People come from all over the Central Coast to shop in Salinas, a major retail center. Virtually every large chain is represented in the many shopping complexes in Salinas. From Office Depot and WalMart to JCPennys and Costco, popular retail stores bring shoppers into town. The city also has many specialty shops in the malls, neighborhoods and in the Oldtown Salinas district. In addition to the many retail consumer stores, Salinas auto dealers recently unveiled a regional auto mall on the city’s north side of Highway 101.

Northridge and Harden Ranch Plaza centers are well established. Westridge Center is a relatively new development featuring WalMart, Costco and Office Depot, which are surrounded by well-recognized restaurants like Outback Steakhouse, Chevy’s, Marie Callendar's and Starbucks. The newest shopping center in the Salinas area is Creekbridge Village at the intersection of Constitution Blvd. and Independence Ave.

Other shopping centers that add to the retail selection and convenience available in Salinas include Santa Rita Plaza, Sherwood Gardens Shopping Center, Main Street Plaza, Mountain Valley Plaza and Star Shopping Center.

Tree-lined Oldtown Salinas features 400 retail, restaurant, service and professional businesses offering "uptown style and downtown charm." Flowering planters on clean, wide sidewalks with colorful awnings and outdoor cafes create a pleasant atmosphere set against 19th century architecture.

The City of Salinas Redevelopment Agency made Oldtown an Economic Incentive Zone, eligible for tax reductions and funding for both new development and rehabilitation. Incentives include: waiving fees, improvement grants and loans, and a "One-Stop" Permit Center.