LANSING, Michigan – The company that owns Meridian Mall in Okemos is now out of bankruptcy and will attempt to convert portions of the property if buyers’ habits change.
“We want to add dining, entertainment and other uses like hospitality, and that means hotels and apartment buildings in some markets, but it’s too early to say exactly what Meridian is expecting,” said Stacey Keating, of CBL Properties, of over 60 malls in the whole country.
“We need more, maybe a better department store. Shoe stores with cheaper shoes, “said Bonnie and John Vsoske, who shop in the mall on Black Friday.
Co-buyer, Dallis Squires, said he’d like to see something a bit more quirky.
“A candy store. Like a Willy Wonka candy store, huge, “he said.
Keating says the mall opened a go-kart track, something that wouldn’t have existed 10 years ago.
“When we look at redesigning or adding new uses to a mall, it really depends on what the market can support and what is lacking in the market and where the opportunity is,” said Keating.
A mall retailer, Alex Jones, and his partner ran an event planning shop here. He says it’s thriving because he’s thinking outside the box.
“We could do something with this room. And the mall was able to work with us and they are very impressed. In fact, the owner, CBL and his staff were here two weeks ago and were so impressed. It was like 20 owners came and looked at their properties and tried to see what they had to do to get out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, “said Jones of We Come to You Event Planning.
Jones says it’s important to be creative because he’s watched so many people around him.
The Meridian Mall currently has around 125 stores.
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