The Tesla showroom at Westfield UTC in La Jolla has gone dark, and it did so without much fanfare. A simple “we have moved” note is taped to the doors, the display cars are gone from the space near Sephora and J.Crew, and several nearby Palm Plaza storefronts now sit empty. OluKai, the footwear shop that opened across from the Palm Plaza Starbucks in October 2024, has also closed its doors, adding to the sense that a broader shuffle is underway at the University City mall.
According to FOX 5 San Diego, the handwritten Tesla sign is the only official notice posted at the location so far. Mall representatives did not immediately respond with details on the closures, and the station reported it had no confirmation from Tesla about the showroom’s future. FOX 5 framed the Tesla exit and OluKai’s brief tenure as part of a small cluster of vacancies that has emerged in Palm Plaza.
Where Tesla Customers Can Go
Tesla’s online store locator now sends San Diego shoppers to other county locations instead of a UTC mall space. The company lists a San Diego‑Miramar service center at 9250 Trade Place and a separate Encinitas showroom at 1302 Encinitas Blvd. Both sites remain available for test drives and service appointments, and Tesla’s website has the most current hours and booking options for anyone trying to line up a visit.
Expansion Is Reshaping UTC
Behind the scenes, UTC is in the middle of a major makeover. Westfield describes the current work as nearly 70,000 square feet of new development that will turn the former Nordstrom footprint into a luxury wing packed with high‑end boutiques and restaurants, a clear bid to sharpen the mall’s profile as a designer destination. According to Westfield, the project began in 2024 and is scheduled to roll out in phases through early 2026, which appears to be driving some turnover among existing tenants.
FOX 5 reported that neither Tesla nor mall operators had more to share about the UTC showroom’s fate at the time of its story. For now, regulars say they are keeping an eye on the construction fences and empty Palm Plaza units, waiting to see which luxury names and restaurant concepts claim the next round of leases.
