Why Barbra Streisand Created a Mall Inside Her Malibu House: The Costume Shop, Candy Store, Celebrity Guests and Archival Fashion Boutique
The legendary singer and actress lives in a 10,000-square-foot Malibu home with a mall inspired by her childhood trauma
Most people don’t have malls in their basement, but then again, most people aren’t Barbra Streisand. Throughout her decades-long career in show business, the legendary singer and actress has garnered Oscars, Grammys and New York Times bestselling books, but her most prized possessions are her antiques.
I love to collect. I’m a collector,” Streisand told Gayle King on CBS Sunday Morning last year
This is what led Streisand to erect her own “little tiny mall” in the basement of her Malibu, Calif., mansion. Her faux avenue consists of several small storefronts displaying clothes, furniture, dolls and even a functioning candy shop.
Purchased for $16.5 million, Streisand’s 10,000 square foot oceanfront “dream home” features eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. Situated on three acres, her compound comprises multiple properties and four separate houses, including a barn. Today, the value of Streisand’s property is estimated at $100 million.
Why is there a mall in Barbra Streisand’s Malibu home?
In 2010, Streisand authored a book about remodeling her home titled “My Passion for Design.” In it, the Oscar winner correlates her love of stuff with childhood trauma.
Streisand was inspired to create her own mall after visiting the Winterthur Museum of American Decorative Arts, which features a display of early 19th-century shops.
“Seeing Winterthur’s indoor street, I thought how ingenious that was,” she said in a 2010 Harper’s Bazaar interview. “Instead of just storing my things in the basement, I can make a street of shops and display them.”
What’s in Barbra Streisand’s mall?
Streisand’s mall is lined with antique lanterns and features cobblestone floors.
