The Shops At Mission Viejo

If you're home-schooling your children in the Capistrano Unified School District area, there's an upscale Orange County mall that wants to be your friend. Giving new meaning to the phrase "one-stop shopping," patrons of the Shops at Mission Viejo will soon be able to outfit themselves at a mega-chain clothing store, grab a gourmet snack, and attend a math workshop, all in one trip.

If you're home-schooling your children in the Capistrano Unified School District area, there's an upscale Orange County mall that wants to be your friend. Giving new meaning to the phrase "one-stop shopping," patrons of the Shops at Mission Viejo will soon be able to outfit themselves at a mega-chain clothing store, grab a gourmet snack, and attend a math workshop, all in one trip.

The Mission Viejo Mall, sporting a new name, new upscale anchor stores and a flock of other new tenants, officially launched its bid Friday to become the major destination for well-heeled South County shoppers. The newly renovated mall, re-christened The Shops at Mission Viejo, is bigger, brighter and more exclusive than its dowdy predecessor. At 1.2 million square feet, it is 45% larger. Sixty-two skylights have been added to bathe the interior in natural light.

The Mission Viejo Mall, sporting a new name, new upscale anchor stores and a flock of other new tenants, officially launched its bid Friday to become the major destination for well-heeled South County shoppers. The newly renovated mall, re-christened The Shops at Mission Viejo, is bigger, brighter and more exclusive than its dowdy predecessor. At 1.2 million square feet, it is 45% larger. Sixty-two skylights have been added to bathe the interior in natural light.

Book lovers across Southern California lined up for bargains at Borders bookstores as the nation's second-largest bookseller began a massive going-out-of-business sale. When workers opened the doors in El Segundo and rolled out shelves stocked with colorful, discounted books, a waiting crowd Friday made its way into the sprawling superstore, hungry for bargains. What they found as they worked their way through the 22,000-square-foot store were signs proclaiming, "Nothing held back!"

Ron Rodecker, the creator of the PBS children's series "Dragon Tales," will appear at the Store of Knowledge in the Shops at Mission Viejo from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday. Rodecker will meet with fans and create personalized illustrations of dragons for visitors to take home. Information: (949) 347-1474.

The former Mission Viejo Mall will celebrate its new incarnation as the Shops at Mission Viejo with a grand opening event today from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. U.S. women's soccer team member Julie Foudy will sign autographs after a ribbon-cutting and opening ceremony to mark the mall's $150-million renovation and expansion. More than 100 new stores have joined the mall, which is off Interstate 5 at the Crown Valley Parkway exit.