GRANDVILLE, Mich. — One of the biggest drivers of foot traffic at RiverTown Crossings is now empty.
With Macy’s officially closing its doors, questions are growing about what will replace the longtime anchor store and what it means for the future of the mall.
For shoppers like Peggy Mata, the closure hits close to home.
Mata, who has been walking the mall for more than a decade, says she’s watched stores come and go over the years.
“I’m one of the mall walkers,” Mata said.
Living just minutes away, she says the loss of another major retailer is concerning.
“I was disappointed, because it's another store that's closing, and I'm concerned about the longevity of the mall,” she said.
Now, with one of the mall’s largest anchor stores gone, Mata says the focus should be on what comes next.
“I just don't want to see the building empty,” she said.'
That space may not stay empty for long.
Property owner Jonathan Bryant says work is already underway inside the former Macy’s building.
“Currently we're in the demolition, demolition phase of the construction project,” Bryant said. “We'll remove everything that used to be Macy's and rebuild fire protection, lighting, everything that will be needed to bring new tenants into the building.”
While demolition is ongoing, Bryant says plans for what will replace Macy’s are still in progress.
“We're working on two or three uses right now. We're in the NDA period. I can't disclose who's going to come in here, because we're still negotiating the leases,” he said.
Without naming specific tenants, Bryant says the future of the space will likely look different than what shoppers were used to.
Once a deal is finalized, Bryant says construction could take anywhere from six months to a year.
“You'll see other tenants in here within a year, fully built out and open, and we'll have more foot traffic,” he said. “We're predicting about four to five times the foot traffic that Macy's had coming.”
For some shoppers, that transformation can’t come soon enough.
Vanessa VanDenBrink says she hopes whatever replaces Macy’s brings new energy to the mall.
“Something that would bring more people to the mall,” she said. “I feel like more arcade or like just something for like toddlers, maybe, and for kids to come to make the mall fun again.”
In a statement, RiverTown Crossings said:
"While the former Macy’s building is physically connected to the mall, it is owned and managed separately. Anchor transitions are a normal part of retail, and while that space is currently unoccupied, the remainder of the mall continues to operate as usual with a strong mix of retailers, dining, and services. Any future plans for that space will be shared by the building’s owner when finalized.”
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