South Coast Plaza’s 50th Anniversary book celebrates and commemorates the 50th-anniversary of the West Coast’s top and largest shopping destination. Released in November 2017, the book details how Henry Segerstrom, his family and widow, Elizabeth Segerstrom, brought their vision to life.

Starting with the humble beginnings of the Segerstrom family as lima bean farmers, author Kedric Francis walks the audience through the transformation of the center into a symbol of luxury and a landmark for the arts throughout Orange County.

With a desire for South Coast Plaza to be more than just a retail center, the Segerstrom’s went on to expand the plaza to include the South Coast Repertory, The Segerstrom Center for the Arts and the future Orange County Museum of Art, coming in 2021. According to publishing house Assouline, the Segerstrom’s philanthropic involvement was “pivotal in creating a cosmopolitan center for culture and arts for the county”.
Carrying on her late husbands’ passion for the arts, Elizabeth continues to be the co-managing partner at South Coast Plaza, a philanthropist and a major figure in the performing arts realm in Orange County, CA.

South Coast Plaza’s 50th Anniversary book celebrates and commemorates the 50th-anniversary of the shopping mall, and details the evolution of a lima bean farm becoming the top and largest shopping destination on the West Coast. Released in November 2017, the book explains how Henry Segerstrom, his family, and widow, Elizabeth Segerstrom, brought their vision to life. The book features more than 100 illustrations, tracing the history and transformation of the space into the incredible luxury and shopping landmark it is today.

Starting with the humble beginnings of the Segerstrom family as lima bean farmers, author Kedric Francis walks the audience through the transformation of the farm into a symbol of luxury and a landmark for the arts throughout Orange County.

The book explains how 50 years later, South Coast Plaza is a mecca for top-performing international retailers, including Baccarat, Chanel, Gucci, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Nordstroms, Prada, Valentino, and more, attracting more than 20 million people to the mall every year who collectively spend almost $2 billion.

The story also tells how the Segerstrom family had a strong interest in the performing arts and a desire for South Coast Plaza to be more than just a retail center. The book explains how the Segerstrom’s went on to expand the plaza to include the South Coast Repertory, The Segerstrom Center for the Arts and the future Orange County Museum of Art, coming in 2021. According to publishing house Assouline, the Segerstrom’s philanthropic involvement was “pivotal in creating a cosmopolitan center for culture and arts for Orange County”.

Carrying on her late husbands’ passion for the arts, Elizabeth Segerstrom continues to be the co-managing partner at South Coast Plaza, a philanthropist, and a major figure in the performing arts realm in Orange County, CA.

About Elizabeth Segerstrom:

Elizabeth Segerstrom is a co-managing partner at South Coast Plaza, the renowned international shopping and dining destination in Costa Mesa, California. Her philanthropic leadership has made an enormous impact on the cultural climate of Southern California. Elizabeth shared her passion for the arts with her late husband, Henry T. Segerstrom, and continues to uphold his profound legacy in the arts institutions in which he was involved, including Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where she sits on the board of directors. Most recently, Elizabeth Segerstrom Honored at Colburn Gala.