We’re at the end of the line in our series on Azusa to Montclair station cities – the City of Montclair. The former watering stop founded as the “Township of Marquette” in 1897 has grown into a center of commerce and hub for travelers in the Inland Empire.
Montclair’s unique Mission Tiki Drive-In Theatre hosts a Swap Meet each weekend, with more than 300 vendors selling a variety of wares. Those looking for more shopping can head over to Montclair Plaza, a regionally popular two-level mall with restaurants and a wide selection of stores for people of all ages.
If you’re hungry during your visit to Montclair, check out a couple local favorite spots. The popular Sake 2 Me (formerly Joe’s Sushi) offers an all-you-can-eat option so diners can sample the wide selection of menu options. Another popular eatery in Montclair is the Dolce Café and Bakery. This bistro serves up tasty gourmet sandwiches, salads and pastas, as well as specialty cakes and pastries that can also be custom ordered.
Montclair is also home to the Transcenter, a transit hub connecting the Inland Empire to the rest of the region. The 20-acre Montclair Transcenter is the largest multimodal transportation facility between Los Angeles Union Station and the Santa Fe Depot in San Bernardino – and will be the final stop for the Foothill Extension, until plans the extension to Ontario can be worked out. At the Transcenter, passengers on Metrolink, Foothill Transit, Omnitrans and Riverside Transit Agency bus lines will be able to transfer to the Gold Line. Transit-oriented development planned for this area will further Montclair’s importance as a transit hub and destination.
Ironically, both Sake 2 Me and the Drive-In are adjacent to the Union Pacific/Alameda Corridor East/Metrolink Riverside Line rail corridor, not the ATSF/Metrolink San Bernardino corridor Gold Line is proposing to use, and both would take over 1 hour to walk to from Montclair station.