General Information
NFT Map: 51
Address: 100 West Broadway, Suite 700 Glendale, California 91210
Phone: 818-246-6737
Website: www.glendalegalleria.com
Shopping
In the giant game of mall Tetris, Glendale Galleria is the “L”: not only because of its shape, but also because it’s simultaneously the most annoying and rewarding piece of the puzzle. It’s the mall that locals love to hate—for all of its faults, you simply can’t find a more comprehensive or utilitarian shopping experience. The mall is anchored by the usual stalwarts: Macy’s, JCPenney, Target, and Nordstrom. Coach, Swarovski, and the Apple store represent the high end at this otherwise middle-class temple of mass consumerism. You’ll find typical mall fare like Hot Topic and Foot Locker mixed in with boutique-type stores. The Galleria has an impressive selection of dedicated children’s stores including Janie & Jack, Naartjie, and the ubiquitous Gap Kids. Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe are the standard go-to for trendy Valley girls while their mothers can stock up on chi-chi cosmetics at Sephora, MAC, and Aveda. A motley crew of kiosks finishes off the retail landscape, peddling everything from “miracle” face creams to rhinestone-encrusted belt buckles.
Food
The Galleria’s main food court is on the second level, but you can often smell it from the third. The smoke from Massis International Grill is mainly responsible—the popular kabob shop serves up steak, lamb chops, and Cornish game hen along with a selection of Armenian and American beers. You’ll find everything you’d expect in a food court, including Panda Express, Cinnabon, La Salsa, and Hot Dog on a Stick. The third level has its own selection of fast-food restaurants.
Drawbacks
If malls aren’t your thing, the Galleria probably won’t change your mind: on a bad day, it can be a long, echoing chamber of crying babies and shrieking teenagers. The place is also short on elevators and escalators, meaning you may end up walking the length of a football field just to change floors. On the weekends, you run the risk of being swept up in the herds of stroller-pushers, young lovers, and junior high cliques that roam the mall’s narrow corridors. Of course—to some hard-core shoppers—this is all just part of the fun.
How to Get There
From the 5 in either direction, exit Colorado and take Colorado east about a mile and a half. The entrance to the mall parking lot is at a light on the left a hundred or so yards before you get to the intersection at Central. From the 134 in either direction, exit Central/Brand Boulevard and head south on Brand about a mile and a half. Turn right on Broadway, and head west an eighth of a mile. The entrance to the mall parking lot is at a light on the left about a hundred or so yards after Central. Look for the “Galleria” sign. For Nordstrom’s valet service, enter the smaller parking lot on the east side of Central, just south of Broadway. The Buses to Glendale Galleria are Glendale Beeline 1/2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, Metro Bus 92, 180, 181, 183, 210, 603 and Metro Rapid 780