Before same-day delivery and shopping online from the couch, a trip to Arden Fair Mall used to mean a stop at long-gone stores like KB Toys, a glance into the Warner Bros. Studio Store, or a walk through the Disney Store’s brightly lit aisles.
Those nostalgic stops, and many others that no longer exist, are the focus of Sacramento Rewind, a temporary exhibit at Arden Fair that blends historic photographs, vintage clothing, and original shopping bags to tell the story of Sacramento’s retail history.
The exhibit is led by photographer Zaved Khan, a Sacramento native who began documenting the city’s changing landscape during the COVID-19 pandemic after he stepped away from wedding photography.
“I started losing my creativity,” Khan said. “COVID hit, and I was like, ‘This is the perfect time to execute this idea that I had for many years.'”
Zaved Khan points toward photographs from his Sacramento Rewind exhibit at Arden Fair Mall in Sacramento, Calif., on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. The exhibit pairs historic images of Sacramento landmarks and retailers with present-day locations.Tony Rodriguez/CapRadio
Khan’s project took off after one of his early photo comparisons, in which he held up an old photo showing the now-demolished Arco Arena and the Golden 1 Center in downtown.
“That was the image that basically just took off,” Khan said. “It inspired me to continue to keep going.”
As interest grew, Khan began receiving donated images from personal photo albums and collaborating with the Center for Sacramento History and the Sacramento Public Library.
“A lot of these buildings and stores were just part of everyday life,” Khan said. “And then one day, they were gone.”
A photograph showing the former Century Theater in Sacramento on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. The dome-style theaters were later demolished and replaced with a modern design.Tony Rodriguez/CapRadio
Many of those images are now on display on the exhibit walls, highlighting former Arden area staples like KB Toys, Toys “R” Us, Virgin Megastore and Century Theater’s dome-shaped buildings.
To bring the photos to life, Khan partnered with Sarah Mejia, owner of the vintage clothing business Button & Zip, who curated mannequins dressed in period-accurate outfits that could have been purchased at the mall.
“I really think fashion and photography spark the same feelings,” Mejia said. “You see a photo and it takes you back to that time, but that vintage outfit can do the same thing.”
Sarah Mejia adjusts a vintage KB Toys shopping bag on a mannequin inside the Sacramento Rewind exhibit at Arden Fair Mall on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025.Tony Rodriguez/CapRadio
One display features Hello Kitty overalls paired with a KB Toys shopping bag and accessories from Libby Lu, while others highlight the Disney Store and the Sacramento Kings.
“The Disney Store is so iconic,” Mejia said. “It doesn’t matter who you are, you remember going to the Disney Store.”
Tracking down the accessories proved to be a challenge of its own. Mejia sourced bags on eBay from former mall stores.
“Every bag I hunted down,” Mejia said. “And it’s harder than you think.”
Photographer Carlos Gonzalez, who visited the exhibit, said that stores and commercial spaces can be easily taken for granted. He says the exhibit captures spaces that once felt permanent.
“You kind of don’t appreciate it until it’s gone,” Gonzalez said. “You see it all the time, and then one day you’re like, ‘What happened to that?’”
Gonzalez said the exhibit shows how ordinary places can hold long-lasting meaning.
“They’re just buildings,” he said. “But all these buildings have memories in them.”
The exhibit is free and open daily during mall hours; it’s located next to the See’s Candy store on the first floor. It is scheduled to remain on display through early January. Khan said his goal remains simple.
“My whole focus is 100 percent positivity,” he said.
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