Station Mall merchants waiting to hear from new owners
The chair of the Station Mall Merchants Association says news of the mall's sale to a southern Ontario holding company brings to a close years of uncertainty regarding the future of the property.
After being put up for sale in 2015, Algoma Central Corporation announced this week that the 555,000 square-foot shopping centre had been sold to southern Ontario-based SM International Holdings.
"I'm sure a lot of people were concerned and weren't sure what was going to actually happen in the end, but I think it’s all positive," says Rodger Rosset. "We're extremely busy and this just means now that we can move forward."
In addition to his duties as chair, Rosset is also co-owner of Savoy's Jewellers, a mall tenant of more than 40 years. He says he's excited to hear what the new owners have in store.
"The owners have just purchased the mall a week ago, so I can't expect too much yet," he said. "But I'm excited to see what they have planned for us moving forward."
Since 2017, Station Mall has lost two anchor stores – Sears and Walmart. Salvatore Marchese, executive director of the Sault Ste. Marie Downtown Association, says the mall, which is not represented by his organization, is an important part of the neighbourhood and should be looking for another big tenant.
"I think the addition of an anchor store would help," said Marchese. "I think it's really important that we also try to maintain the businesses that have been there for years."
Marchese also believes the mall will need to reinvent itself in some way to remain viable.
"You've seen that, especially in Toronto at Yorkdale, it’s a staple example where they have changed how they operate every so often. And I think especially now, they’ve looked at how can we utilize some of the parking space, how can we update the facade, how can we make these destination places."
CTV News Northern Ontario reached out to the new owners of the mall for comment. They said they are not prepared to issue a statement at this time, but would likely be releasing one before the end of the week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.