instagram" and "cheap enough for a 19-year-old on a budget."
Actionable steps for locals and visitors
If you’re trying to make sense of the new University Mall Davis CA, here is how you should handle it:
- Check the temporary entrances: Don't rely on your GPS to find the door to your favorite shop. Many businesses have moved their main entry points to the back or side during construction. Look for the handwritten signs; they’re usually more accurate than Google Maps right now.
- Embrace the bike: Seriously. Don't even try to drive there during peak hours (11:00 AM to 2:00 PM). Use the bike path along Russell Blvd. There’s plenty of temporary bike parking, and it’ll save you ten minutes of circling the block.
- Support the "bridge" businesses: The shops that stayed through the construction are the ones that need your business the most. They’ve dealt with the dust, the noise, and the lack of parking for months. If you want Fluffy Donuts to still be there when the project is done, go buy a dozen now.
- Watch the leasing office: If you’re a student looking for housing for the next academic year, start stalking their website early. These units are going to go fast because of the proximity to the UC Davis campus.
- Plan your grocery runs: Remember that the Trader Joe's is not coming back to this spot. If you’re used to the old routine, you need to head over to the Oakshade Town Center or the Covell location. Don't waste your time looking for it in the new development.
The transition of University Mall Davis CA into The Davis Collection is a messy, loud, and necessary evolution. It’s the sound of a city growing up, whether everyone likes the noise or not. Keep an eye on the signage—new tenants are being announced every few months, and the grand opening is creeping closer. It won't be the U-Mall you remember, but for the next generation of Aggies, it’ll be the only one they know.