The highly anticipated Grand Opening celebrating Anaheim GardenWalk’s completion took place on Saturday, June 14th and Sunday June 15th. Although six of the premium restaurants have been open for a brief while, the grand opening reflects the addition of major and local retail stores, a food court and a future that holds The Movie Experience 14, which will feature an IMAX and a flagship AMF Bowling venue, 300 Anaheim Bowling & Entertainment Center, with food service of its own.

When Anaheim GardenWalk opened on the 14th, there were festivities to commemorate the occasion. "With the retail stores and entertainment possibilities we will be opening, Anaheim GardenWalk is expected to provide a significant and attractive enhancement to the other excellent destinations in the Anaheim Resort District,” comments William J. Stone, Principal in charge of Development for Excel Realty Holdings, the property’s owner.

There were special Grand Opening entertainment and specials for the duration of the two-day event:

• Street performers from the local universities and colleges will animate the gardenscape with dance, music and theater
• 98.7 STAR will be holding their drawing for a brand new Mustang Convertible at Anaheim GardenWalk and the winner will be announced Sunday afternoon
• Signature, limited edition Anaheim GardenWalk Coyote EcoTote bags will be given away to the first 5,000 visitors during the grand opening who register for Club Anaheim GardenWalk
• KIIS FM Prize Wheel wth Manny on the Streets will be in the Wonder Garden on Sunday from Noon to 1:30PM
• The Body Shop will give out goody bags to the first 50 customers on Saturday with no purchase necessary. They will also give out a free gift with any $20 purchase (while supplies last).
• Ann Taylor is offering 15% off all purchases if you bring in their coupon: Click Here. The coupon is good until June 31st.
• Free Parking all weekend long

Touted as “O.C’s Hot New Place for Fashion, Food and Fun”, Anaheim GardenWalk is distinguished by vertical gardens, floating arbors and a romantic multi-sensory ambience. The official and ceremonious “Ribbon Cutting” will take place just before the center opens to the public, at 9:30 a.m. Mr. Stone of Excel Realty will emcee the event and assisting him “pruning” the GardenWalk ribbon will be Mayor Curt Pringle, City Manager Dave Morgan as well Gary Sabin, CEO of Excel Realty Holdings. Once the formalities have concluded, the public will gain admittance to Anaheim GardenWalk’s four distinct gardens and their retailers for the very first time. Parking in the multi-level structure will be free for the two day Grand Opening period. “We want the public’s first impression of Anaheim GardenWalk to be so positively indelible that they will immediately want to become regular visitors,” remarked Kelly Weesner, Director of Marketing for the property. “Later, we plan on launching our Anaheim GardenWalk loyalty card program which will reward frequent guests of the property as they shop, play and dine.”

Ultimately over 70 high end shops, 8 fine dining venues, a multiplex cinema complex, a flagship AMF bowling experience and 14 casual dining opportunities will create the essence of Anaheim GardenWalk. Additionally, two major resort hotels are planned within the property and a resort timeshare, slated to open in 2010, are planned as well. Initially, over 40 stores will welcome Anaheim GardenWalk visitors on opening day as well as the six already successful restaurants.

The Cheesecake Factory is not only the largest restaurant open now with seating for 412, it also boasts the most comprehensive menu and the “anchor” position at the corner of Katella and Clementine.

Right next door, one of California’s most inventive and wildly successful restaurants serves hungry pizza aficionados in its 162 seat eclectic environment. Started by two attorneys in 1985, California Pizza Kitchen imagined that traditional pizza could be re-invented so creatively and memorably!

As visitors turn the corner to enter Anaheim GardenWalk, they are faced with some tempting choices. Immediately adjacent to CPK is the extremely popular P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, while across the expansive patio lies Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine neighbored by McCormick & Schmick’s Grill and finally the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is “protected” by replicas of the terra cotta warriors unearthed from the tomb of China’s first emperor. Other dramatic design accents, both historic and contemporary, provide the backdrop for some of the most popular Chinese food served in the United States today.

The exuberantly American patio and façade of McCormick & Schmick’s Grill appropriately prepare guests for the lively scene inside. The air is fresh with the energy of an enthusiastic staff that obviously delights in serving patrons some of the best seafood in the country. The Anaheim GardenWalk location of McCormick and Schmick’s is an offshoot of the original opened in 1979 in picturesque Portland, Oregon.

Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine is the brainchild of world famous Chef Roy Yamaguchi and another important lynchpin in Anaheim GardenWalk’s Restaurant Row. The restaurant was initially launched in Maui, home of Yamaguchi’s grandparents after he served as executive chef for La Serene and worked with Michael McCarty. The miraculous flavors that Yamaguchi infuses crab, octopus, ono, opakapaka and other exotic fish with have become legendary.

The very first fine dining establishment to open at Anaheim GardenWalk also happens to be the first one visitors see upon exiting the adjacent parking garage. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. brings a taste of Dixie to Orange County by way of Monterey, California.

“The retail stores and entertainment opportunities at Anaheim GardenWalk will be every bit as upscale as our restaurant offerings,” concluded William Stone. “It’s exciting to see our vision to come to life. We are proud to be part of the Anaheim community and look forward to meeting our neighbors on June 14th and 15th.”

For Anaheim GardenWalks' contact information, including a map and a link to their website, please visit their easyOC listing: Anaheim GardenWalk