Black Friday has been called the busiest shopping day of the year and while Elyria’s Midway Mall will also be busy, there is concern over how busy it will be the rest of the year.
Anchor stores Macy’s and Dillards have closed over the years. But this week a consultant hired by the city completed a study saying there's a lot of potential for Midway Mall.
Elyria Mayor Holly Brinda agrees.
"The property we believe can become vibrant again,” Brinda said.
The goal of the study is to attract a developer who would buy the mall and invest in major improvements. The consultant envisions more outdoor accessible shopping like a smaller Crocker Park or Legacy Village.
The consultant, Jeff Green out of Arizona, believes a new hotel and high-end apartments are needed to draw more shoppers.
"We want people to have an opportunity to shop, live, work and play in a more dense area,” Brinda said.
The 65-page study concluded if nothing is done more stores will close leaving the mall blighted.
Brinda believes Midway Mall needs more variety of stores.
"Having the right mix of entertainment, and restaurants and office space, and residential along with the retail will work,” Brinda said.
Brenda said Midway Mall still does 71 million dollars in sales every year but is losing hundreds of millions of dollars to other malls in the area.
