History of Orange Circle & the Orange Circle Antique Mall

Would you believe us if we told you that the Orange Circle as we know it almost didn't exist? It's true. At one point, the city of Orange was looking to remove the fountain and create a throughway through the Plaza and eliminate the traffic circle. The area was essentially a ghost town with many empty buildings.

As the locals heard about these plans, many jumped into action to save the Plaza. Thanks to the founders of the city, Mr. Chapman and Mr. Glassell, it was then realized if the fountain was ever removed from the Circle, the land would revert back to the Glassell family. The Plaza was saved due to this long forgotten clause and a few Chapman students who brought sheep to the fountain to drink from. 

Orange Circle Antique Mall was the first antique mall to open in 1980. Resident Katy Drumm had success in Newport selling American Antiques and decided to open up a new mall inspired by the huge antique warehouses she saw across Europe. The largest building available was 118 S. Glassell, owned by Smith & Ebert. After rental agreements and construction, Orange Circle Antique Mall opened it's doors in April of 1980.

Following our store, countless stores popped up around the Plaza to sell antiques. The area was revitalized! With each antique store flourishing, the life came back to the Orange Circle as the area was dubbed "Antique Capital of Southern California."

In 1987, the Takashima family purchased Orange Circle Antique Mall (OCAM) and have remained the owners ever since.

In the last 35 years, OCAM has evolved as dealers have come and gone and styles and trends have changed. We're proud to be able to serve our customers with vintage and antiques of all eras.

Photos provided by Local History Collection, Orange Public Library & History Center, Orange, CA. Copy and Reuse Restrictions.