LANSING, Mich. — The company that owns Meridian Mall in Okemos is now out of bankruptcy and looking to re-purpose parts of the property as shoppers' habits change.
“We are looking to add dining, entertainment, other uses like hospitality, and so that means hotels and multi-family in some markets but it's really too soon to say exactly what's in store for Meridian," said Stacey Keating of CBL Properties, owns over 60 shopping centers across the country.
“We need some more, maybe a better department store. Shoes stores with shoes that are more reasonably priced," said Bonnie and John Vsoske, who were shopping at the mall on Black Friday.
Fellow shopper, Dallis Squires, said he'd like to see something more whimsical.
“A candy store. Like a Willy Wonka candy shop, huge," he said.
Keating says the mall has opened a go-cart track, something that wouldn’t have been here 10 years ago.
“When we look at redevelopment or adding new uses to a mall, it really depends upon what the market can support and what’s missing from the market and where the opportunity exists," said Keating.
One retailer at the mall, Alex Jones, and his partner have been running an event-planning business here. He says it's thriving because he’s thinking outside of the box.
“We could do something with this space. And the mall was able to work with us and they are very impressed. Actually, the owner, CBL and associates was here two weeks ago and was so impressed. It was like 20 owners came and they were viewing their properties and trying to see what they need to do to pull themselves out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy," said Jones, of We Come to You Event Planning.
Jones says being creative is key because he’s watched so many people fold around him.
Right now, the Meridian Mall has about 125 stores.
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